30 under 30 law awards

Market Insight

June 9, 2023

Taylor Root is proud to be the principal partner in the Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Law Awards. Samantha Jones, Consultant at Taylor Root, had the opportunity to speak to this year’s finalists in the projects, energy and resources category.

The projects, energy and resources award recognises a lawyer who has acted for clients on matters concerning projects, energy and/or resources impacting the Australian economy.

Here are five of the finalists and their thoughts on what these awards mean to them, their successes in their career and their role in their chosen practice area in the Australian legal industry.

Connor Stagg – King & Wood Mallesons

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

In one word, chuffed. I feel fortunate to work in an environment with both clients and colleagues that enabled me to be nominated as a finalist. The recognition is really a reflection on the matters, development opportunities and training I have received from King & Wood Mallesons.

Your biggest achievements in your career to date?

When I look back at all the interesting disputes I have worked and advised on throughout my career, the one which really stands out is a matter I did as a junior solicitor for an international coal company in the Queensland Supreme Court. It stands out not only for the great result achieved for the client, but my own personal development along the way. Looking back now I feel like I grew and evolved my legal skills exponentially over a very short period of time due to the teaching and learnings of my supervisor and the amount of autonomy I was provided. I grew great relationships with the legal team and the personnel at the port, which continue today.

What made you choose your practice area?

I have always been attracted to litigation. In my first few years of university I worked as a paralegal for a small firm which predominantly did family and criminal law. Needless to say, I worked out quickly that neither of those areas of law were for me, and I accepted a role on a major construction project in Queensland as a paralegal. This new role allowed me the opportunity to work on a number of disputes with subcontractors and I have been sold on litigation ever since.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Legal conditions are tough around the globe as firms try to grapple and deal with the impact of COVID-19. My advice in the current environment is to never give up chasing jobs and opportunities, even if you do not obtain a clerkship or graduate offer at the firm of your choice. There are plenty of opportunities in the market and it only takes a few years’ of experience before all of a sudden the tables shift, firms will come knocking and other opportunities arise which you never knew existed.

Georgia Davis – Clayton Utz

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

Being nominated by the firm is so humbling and great recognition of my work over the last year. It also gives me the opportunity to say a big “thank you” to our clients and the firm for allowing me the opportunity to practise in an area I love!

Your biggest achievements in your career to date?

I think moving more into a Native Title specialty within my team. It’s an area I love and being able to take on more of that work and building a little niche for myself is awesome. Work never feels like a chore!

What made you choose your practice area?

A combination of loving the work my team does, as well as the people I get to work with. The Energy and Resources practice group is so varied, so it never gets boring.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself! Find an area you love to practise in and enjoy the journey.

Katrina Bullock – Greenpeace Australia Pacific

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

It’s an honour to work for an organisation that creates meaningful change in the world every day, and a truly humbling experience to be recognised by my colleagues and peers for my contribution.

Your biggest achievements in your career to date

Supporting our teams as they worked with other members of civil society to convince the big Australian supermarkets to ditch single-use plastic bags; to persuade Equinor to abandon oil drilling in the Great Australian Bight; and to stop the National Energy Guarantee which would have inhibited renewable energy projects and driven up emissions.

What made you choose your practice area?

I enjoy the variety, depth and challenge of my work. No two days are ever the same. As with every job I have ever accepted, the biggest draw card and the determining factor behind my decision is the team I get to work with and the impact we can achieve.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

You are training now for jobs that don’t exist yet. As a young lawyer your fresh eyes will be an incredibly valuable asset to the profession. Continue to learn, to question and to innovate. Remember that you are never too old to learn, and never too young to teach.

Michael Beukelman – Clayton Utz

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

It’s humbling to be recognised for my hard work and values, and to see my progression recognised alongside peers that have also been nominated.

Your biggest achievements in your career to date?

I have strived to balance my commercial work with pro bono work and community involvement throughout my career so far. Last year, I assisted to keep a vulnerable single mother of three children who was at risk of homelessness in her rental property after the landlord attempted to evict her; provided pro bono advice to two indigenous women who had been improperly removed from their positions as directors on the board of an Indigenous corporation; and organised for Clayton Utz staff to volunteer their time within Victorian prisons with Fitted for Work to assist women soon-to-exit prison with job-ready skills and confidence.

What made you choose your practice area?

I thoroughly enjoy the mix of both transactional and advisory work but was mostly drawn to my team because of the wonderful people I work with who are both very personable and excellent lawyers.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

You never know what’s going to take your interest or where you’re going to end up, so follow opportunities that intrigue you or people that interest you. Don’t be limited by the traditional idea of success as you travel through the early stages of your career.

