As an advocate, I work alongside individuals and groups to uphold/enforce their rights and push for fairer systems, particularly in the workplace. My work lives at the intersection of law and social justice, and often calls for creativity, persistence, and collaboration—especially as our industrial relations landscape continues to evolve. I seek to approach my work with curiosity and centre kindness.  Whether I'm helping an individual to navigate a tough situation or advocating for broader collective change, I aim to bring clarity to the process. I take a similar approach as a colleague, team mate (I love sport!) and parent (although I'm very much figuring this out on the fly in the throes of toddlerhood).

‍

Strength, representation, opportunity.

‍

Representation, though necessary, alone is not sufficient.  Truly diverse thinking will only come through significant structural and cultural change that is centred in equity and does not shy away from recognising that current systems were not built to serve everyone equally.  We need to create an environment where different lived experiences and worldviews are both valued at and integrated into the heart of legal practice and decision making. I think this involves three critical shifts (in respect of which progress is undoubtedly already being made): 1. Ensuring that all would-be litigants have proper access to justice, forcing the industry to contemplate the experiences and interests of individuals and organisations that are truly representative of the population.  Every matter that a practitioner works on is an opportunity for growth and exposure, at both a personal and professional level. 2. Broadening pathways into law; actively supporting and amplifying candidates with diverse backgrounds, including those with lived experience of structural inequality. This will require a cultural shift beyond tokenism and require the profession to address bias in all facets and processes, including how we define professionalism, leadership and success.3. Expanding conversations about our legal frameworks. True diversity in the legal industry will be advanced by challenging historically dominant legal narratives and questioning whose interests are served by those narratives and current practices.  In my view, space needs to be made for community-led justice models aimed at longer-term solutions, which have the capacity to enrich our system and make it more just.

‍

I can't say that I grew up dreaming of being a lawyer, despite being enthusiastically argumentative from a young age.  I chose to study law because it seemed like a solid, versatile option and I was interested in learning how and why the world works.  I have landed in an area that closely aligns my skills with my personal values. I'm grateful for the opportunity to do very meaningful work that creates real change for real people.

‍