Lawyer Monthly Women in Law Awards 2025

Family Lawyer of the Year 10 www.lawyer-monthly.com Lawyer Monthly Women in Law Awards 2025 What were some of the biggest challenges you faced early in your career, and how did you overcome them? In hindsight, the early years of practice felt deceptively smooth, largely because I lacked the self-awareness to recognise the scope of what I did not yet know. Law school had equipped me with legal reasoning, but not with the interpersonal and emotional intelligence necessary to navigate the unpredictable terrain of family disputes. Working in family law is unlike any other jurisdiction; there is no clear binary of right and wrong, and the stakes are heartbreakingly personal. I frequently experienced imposter syndrome. I would agonise over whether I had cited the correct authority or drafted the most persuasive affidavit, questioning whether I belonged in the room. It felt like a series of first dates where you walk around hoping you do not have spinach in your teeth, except there is no mirror, and the stakes are someone’s children, home, and safety. The most difficult challenge, however, was learning how to manage emotional boundaries. As family lawyers, we are not just exposed to trauma—we are immersed in it. In the early years, I was not taught how to recognise the signs of vicarious trauma or burnout in myself or my colleagues. At that time, discussions around lawyer wellbeing were almost taboo. Through years of experience, and necessity, I developed strategies to preserve my emotional stamina. I learnt to compartmentalise without becoming desensitised, built a peer support network, and sought out supervision and debriefing. I prioritised self-reflection and developed clear boundaries with clients while still holding space for their emotional experience. These practices are not just selfpreserving; they are essential to being a clear, effective advocate. Looking back, is there a case or client that has had a lasting impact on your approach to law? There are countless matters that have left an imprint on me, but one particular case significantly reframed my understanding of justice within the family law system. I represented a father who was falsely accused of serious family violence. The allegations, in my assessment, were retaliatory in nature and appeared to be part of an effort to sever his relationship with his children. There was no corroborating evidence, only very vague assertions. Yet, based on those assertions alone, my client was evicted from his home, denied access to his personal effects, and most painfully, separated from his children. He was treated not just with suspicion, but as if he had already been convicted. It was a stark reminder of the power of narrative, and the danger of substituting allegation for evidence. Q Q

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