Yannis Vrodos – Herbert Smith Freehills

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

Being nominated for the 30 Under 30 Award provides a further platform for me to continue making outstanding contributions to the legal profession, being a profession that I find so rewarding.

Your biggest achievements in your career to date?

While I could talk about achievements from a number of matters and key transactions, my biggest achievement would be being able to find balance. I maintain a busy, dynamic practice, while simultaneously pursuing interests in teaching, community investment, the arts, and wellbeing. A lot of lawyers describe law as requiring other interests to be subordinated or forgotten all together. However, I consider it a significant achievement that I have been able to thrive in my practice, while also having strong interests outside of the practice of law.

What made you choose your practice area?

A measure of modern, civil society is the degree to which that society has built on the age that came before. I chose my practice area of Projects, Energy and Resources because it provided me with an opportunity, through providing key legal advice, to contribute to the development of society through these projects, including energy and resources projects driving the Australian economy.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

My advice for aspiring lawyers wanting to pursue a career in law is to keep an open mind.

Many aspiring lawyers that I speak to, both through HSF’s Graduate Program and through teaching at the UWA Law School, have a pre-planned journey for where their career will take them. The commercial practice of areas like Projects, Energy and Resources are not a focus in law schools, beyond the legal principles.

Once aspiring lawyers enter practice, keeping an open mind to these commercial-focused areas allows for the optimisation of opportunities. That being said, every commercially-focused area of practice requires (and clients expect) a lawyer to have a strong understanding of the technical law (for example, the law of contract, the Australian Consumer Law, the Corporations Act), which an aspiring lawyer will obtain from hard, persistent study at law school.

Daniel Hogan, Associate Director at Taylor Root, had the opportunity to speak to this year’s finalists in the construction and infrastructure category.

This award recognises a lawyer who has advised on complex matters while having to navigate the ever-changing construction and infrastructure industry.

This year there were ten finalists. Here are the final two finalists and their thoughts on what these awards mean to them, their successes in their career and their role in their chosen practice area in the Australian legal industry.

Thomas McKillop – Thomson Geer

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

To be nominated for a 30 Under 30 award represents a recognition from the industry that in the first portion of your career you are probably on the right track. Personally, I have always considered myself fortunate to be part of a profession which has a historically important civic role, which at least for me increases the sense of satisfaction from receiving a nomination.

Your biggest achievements in your career to date?

A significant litigation in the early part of my career that, following the development of a long-term strategy which came to fruition, resulted in a best-case outcome for my client.

What made you choose your practice area?

My practice area has always been appealing because it involves the right mix of commercial sensibility and niche legal technicality. It also involves the right amount of clients that prefer that you don’t wear a tie to meetings.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Resist the temptation to focus all your energy on finding (or becoming anxious about not finding) what you think is your ‘dream job’. Instead, focus on doing work that is meaningful, become proficient at it and in all likelihood, you will find that you have become passionate about it.

Dean Balassis – Acciona & John Beever

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

I am really appreciative of the time that everyone in my network has spent with me and I think my nomination for this award is a reflection of their time and combined knowledge. I am grateful to all of the people that have provided me with ongoing mentoring and support, initially as a student, and then in my career as a lawyer. I would like to say a big thank you to my friends, family, colleagues, past supervisors and everyone in my network for their ongoing support.

Your biggest achievements in your career to date?

One of my biggest achievements to date was completing my graduate year at Lander & Rogers and being admitted to practice as a lawyer. Landers was an amazing place to develop my career and there were a lot of opportunities offered which I was encouraged to pursue. Contributing to the innovation agenda at Landers, which led to me winning the Landers’ Innovation Award in 2018 and attending ILTACON (the International Legal Technology Association conference) in Florida in August 2019 is one example. Having recently moved in-house at John Beever & Acciona, I’m now looking forward to seeing what new challenges and opportunities are ahead for me to broaden my experience as a construction lawyer.

What made you choose your practice area?

I found choosing a practice area difficult, as I enjoyed each of my graduate rotations at Landers. While I enjoyed dispute work, I naturally gravitated towards the transactional groups because they suited my personality type and approach to practice. When the opportunity to work with Michael Loterzo in construction / projects arose – which involved front-end, back-end and everything in between – I jumped at the chance and haven’t looked back. Construction is one of those areas of practice where you continue to learn something new every day.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

For those still at university – try to get a broad range of legal experiences early as it may help inform your decisions about the area of law you want to practice in, or at least help you to rule some areas of law out. Also, while it might be a bit tough at the moment due to world events, getting involved with different clubs or groups at university are a great way to build your friendship circle and (eventually) your professional network – plus they are usually lots of fun.

Alexandra Starke, Associate Director at Taylor Root, had the opportunity to speak to this year’s finalists in the Mergers & Acquisitions category.

