Expect the unexpected
I never thought about being a lawyer growing up – I wanted to be an artist, a vet or a spy (even though at age 8 I made my mum sign a ‘contract’ promising me that she would take me to the Easter Show).
I never thought about going into legal practice at university. I wanted to work as a journalist, or in international affairs (even though I loved my law degree subjects).
I never thought about moving into competition law after I was admitted. I was working in criminal law and native title and thought economics x law x regulation was likely to be extremely dull (even though I had never tried it).
I never thought about further study in my first years of practice. I was so glad to be free of assignments (even though I would soon take a gap year to do my Masters in International Competition Law in Amsterdam – and love it).
I never thought about commercial practice when I was working as an investigator at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). I was afraid it would be cutthroat and crushing (even though some of my best friends worked in commercial practice).
In short, I never ever thought I would be here.
But now, after 9 years of competition and consumer law practice, I could not be happier. I work in an area of law I am truly passionate about, I work within a team (and a firm) that is supportive and fun, and I genuinely love what I do. I get to work on some of the largest and most interesting competition law matters in our field, I work with some of the best lawyers and I have the opportunity to continuously learn and develop my competition law and professional skills.
All of this has come about simply by keeping an open mind, being flexible and applying myself to every opportunity that has come my way. I did not take a law firm clerkship when I graduated, instead I interned at various native title and NGO agencies. I then worked in house in a large insurance and financial firm and took a stint as a research assistant in criminal chambers. I worked at an NGO investigating human rights abuses in Southeast Asia. Although all of this was interesting (and rewarding), none of it really clicked. On a whim I moved into the public service, at the ACCC, where I was exposed to competition and consumer law for the first time as an investigator – and fell in love with it! I’ve never looked back.
I guess the upshot of all of this is to say: stay flexible, be curious about new areas of law and don’t worry too much about hitting all the conventional milestones, you will eventually land on your feet, where you are meant to be!