This is Allens

My path to becoming a lawyer wasn't traditional. I initially completed a degree in Environmental Science; straight out of university, I worked in environmental water policy. Drafting legislative instruments and managing contracts piqued my interest, but I quickly realised that being a policy officer wasn't my calling.

My husband and my aunt (also a lawyer) suggested that I pursue a law degree. Not necessarily to practise, but to open doors to new career opportunities in the environmental space. I decided to give it a shot and soon discovered my passion for law. I remember leaving my contract law class, thinking, 'I love that, that was awesome.'

I still wasn't sure where that degree would lead, but I had signed on to a mentor program through the Law Society and been matched with Kate Axup, who, at that time, was a senior associate at Allens. That led me to consider commercial law and to go down the clerkship route. I clerked at Allens and was delighted to receive an employment offer, which I readily accepted, having loved the people and the culture. Allens felt like the right fit for me.

Given my relatively new appreciation for commercial law, I started at Allens without any aspirations to make partner – I was just trying to figure out my new career. I found my niche in the Projects team and thrived. Kate continued to be a mentor and played a pivotal role in my journey. She took me under her wing – her support and belief were crucial to getting me where I am today. Under Kate's guidance, and with the benefit of diverse leaders who all carved their own path to partnership, I was able to see that there was no single way to succeed and I could make partnership work for me.

I am driven by the opportunity to work on true pathfinder projects – particularly in the energy transition space. It aligns with my background in Environmental Science, and is particularly fulfilling. It's about doing good for the planet and helping clients transition to more sustainable practices.

I've recently relocated to Sydney from Melbourne, to support clients to capitalise on the energy transition nationally, and in New South Wales, where we are seeing the state make significant strides. Infrastructure players are increasingly looking at opportunities presented by the transition and I am really excited to support them in that – whether it's developing the infrastructure, investing in assets or progressing with a decarbonisation strategy.