This award recognises a lawyer who has advised on M&A transactions concerning Australia’s business sphere.

There were ten finalists this year. Here are four finalists and their thoughts on what these awards mean to them, their successes in their career and their role in their chosen practice area in the Australian legal industry.

Ashika Binodan – MinterEllison

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

This is my first-ever nomination – it felt amazing! My colleague nominated me on the day applications closed, which was a lovely surprise.

What would you consider to be one of your biggest achievements in your career to date?

Always hard to pick one! Making Senior Associate was a big milestone – this was something I wanted to achieve and I was thrilled to have been promoted last year.

However, I believe my biggest achievement has been the opportunity to mentor young lawyers. I had the privilege of having some excellent mentors in my career which made me appreciate how important it is for a young lawyer’s development.

What made you choose your practice area?

I specialise in private M&A but thought I would be a litigator!

My path to practising corporate law was a happy accident. When I first started my career in law, I came across partners and senior people who said they ‘fell into’ a practice area, and I didn’t understand until I did the same! Corporate M&A was one of my first rotations when I first started. I didn’t think I had much of an interest in corporate law but ended up loving every second of it.

I find it fascinating for a number of reasons. Its fast pace is enjoyable, as well as the fact that it’s always different: each deal has own issues and attributes. I find the interactions with the client and the other side pleasant because you’re trying to build something together. I didn’t plan to end up here but here I am!

The key was to go in with an open mind – I tried it out in rotation because I thought it was an area I should know and be across, even if wanted to be in litigation. I didn’t close my mind off to it from the beginning; I embraced it, which I believe had a lot to do with what I got out of it.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Try everything! You often go into law with a particular idea of what you want to be, where you want to end up and the kind of experiences you want to expose yourself to. It’s important to be open to new experiences and to apply yourself, because in so doing you will always pick up skills that will serve you well, such as learning how to run a matter, honing your drafting skills, receiving mentorship etc.

In commercial private practice, you tend to specialise a lot (whereas in smaller firms practices tend to be broader). In BigLaw, lawyers become very good at one thing, but specialising too early means you miss out on breadth and diversity too soon and lose the opportunity to grow your skillset. As a grad, I recommend that you absorb everything that’s given to you – it will help in the long run.

Joshua Butler – White & Case LLP

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

I’m very honoured, it’s nice to be acknowledged. Definitely feeling a bit of imposter syndrome. This is the kind of thing that comes from being in a supportive team and environment. I find I do my best work when supported and working in a high performing team who want to get the best out of me.

What would you consider to be one of your biggest achievements in your career to date?

I ‘ve been fortunate to be involved in some interesting legal tech initiatives over the past couple of years. One project that I really enjoyed working on was setting up the LawTech Hub in Melbourne. LawTech Hub is a collaborative project between Lander & Rogers and YBF Ventures. It is a hands-off incubator for legal tech start-ups: a space where legal tech startups can grow while benefitting from real exposure to the inside of a law firm.

What made you choose your practice area?

I practice in the Corporate M&A space and always had an inkling toward this area of law. I did the grad programme at Lander & Rogers and spent some time in the Corporate team. Once I’d tried it, I knew I was leaning towards specialising in it (as opposed to more litigious areas) – I liked the idea of making a deal and everyone leaving the table happy.

I particularly enjoy private M&A work because parties can be more flexible in reaching the commercial outcomes they seek. Public M&A is also interesting but can be more restrictive structurally. At White & Case I am really enjoying the cross-border work – it’s really interesting and a lot of fun to work closely with our colleagues in New York, London and elsewhere.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Look at different firms and speak to as many people as you can from those firms. Find out what makes them tick, how they define their culture and what their interests are. Most people are just focused on looking for a job, but if you can find a place that aligns with your personal values, culture and interests you will excel and have a rewarding career.

Marijana Banovac – Herbert Smith Freehills

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

This is my first nomination for a law award and I am excited to be recognised via such an honourable award platform alongside such accomplished individuals!

These awards are particularly meaningful as they give us an insight to the perceived impact we have had on clients and individuals who nominate us. We don’t ordinarily get to see this in the haze of deals that we work on so the nomination was a great way to round out what has been a very busy couple of years!

What would you consider to be one of your biggest achievements in your career to date?

Over the last year I am thrilled to have had a few!

One was travelling to India on behalf of my client to act as their proxy on a deal. This expression of confidence in my ability and judgement was a huge career moment for me.

