What's your job about?

I am a Lawyer at Sparke Helmore Lawyers, a law firm specialising in Government, Corporate & Commercial, Property, Environment & Finance, Workplace, Statutory Lines Insurance, and Commercial Insurance. I work in the Casualty practice group, which is part of the Commercial Insurance team.

For those who don’t know what “Casualty” means (as I wasn’t before taking on this role), it generally refers to a broad category of insurance coverage designed to protect individuals or businesses in the event that a claim is made against them for liability for incidents causing injury to a person or damage to property.

My team specialise in litigated and unlitigated general liability claims including personal injury, property damage and product liability. We act for insurers, self-insured government agencies, corporate clients, and non-government organisations. Our portfolio typically includes claims related to abuse and intentional tort, worker-to-worker or labour hire matters, property damage, and subrogated recovery. We also provide advice to large insurers regarding policy response and coverage disputes.

Surprisingly, a lot of my work happens outside of the courtroom. My usual days involves corresponding with clients, counsel and opposing lawyers, drafting written advices, reviewing and analysing claims, attending Alternative Dispute Resolutions, and managing ongoing matters. On days when we are required to appear in court, either I or a member of my team will appear in front of a Registrar or Judge in the Supreme or District Court. Sometimes this is done in person or via the Online Court. I enjoy the balance of both aspects of my work.

What's your background?

I grew up in the Sutherland Shire in Sydney, where I attended a local high school before moving on to the University of Wollongong. During high school and my first few years of university, I worked as a barista at a café. In my fourth year of university, I secured my first job at a law firm as a paralegal at a boutique firm specialising in Commercial Law, Family Law, Wills & Estates.

In my fourth year, I began applying for graduate positions, unsure about which area of law I was interested in pursuing. I found Sparkes through Prosple (formerly known as GradAustralia). I applied online and was soon invited to attend the first round of interviews.

Before the interviews, Sparkes hosted a Graduate Breakfast for all potential graduates.  This event was a great way to network with other graduates and partners at Sparkes. The Graduate Breakfast was a fantastic opportunity to speak with current employees and gain a better understanding of the firm’s culture and values. I also had the chance to meet the Partner who later ended up offering me a role on her team!

After being offered a rotating graduate position, I was asked to join the firm early. I began working as a paralegal in the same team where I had been offered the graduate position. I loved the team and work so much that I chose not to rotate at the end of my first rotation.  Since August 2023, I have now been working in the same team!

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Yes, absolutely! While a law degree is a non-negotiable, I came into the role with limited knowledge of the Commercial Insurance space. I was interested in the area but had’nt had the chance to work at a law firm that specialised in insurance., Fortunately I received great guidance, which has allowed me to further develop my understanding and budding passion for all things insurance. I’m also lucky to be surrounded by a team who come from all walks of legal life, including solicitors who have worked for plaintiff firms, government organisations, the courts, and overseas. 

I believe that certain skills are important for most jobs; however, to excel in my specific role, it is necessary to have good time management, organisational skills, analytical abilities, good communication, and the capability to manage competing priorities and deadlines. Being resilient, able to own your mistakes (you’ll make many as a junior lawyer) and learn from them is also essential especially in a fast-paced, litigation-based team.

What's the coolest thing about your job?

I love my job as it allows me to work on a wide variety of matters in a fast-paced and high-volume environment. This experience has given me exposure to areas that I had never previously dreamed of. One of my favourite aspects of my role is attending site views at various locations—think anywhere from shopping centres to warehouses to shipping yards. A ’site view’ is where you visit the location where an incident occurred to investigate the claim. This experience enables me to gain a deeper understanding of a matter and how the incident occurred and allows me to collect and analyse evidence, which will hopefully strengthen our client’s position.

What are the limitations of your job?

My team has a heavy caseload, and we often deal with tight deadlines and high client expectations. Due to the nature of our business, there are times when I may need to work late or on weekends to get tasks done.  However, this isn’t an everyday occurrence and the partners that I work with do not encourage it.

We sometimes find ourselves faced with matters where we must defend clients who have acted negligently or where we may not morally or ethically agree with our client’s position. Nonetheless, we have a duty to defend the claims brought against them. While these factors can make the role challenging at times, they contribute to what I find exciting and rewarding about the role

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

1. Back yourself more! I have always struggled with my self-confidence, which has often led me to doubt myself or my abilities. Because of this, I have lost out on a lot of opportunities, believing that I was not good enough or undeserving of them. Remember to always shoot your shot, even if you might miss.
2. Learn to be okay with people not liking you. Not everyone is going to like you. And that is okay (even if that hurts people pleasers like me).
3. It’s okay to say no. I am still working on this one myself, but I am constantly reminded of it by people around me, including my superiors. While saying “yes” to anything and everything may bring opportunities, it can be an easy and fast road to burnout. It’s important to learn how to balance your priorities and say no to tasks when you genuinely do not have the capacity to deal with them.