Madeleine Flannagan began studying Law at the University of Waikato and is completing her LLB through Auckland University currently. She has a strong interest in philosophy of law and civil liberties, has recently completed supervised research on religion in public life and intends to undertake a Masters Degree in Jurisprudence.

She is a former Woman’s Rights Officer and Vice-President of the University of Waikato Students Union and has been involved in both the running and leadership of several civil liberties and charitable organisations. She was working full-time as a Legal Assistant, Personal Assistant and Human Resources Administrator until a car accident left her with serious neck injuries requiring disc replacement surgery in March 2008.

She is politically a classical liberal but is theologically conservative. Married to Matt, with whom she writes for MandM, she has 4 children and was an equestrian-eventer in her youth; Madeleine resumed equestrian sports a few years back and if she can recover from her neck injuries and chronic pain, hopes to be able to work her way back through the eventing levels.