The one achievement that I’d like to elaborate on was acting on the buy side of an acquisition of a Gold Coast based skincare business early last year. This deal was the high-water mark of deals for me for several reasons. Firstly, the Senior Associate on the deal went on a secondment a couple of months before completion. As a result, I was given the opportunity to step into a more advanced role which was an exciting new challenge. Secondly, despite the intense turnarounds, late structure changes and timing constraints, every legal and commercial issue was dealt with efficiently because of the rapport established with the other side from the outset. Yes, each side clearly explained the reason behind each negotiation position and as a result were able to turn a large volume of documents extremely efficiently. But importantly, each call and email was littered with great banter – meaning every communication with the other side was incredibly enjoyable! So much so, that when I went to the Gold Coast for completion, we all ended up having lunch together! It was an extremely rewarding and fulfilling moment to see each party happy with not just the outcome but also the process and rapport established between all of those involved in the deal.

What made you choose your practice area?

I think corporate law always appealed to me because it involved building business. I did test the waters during university with different internships in sports and employment law, as well as clerkships in different areas (like insolvency, competition and technology, media and telecommunication). Herbert Smith Freehills enabled me to further experience a variety of practice groups during the graduate rotations until I ultimately settled in private M&A. The clients and deal size in private M&A focus on building businesses, fostering friendly and ongoing relationships between buyers and sellers and working together as a team towards a common goal. I particularly enjoy having repeat clients (which is why I like the private equity space) as it allows me to gain a deeper understanding of each client and what makes certain deals tick from beyond just a legal perspective.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Expect to bring your ‘A’ game every single day. Regardless of which firm you end up at and which area of law you pursue, you will always need to be your best because clients come to you for advice not often as a first resort. You always need to be ready to give your absolute best.

Learn to be flexible and say yes! Every new opportunity that presents itself to you – be it an odd casual job pre-law or a random rotation, client secondment or new deal during law. – I have immensely benefited from that mindset as each new opportunity presents a steep learning curve – it’s a great way to test your knowledge and skills and fast track your experience.

Nick Camphin – McInnes Wilson Lawyers

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

There is a lot of prestige around this award. As a lawyer from a mid-tier firm, it’s cool being in the mix with people from Freehills, Allens and Minters. I’m surprised to be a finalist as the size of my transactions may not be as large as that of the top tier finalists, but I’m delighted and honoured, particularly as a junior lawyer.

What would you consider to be one of your biggest achievements in your career to date?

Top tier firms that work with large corporate clients don’t typically need junior lawyers to bring in their own work. In a mid-tier firm like McInnes Wilson, business development is important from the start: it’s about who you know, the files you bring in and your contribution to that work. I have been delighted to bring in a couple of big deals this year, the biggest being a $30 million wholesale telco sale. Being able to achieve that for the firm is unreal.

What made you choose your practice area?

At McInnes Wilson, there is no training program – when I joined, I was put straight into the Corporate team, and thankfully I’ve loved the practice area from the start!

With respect to the mix of work, we do a lot of M&A, but in a legal market like Brisbane you can’t be too specific. In addition to M&A we do corporate restructuring and tax, some banking & finance to the extent that it overlaps with corporate (i.e. security reviews, loan facility arrangements, etc).

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Don’t think about progression too early on. Put emphasis on learning as much as you can and taking up as many opportunities as you can. People tend to try to progress their careers as quickly as possible to get to top of the ladder but doing so, you can miss out on valuable educational opportunities.

Richard Schontag, Associate Director at Taylor Root, had the opportunity to speak to this year’s finalists in the dispute resolution and litigation category.

This award recognises a lawyer who has demonstrated skill and expertise in acting across a range of dispute resolution forms, whether via the judicial system, arbitration, mediation, a negotiated settlement or others.

Here are six of the finalists and their thoughts on what these awards mean to them, their successes in their career and their role in their chosen practice area in the Australian legal industry.

Felicia Lay – Cornwalls

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

It is an honour to be nominated for this award. I’m a newcomer to industry and so being nominated for this award provides me with good recognition for the work I’ve done. I feel it also gives me confidence that I made the right decision to move into law.

Your biggest achievement in your career to date?

Being nominated for this award! But also staying true to my beliefs on why I wanted to join the law. I enjoy earning trust from my clients.

What made you choose your practice area?

I started volunteering and then moved into a general law firm. I like the detail-oriented nature of transactions, however I also enjoy the fight and unpredictability that comes with litigation. I also enjoy challenging myself against other people on the other side of the dispute. A lot more legal in nature.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

My advice to is to talk to lots of people about the different areas so you can get an understanding of what you’d like to get into! There is a lot of variety so it’s good to understand them all.

Gabrielle Sheehan – Clayton Utz

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

For me the biggest thing I got out of it was knowing that I was being recognised in the industry outside of my current firm. We work on a number of matters which a few firms could be involved in so we generally get high visibly but its good knowing it’s industry wide!

