Listen to my story.
02:37 MIN
Transcript
I'm a lawyer in the corporate and mergers and acquisitions team in Melbourne. I advise clients on the sale or acquisition of businesses, draft contracts, and advise on corporate law generally.
My favourite part about being a corporate lawyer is the team work and collaboration. I love being part of a big group of people ‒ clients, lawyers and other advisers ‒ all working hard to achieve the same goal, knowing that the role each of us plays in that group is a valued and important one. M&A is fast-paced, exciting and intense at times, especially when you're in the middle of a negotiation, but it’s a great feeling when everyone is in the trenches together.
One of my career highlights was completing a transaction in Hong Kong that we had worked on for almost two years. I was the lead non-partner lawyer responsible for all aspects of the transaction, including managing and co-ordinating advice from financial, tax and other legal advisers across five jurisdictions. The deal was challenging in its complexity and scale, but I really enjoyed the opportunity to be deeply involved in such an interesting and high-profile transaction from its initial stages until the very end.
In a way, playing in the Melbourne Lawyers' Orchestra is like working on an M&A transaction ‒ you're part of a big group and although there are so many moving parts, they are all striving together to create something or achieve a common goal. Each person has their own role to play, but at the same time is supporting the others.
I founded the Melbourne Lawyers' Orchestra in 2013. It's a full symphony orchestra made up of members from all around the legal profession, including lawyers, in-house counsel, law students, barristers, and a judge. I lead a committee of six volunteers and oversee the Orchestra's operations and management, and its strategic and artistic direction.
The Orchestra gives us an opportunity to follow our passion for music, and foster new relationships. It also promotes good mental health and work-life balance. These are so important to legal professionals, given our demanding and intense careers.
After a busy day at work, it is really refreshing and energising to engage another part of your brain, and share a creative experience with other like-minded people.
My involvement in the Melbourne Lawyers' Orchestra means that, even though I am a corporate lawyer, I can still stay true to my identity as a musician, and find balance and fulfilment, both professionally and personally.