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I started at Colin Biggers & Paisley as a Graduate in February 2017 and completed rotations in the Property, Banking and Finance and Construction teams. In February 2018 I joined the Property team as a Solicitor.
During the time I have been at Colin Biggers & Paisley, I've had the opportunity to work on wide range of interesting matters. My experience has been, even as a Graduate and (very) junior solicitor, that I have had exposure to a huge variety of work very early on in my career. One of the things which I appreciate most about working at Colin Biggers & Paisley, which I think is perhaps different from other law firms, is that the partners for whom I work are not only great mentors and leaders in their respective areas, but they are also invested in my career and development as a lawyer.
Colin Biggers & Paisley actively encourages all employees to engage with the community. I have worked on a wide variety of pro bono matters and been involved with a number of volunteer initiatives, including the Valley Hearts programme and ASPIRE Regional Connect Programme. I think the fact that the practice makes an allowance to fee earners' budgets of up to 50 hours of pro bono work each financial year really helps people in the practice make a meaningful contribution to the community. I have found that my experience of pro bono work has been exceptionally rewarding both personally and professionally. In addition to being exposed to types of matters which I would not otherwise have ever worked on, I really feel as though I am making a difference to people's lives.
I find advocacy, and the law itself, tremendously enjoyable and endlessly fascinating. I really enjoy the contentious aspects of the law. The nature of the work that I do on a day to day basis means that I am frequently in Court. Consequently, I have had the opportunity to work with and observe advocates in all kinds of interlocutory and final hearings, both at first instance and on appeal. In addition to working on matters once they get to Court, I enjoy the intellectual challenge of applying the law to particular factual situations.
In addition to the professional and volunteering opportunities, there are a wide range of extra-curricular and social opportunities at the practice. I am the Queensland representative for the practice's Young Professionals Committee which focusses on providing networking opportunities (internal and external) and learning and development initiatives for all early career professionals (not only fee earners) at the practice. I have found it really rewarding to organise and host client networking events with external contacts and to arrange less formal, internal celebrations for Christmas and the End of Financial Year through my role on the Brisbane Social Committee. I also enjoy playing in our touch football and netball teams and participating in the Corporate Games.