It was a friend of mine who recommended I should apply for the award, and I thought I had no chance given the calibre of people, so it was surprising and so great to see my name come up.

Your biggest achievement in your career to date?

I think it’s the Dick Smith matter I worked on where I worked directly with the client and senior counsel – the preparation of our client’s evidence took over 16 weeks and I spent a lot of hours working directly with the client, so we ended up very close.

But to work closely with an individual, take instructions directly from the client, and then to work across multiple disciplines internally, was really eye opening.

I learnt a lot and to be able to achieve something for a client and individual was really rewarding. I also worked with high profile lawyers internally which was a great experience.

What made you choose your practice area?

I think I always knew I wanted to be a litigator. I did a lot of mooting at university and did a lot of competitions and really enjoyed it. So It all stemmed from there.

There’s a lot of strategy and I enjoy advocating for a client. I also enjoy building an argument and I’ve found that regardless of the case of view point, there is always an argument that can be built.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Work hard, have a good attitude of being willing to learn, and keep a balance. I think people should also try different things so that they get a feel for different areas.

Henry Hall – Corrs Chambers Westgarth

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

My nomination for this award is a recognition on my investment to my career and personal development.

Your biggest achievement in your career to date?

Successfully getting role in London law firm and working with high calibre clients.

What made you choose your practice area?

I enjoy the complex nature and ability to problem solve for clients.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Back yourself and your ability.

Felicity Karageorge – Johnson Winter & Slattery

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

I feel very honoured to have been nominated and the awards are particularly important for recognising talent and providing motivation to juniors in the industry. The recognition is so important and to be named a finalist has been a goal of mine so I’m really pleased.

Your biggest achievement in your career to date?

I was promoted quite early in my career which means I worked with great partners and was given exposure to high calibre work early on. I think that’s been great achievement as it has helped me learn and develop quickly.

What made you choose your practice area?

I always thought I would be a M&A lawyer, but I clerked in litigation and enjoyed the strategy and legal argument aspects of litigation. Also mastering a case and putting forward your argument to court and representing your clients. The other thing that is really important is coming up with commercial solutions that results in a good outcome for your client. You have to be commercial.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Be open minded about what a career in the law looks like. Try different areas and align yourself with good people to help assist and guide you. Working with the right people is key and I find the well-rounded lawyers are ones with experience in different areas.

Jay Tseng – King Wood Mallesons

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

It’s an honour to be among the top young talent in the litigation and dispute resolution practice area.

Your biggest achievement in your career to date?

My two biggest achievements were completed while working full-time and maintaining external commitments, which include the following:

I passed the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators’ Accelerated Route to Fellowship course with Distinction. The course is ordinarily undertaken by lawyers with 10PQE+
I was admitted to the Senior Courts of England & Wales. The testing for this admission process is fairly intensive involving a 6-hour multiple choice exam on English law and a 5-day practical skills assessment in London.

What made you choose your practice area?

I wrote a thesis on international arbitration for my masters dissertation while I studied and lived in London. I really enjoyed researching on this this and this helped me develop and grow my interest in this area, especially when I started working at a firm in London in international arbitration. I have always had an affinity for disputes and have pursued my interests since I was an undergraduate law student.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

For any junior lawyer, they should stay curious and put in efforts to grow their knowledge.

Sharfah Mohamed – Clifford Chance

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

I think as a junior lawyer I do feel like its important to gain recognition for effort. There’s been so many people who have invested in me and its recognition for them too. Personally, regardless of your background, if you put in the effort there’s space to achieve and be recognised.

Your biggest achievement in your career to date?

I was key member acting in team on a piece of complex litigation. I came on quite late and at a critical stage. I was heavily involved in evidence and assisting as a graduate in that matter has been invaluable for my learning and personal growth.

On a separate note I ‘ve also set up a book club that provides a space to open up dialogue on different issues.

What made you choose your practice area?

I differ slightly here as I’m still rotating in our graduate program. I’m currently in banking but enjoyed litigation as I was very immersed in one matter and enjoyed learning the strategic nature of litigation.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

The advice that comes to mind is to speak to people in all areas of law and gain as much intel as you can about different areas. The law is so broad and vast it’s really important to explore it all and not be swayed by status quo. Do something that appeals to you and what you might want to do with your life.

Olivia Courtney, Associate Director at Taylor Root, had the opportunity to speak to this year’s finalists in the banking and finance category.

This award recognises a lawyer who has dominated the banking and finance practice area, advising on high-stakes legal matters concerning the industry.

This year there were ten finalists. Here are the final four of the finalists and their thoughts on what these awards mean to them, their successes in their career and their role in their chosen practice area in the Australian legal industry.

