Her story

Ashleigh is a litigation lawyer at Potts Lawyers, with significant experience in dispute resolution with a strong focus on insurance and compensation law.Ashleigh is also legally blind due to a rare genetic autoimmune disorder, and is dedicated to advancing disability confidence, providing an educational service to the legal profession.In 2021, Ashleigh was a awarded the in the Emergent Woman of The Year Award at the 2021 Women Lawyers Association of Queensland (WLAQ) Awards.

Without mentioning your job title, how would you describe what it is you do now (whether at home, work, in the community, etc.)?

Legally blind advocate for accessibility, equal opportunity and inclusion of people with disability, impairment or injury – in all facets of life.

What are the first three words you think of when you hear the word ‘diversity’?

Please include us!

What do you think it will take to develop truly diverse thinking within the legal industry?

Create opportunity, employ and retain people from diverse backgrounds in order to develop truly diverse thinking in the legal industry. Likewise, a trust relationship needs to be established for people to feel safe to voice their concerns and ideas for improvement. When people of diversity are better reflected in the profession, and included in decision-making and leadership roles, that is when diverse thinking will manifest and moreover, be heard and actioned.

What was your main driver to enter the legal industry?

To help people, particularly people like me. I was a paralegal for many years, prior to becoming a lawyer. Throughout that period in my life, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition and became legally blind. A barrister (now judge) who is also from a diverse background, taught me that my disability was not a barrier to entering the profession. I empathised with people adapting to and living with injury, impairment and disability; and the everyday hurdles that needed to be overcome. My experiences became my main driver to help others like me.