Mara Lejins is an Australian lawyer and television quiz personality who gained fame as “The Smiling Assassin” on The Chase Australia. She joined the popular game show as a Chaser in 2022, becoming the youngest member of the quiz team at 27 years old. The Sydney-based prosecutor balances her demanding legal career with her role on one of Australia’s most-watched television programs.
Mara Lejins Wikipedia
| Field | Details |
| Full name | Mara Lejins |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | April 11, 1995 |
| Age | 30 years old (as of January 2026) |
| Place of birth | Sydney, Australia |
| Current residence | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Ethnicity | Mixed (Australian-Latvian descent) |
| Zodiac sign | Aries |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (159 cm) |
| Weight | Unknown |
| Hair colour | Blonde |
| Eye colour | Blue |
| Marital status | Unknown |
| Spouse | N/A |
| Children | None |
| Alma mater | Australian National University (ANU), Columbia University |
| Profession | Lawyer, Prosecutor, Television Personality, Chaser |
| Net worth | Estimated $500,000 – $1 million |
Who is Mara Lejins?
Mara Lejins is an Australian lawyer who rose to national prominence as the newest Chaser on The Chase Australia. Born in Sydney, she became the show’s youngest Chaser when she joined in 2022.
She combines her career as a prosecutor for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) with her television commitments.
Her nickname “The Smiling Assassin” comes from her childhood tennis days when she would smile cheerfully while defeating opponents.
The moniker perfectly captures her on-screen persona where she maintains a warm demeanor while crushing contestants’ dreams with her encyclopedic knowledge.
How old is Mara Lejins? Age and birthday
Mara Lejins is 30 years old as of January 2026. She was born on April 11, 1995, in Sydney, Australia. Her zodiac sign is Aries, which aligns with her competitive nature and dynamic personality on The Chase Australia.
Mara Lejins’ height and physical appearance
Mara Lejins stands 5 feet 3 inches (159 cm) tall. Her petite stature has never held her back from achieving her goals.
She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and is often compared to Elle Woods from Legally Blonde due to her cheerful personality and legal background.
On The Chase Australia, Mara wears a signature pink outfit inspired by Barbie, stating “who doesn’t want to be Barbie?” Her bright wardrobe choice reflects her upbeat personality and makes her stand out among the other Chasers.
What is Mara Lejins’ net worth and salary?
As of 2026, Mara Lejins’ net worth is estimated between $500,000 and $1 million. She earns income from multiple sources including her legal work as a prosecutor and her television appearances on The Chase Australia.
While exact figures for Chaser salaries are not publicly disclosed, Australian reality TV and game show personalities typically earn between $50,000 and $200,000 per season depending on the number of episodes filmed.
Host Larry Emdur reportedly earns $1.6 million annually for his hosting duties on both The Morning Show and The Chase Australia.
As a Senior Solicitor for the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mara earns a substantial government salary.
Senior solicitors in the NSW DPP typically earn between $90,000 and $140,000 per year based on experience and qualifications.
She previously won $58,000 from Beat the Chasers Australia in 2020, which she used to fund her Master’s degree at Columbia University.
Mara Lejins’ family background and heritage
Mara comes from a family with deep roots in regional New South Wales and fascinating international heritage. Her maternal family hails from the Queanbeyan and Cooma regions.
Her great-great-grandfather moved from Cootamundra to Queanbeyan during the Great Depression, establishing a farm on Sutton Road.
Her maternal great-grandfather, Jack Seiffert, served as a warden at Goulburn jail before becoming a Member for Eden-Monaro in the NSW government.
The Seiffert Oval in Queanbeyan, the spiritual home of the Canberra Raiders, is named after him.
On her paternal side, Mara’s grandfather was a Latvian refugee who arrived in Australia in 1947 following World War II.
He initially worked as an orderly at a mental health hospital in Melbourne before joining the Snowy Hydro scheme.
Her 89-year-old grandmother still lives in Canberra and climbs Black Mountain weekly, showing that determination runs in the family.
Mara’s parents both studied at the Australian National University (ANU) where they met. Her father and his siblings moved to Canberra when he reached high school age, and the family remains connected to the region.
Education and academic achievements
Mara Lejins attended the University of Sydney for one year before transferring to the Australian National University (ANU) to pursue Law and International Relations.
She studied at ANU from 2014 to 2018, residing at Bruce Hall. She graduated with honors, earning a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of International Relations, along with a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice.
In 2022, Mara moved to New York City to attend Columbia Law School. She graduated in 2023 with a Master of Laws (LLM) with Highest Honors, placing in the top 2% of her graduating class.
She also received the Parker Certificate for Achievement in International and Comparative Law, a prestigious award recognizing excellence in international legal studies.
Career journey
Early career and legal work
During her time at ANU, Mara worked as a security guard on campus, a job she describes as “the best on the planet.” She spent three years patrolling the grounds in oversized uniforms designed for much taller security staff.