Kellie Grubb – Clifford Chance

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

Being nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award is an incredible privilege and honour. There is no shortage of great young lawyers in banking and finance in Australia, so I am very grateful for this opportunity.

Your biggest achievements in your career to date?

One of my biggest career achievements would have to be moving to Sydney to join Clifford Chance. I practised primarily in financial services law and consumer credit regulation for the first few years of my career. When I joined Clifford Chance last year, I had to learn a different area of banking and finance in a much more intense legal market whilst also navigating a new city away from my friends and family. The learning curve was certainly steep, but I am so glad I decided to do it and very thankful to those who have guided, supported and mentored me along the way.

What made you choose your practice area?

I had a mentor suggest that I would suit a transactional seat like banking and finance so when a law clerk opportunity came up in my previous team, I took it. I never had a traditional graduate programme experience, so I have never practiced outside of banking and finance but I’m confident that I’m exactly where I want to be right now.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

My advice would be to really think about the area of law you might want to practice in and try to stay true to that. Don’t fall into a trap of convincing yourself that you want to do commercial law when you are actually really interested in criminal law, for example. Law can be all consuming, so it is important to at least be interested in and like what you do from day to day!

Andia Javidirad – EY

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

It is humbling and an absolute honour and privilege to be named as a finalist amongst such incredible peers. However, I must admit that it has very little to do with me and is more of a testament to the incredible team I am lucky enough to work with every day at EY. We work hard to help our clients navigate critical issues, shape regulatory change and develop innovative transformation approaches every day and it’s an amazing feeling to be recognised for that. I am grateful to be a part of such a dynamic and diverse team, because we are given unconditional support to learn, grow, challenge the norms of legal services and have fun in the process!

Your biggest achievements in your career to date?

This is definitely a multi-faceted answer as 2019 was a huge year for me both personally and professionally. I am a big advocate for balance and wellbeing because I love my job, but I thrive and am my best at work when I also make time for my other passions such as sport and quality time with my friends and family.

Last year, I was lucky enough to be given a secondment opportunity at one of the big four banks. As the subject matter expert legal adviser, I was involved in one of the largest banking transactions in Australian history and worked with two other EY service lines to ensure that members best interests were maintained throughout transaction completion. During that time, the Royal Commission created an unprecedented and uncertain climate for all financial institutions, so working with the client’s key executives, management team, industry leaders and independent experts to complete this transaction was the most challenging but rewarding experience of my career. I was then promoted to an Associate in the same year I was admitted to practice as a lawyer.

I am also incredibly passionate about health and fitness and it was a huge personal achievement to have also qualified to compete in the CrossFit Games (held in the USA) in the same year. My team at EY is incredibly supportive of everyone investing time and energy into their extracurricular hobbies and passions, so after training (sometimes at the crack of dawn or very late in the evening after work!) hard for 3 years, it felt amazing to accomplish a long-time personal goal of mine while also achieving my professional goals for the year.

What made you choose your practice area?

The banking and finance industry is one of the fastest growing and moving industries in our country. I have always been fascinated by the interplay of legislation and regulation with the functions and frameworks of financial institutions, against the backdrop of the global economy. It is also incredibly engaging to work with such a diverse range of clients, because every day and every matter are different, and it has given me an understanding and insight into how this area of the law effects everyday people and customers like myself.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

It sounds cliché but pursue your passion (and it’s totally fine if you don’t know what that is just yet)! The law is actually really fun (contrary to what some people might think), but it takes hard work, a relentless desire to learn, a willingness to adapt and commercially pragmatic thinking, so I cannot stress the value and importance of actually being interested in what you are doing enough.

Sarah Johnson – NAB

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

It’s so encouraging to receive recognition like this in the early stages of my career. Whilst I still have so much to learn, this nomination is a great reflection on the amazing mentors I’ve had, who in just a few years have taught me so much and inspired me to pursue a career in law. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to do the same for other young lawyers who are entering the profession.

Your biggest achievements in your career to date?

Aside, of course, from this recognition as a Lawyers Weekly 30 under 30 Finalist, my decision to move to NAB in 2018 was one that has proved to be a great achievement. This transition from a generalist legal counsel role at a global manufacturing company into a specialist commercial legal team at an ASX listed banking and finance group really tested whether my legal skills could be applied in an industry that was completely new to me. The success of this transition has shown that skills developed as a commercial lawyer are highly transferable between industries and has given me the confidence to continue exploring the diverse career that I hoped to find in commercial law.

What made you choose your practice area?

Whilst this recognition focuses on my work as part of the banking and finance industry, my practice area is actually in commercial law. I was ultimately drawn to commercial practice because of its diversity. In my first legal role I was lucky enough to work across many practice areas including intellectual property, consumer, corporate, competition, privacy and commercial law, as well as dispute resolution. Aside from transferability across industries, as a commercial lawyer there is often a need to consider a range of legal issues from these other practice areas, as well as non-legal issues. As a commercial lawyer, I’m able to work closely with senior leaders of the business and guide their strategic decisions. For me, this strategic context gives my legal work meaning. I love working in a team with my clients, driving cross-functional projects and contributing to the business in a broader sense as a trusted advisor and business partner.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

The legal profession is a diverse one, and there are multiple pathways to success. Consider starting your legal career in-house! I’m lucky enough to have begun my career in two extremely high-performing and nurturing in-house teams at companies I love, and I couldn’t have asked for better legal training!

Value your mentors, whether legal or otherwise. A great mentor in the early years of your career is better than any role.

Take opportunities and don’t be afraid of ‘the deep end’ – it’s the best training ground.

Sarah Rogers – Gadens

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

It means the world to me. It is a privilege to be recognised by my peers as a leading young lawyer and inspire other junior lawyers to achieve their goals at such an early stage in their career.

Your biggest achievement in your career to date?

It’s hard to choose one, so aside from being shortlisted as a finalist in the 30 Under 30 Awards in the Banking and Finance category for 2019 and 2020, however here are my top three.

1. In October 2017, two months after being admitted, my first appearance was in the Supreme Court of Victoria before the Honourable Associate Justice Mukhtar for an application seeking leave of the Court to enforce a judgment together with injunctive relief. His Honour handed down reasons for judgment at the time and in August 2018 the judgment was published in the Victorian Law Reports ([2017] VSC 663; (2017) 53 VR 251). This is a significant achievement as I have assisted in developing legal precedent in the banking and finance field.

2. My promotion to Associate, less than two years after being admitted as a lawyer.

3. I appeared in the Practice Court of the Supreme Court of Victoria in an urgent injunctive application against ANZ seeking to restrain it from enforcing its judgment. At the first return I was given 20 minutes notice of an appearance being required. I rose to the challenge to make oral submissions and welcomed the opportunity of developing my advocacy skills as a litigator. The Bank was successful, and The Honourable Justice Cameron published reasons ([2019] VSC 692).

What made you choose your practice area?

My practice area complements both my university degrees of law and commerce (accountancy). Whilst I elected to pursue a career in the legal field, I was hopeful that I would be able to utilise both my degrees, which banking and finance achieves.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Be open to opportunities. As a law student a lot of emphasis is placed on securing a clerkship in order to gain entry into a mid-tier or top-tier commercial law firm. From my own experience, whilst the rejection letters are disheartening, they build resilience. It is OK, to not get a clerkship. As an alternative, consider administrative / paralegal opportunities to gain experience and through hard work, commitment and determination you may land your dream job.

Shot of two young businesspeople sitting together in the office and using a computer — This project is a breeze with our combined skills

Olivia Courtney, Associate Director at Taylor Root, had the opportunity to speak to this year’s finalists in the banking and finance category.

This award recognises a lawyer who has dominated the banking and finance practice area, advising on high-stakes legal matters concerning the industry.

This year there were ten finalists. Here are the first five of the finalists and their thoughts on what these awards mean to them, their successes in their career and their role in their chosen practice area in the Australian legal industry.

Dilek Selvi – Corrs Chambers Westgarth

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

Being a multicultural female Muslim and having studied at a public high school which people are usually unfamiliar with, my nomination and the diversity of the other finalists this year in general means to me (and should to many others) that the legal profession has and is making great strides in recognising a range of diverse professionals. As much as it is such a pleasure and honour to have my work over the past year recognised for such a prestigious national award among such other bright minds, I hope that my nomination also stands to motivate many students and young professionals of varying backgrounds and stories interested in the law to pursue such passion with no reservations.

Your biggest achievements in your career to date?

My biggest achievement would be being promoted to Associate by my partners while getting to be involved in such monumental transactions in banking (such as the financing for the $1.52 billion acquisition of an interest in three Sydney office towers from the ASX-listed Scentre Group and the $1.3 billion financing arrangements for Silver Lake’s acquisition of TEG from Affinity Equity Partners) all within a little over a year of having moved into the banking and finance field from a different practice area. It is often difficult for young lawyers to transition to a new practice area once they have settled into an area of law. I took a risk in making the change and was conscious of the possibility of slowing my career progression. For this reason, my promotion and now being a 30 under 30 finalist demonstrates to me that you should not be afraid of change or following your passion.

What made you choose your practice area?