She co-founded the Women in Law Organisation (WILO) at ANU in 2016 alongside her friends Ruth Parsons and Hannah Cameron.
The student-run mentoring program pairs motivated female law students with established professionals in the legal field.
Mara completed internships and positions at several prestigious organizations, including Minter Ellison (one of Australia’s largest law firms), the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), the U.S.
Department of the Treasury, and the Ecuadorian Embassy in Canberra. At the embassy, she completed a comparative law research project through the ANU Internship Program.
Prosecutor career
After completing her studies, Mara began working as a Federal Prosecutor for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. She currently serves as a Senior Solicitor for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW), where she prosecutes criminal cases.
In August 2024, she was spotted at Sydney courts appearing in a murder trial, demonstrating her work on serious criminal matters.
The Chase Australia journey
Mara’s quiz show journey began long before she became a Chaser. While studying at ANU, she regularly attended trivia nights at The RUC Turner bowls club in Canberra. Her team, called “Mara’s Angels,” competed weekly against other local trivia enthusiasts.
She first appeared on The Chase Australia as a contestant in 2017, winning $20,000 for her team. In 2020, she returned for Beat the Chasers Australia, winning $60,000 in her heat and taking home $58,000 in the finale. She also appeared on the quiz show Think Tank, where she was eliminated.
In 2022, Channel 7 announced that Mara would join the show as the newest Chaser. At 27 years old, she became Australia’s youngest Chaser, joining Brydon Coverdale (The Supernerd), Anne Hegerty (The Governess), Matt Parkinson (Goliath), Issa Schultz (The Shark), Mark Labbett (The Beast), and Cheryl Toh (The Tiger Mum).
Mara’s success on the show comes from her exceptional memory and wide reading habits. She reads two to three newspapers daily to stay current with events and pop culture. She acknowledges that trivia success depends on strong recall abilities and the capacity to remember information from a single reading or viewing.
The show earned her television fame, and she used her winnings from Beat the Chasers to help fund her Master’s degree at Columbia University.
Is Mara Lejins married? Husband, partner, dating history and relationship status
Mara Lejins keeps her personal life private. Her current relationship status is unknown. In 2023, she mentioned having a boyfriend during a joke on The Chase Australia about her cooking skills, but she has not publicly shared details about her romantic relationships.
There were unsubstantiated rumors in October 2025 suggesting radio personality Kyle Sandilands once dated Mara, but these claims were never confirmed and appeared to be speculation.
Mara does not have any children.
Social media presence
As of January 2026, Mara Lejins has approximately 18,000 followers on Instagram (@maralejins). She uses the platform to share behind-the-scenes content from The Chase Australia, personal travel photos, and glimpses into her legal career.
Her Instagram bio reads: “on The Chase Australia on @channel7. It’s hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world.”
On TikTok (@maralejins), she has around 6,000 followers and 239,800 likes as of January 2026. She posts clips from The Chase Australia and engages with fans who enjoy the show. Her content focuses on quiz show moments and trivia challenges.
Fast facts about Mara Lejins
- She graduated in the top 2% of her Columbia Law School class in 2023.
- Her childhood nickname “Mars Bar” didn’t make it to television, but “The Smiling Assassin” stuck.
- She was a security guard at ANU for three years while studying law and international relations.
- Her great-grandfather was a NSW MP, and Seiffert Oval in Queanbeyan is named after him.
- She has Latvian heritage through her paternal grandfather who arrived in Australia as a refugee in 1947.
- Mara is only 159 cm (5’3″) tall, making her one of the shortest Chasers.
- She was traumatized by drinking expired Raiders lime-flavored milk at Bruce Hall during her university days.
- Her 89-year-old grandmother still climbs Black Mountain weekly and skis regularly.
- She co-founded the Women in Law Organisation at ANU in 2016 to mentor female law students.
- Mara made an awkward on-air joke in 2023 about poisoning her boyfriend with her cooking, which was poorly timed due to the Victorian mushroom poisoning case.
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Wrapping up
Mara Lejins has built an impressive career combining law and entertainment. From trivia nights at The RUC in Canberra to becoming Australia’s youngest Chaser, she has proven that intelligence, hard work, and a positive attitude can open doors.
She continues to prosecute cases for the NSW government while delighting audiences on The Chase Australia, making her one of the most accomplished young legal professionals in Australian television.
References
- The Chase Wiki. Mara Lejins.
- Canberra Daily. Canberra’s own TV star gives chase.
- Region. Trivia nights at The RUC was where it all began for The Chase’s ‘Smiling Assassin’.
- Daily Mail. The Chase Australia’s ‘Smiling Assassin’ spotted heading into court for murder trial.
- LinkedIn. Mara Lejins – Senior Solicitor.
- Wikipedia. The Chase Australia.
- Now To Love. The Chase’s Anne and Mara dish all the secrets about the hit show.
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