I chose to practice in a commercial and transactional area of law because I love the dynamic of highly motivated and sophisticated corporate clients all working toward a common goal and achieving a mutually beneficial outcome. You don’t have to be adversarial to be a lawyer! It truly is rewarding to get to play a hand in the excitement of our clients and the other side when often monumental and challenging transactions reach a conclusion. More specifically, I chose banking & finance because it is such a pivotal and essential part of such a wide range of transactions and acquisitions, so you often get a chance to work on diverse transactions with a variety practice areas. I find that the complexities involved in some banking & finance negotiations can also be quite thought-provoking and fascinating.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way and do not underestimate the experience and skills you can gain from the most trivial of tasks or work. Knowledge and experience are built over time and patience teamed with an eagerness to learn are always a great foundation to get you where you want to go. Be kind and open-minded toward the people you interact and work with and you will receive the same in return.

James Sullivan – ASIC

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

Law was never an easy choice, but it was always a passion, and I couldn’t have reached where I am today without the support of family, friends, and colleagues. To be recognised for pursuing that passion means the world.

Your biggest achievements in your career to date?

When I was studying law, I always wanted to be given the opportunity to work on test cases and thought it would be something I would have later in my career. However, from day one of working for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, I have had the opportunity to work on novel cases and enforce under-utilised provisions of the Corporations Act. One of the most significant achievements during my career is leading the enforcement of client money obligations for the first time since their inception.

What made you choose your practice area?

I believe fair and efficient markets are key to a healthy economy and provide vital opportunities for financial security for all who participate. I also have a strong denunciation of white-collar criminals who think it fit to take advantage of others and the market itself. It is the combination of both my belief and sense of justice that meant working in the banking and finance industry was a natural choice.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

The single best piece of advice I received when I was studying was also the worse piece of advice I received, “those who want to make it, make it.” At the time, I didn’t find it all that useful, but what I would say I took away from it was that you have to take every opportunity that you can get your hands on, even if you can’t quite see where it will lead. The learning, skills and experiences you develop along the way will help you get to where you want to go.

Josh Todd – Herbert Smith Freehills

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

It is part recognition of the perseverance and sacrifices made to date, and part opportunity to acknowledge my family, friends and colleagues who supported me throughout.

Your biggest achievement in your career to date?

No one achievement stands out above the rest, but in looking back at my career so far, I find satisfaction knowing that the complexity of the work, the effort exerted and at times the struggles experienced have helped me to develop my potential to a fuller degree. I have found that the more you do, the more you can do.

What made you choose your practice area?

My practice choice was based on the opportunities for client contact and responsibility and the ability to work at the intersection of law and markets.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Humility, integrity, a willingness to learn, patience and resilience are values and attributes that in my opinion serve graduates and junior lawyers well. I would also note that with an ever-changing business climate, the rate of digital transformation and the fact that the world is becoming ever more software-driven, those who are versed in navigating the complexities of the digital environment will be well placed to succeed over the coming years. There is significant career value in developing a technical grasp and literacy in the core technologies surrounding computers, communication networks, distributed ledgers and artificial intelligence at an early stage.

Daniel Taha – Allens

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

This nomination is recognition – of my achievements, my passion for banking and finance law, my commitment to excellence and my network (who’ve helped me get here).

Your biggest achievements in your career to date?

Winning the Law Society’s #innovatelaw hackathon and presenting the solution at the Future of Law and Innovation in the Profession (FLIP) Conference Dinner. This achievement opened my eyes to the importance of innovation in legal practise.

What made you choose your practice area?

The work. I get to help some of our biggest clients navigate complex legal frameworks and deal with matters that have real world implications.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

Be innovative, ask questions, have a support network (both inside and outside the law) and always check an email before clicking send.

Martin Nguyen – Gadens

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a 30 Under 30 Award?

It’s been truly rewarding and uplifting. Especially during these difficult times, it is very gratifying to have been recognised for the work & effort I have put in over my career. I have always believed that hard work is the definition of success (not just a pathway to “success”) and a nomination like this is an indication that my hard work has had a tangible and meaningful impact.

Your biggest achievements in your career to date?

I am very proud that I am the youngest Senior Associate in the firm & proud that I was able to get there in less than four years since I was a graduate at the firm.

What made you choose your practice area?

Interestingly enough Banking & Finance (front end) was just a rotation I went through as a graduate. Throughout university I always imagined myself being a disputes & litigation lawyer and going to the bar. My first rotation at the firm was within our banking and finance insolvency & recoveries practice, and my practice leader at the time suggested that for my second rotation as a graduate, I should have a cut at a front end team which would improve my litigation skills. So I chose one of the firm’s front end banking teams, always expecting to go back to litigation and instead found myself loving the front end work. I work in a very unique practice that provides coverage across the Small-Medium Enterprise sector and Institutional Banking, so every day is fast paced, and I get a good sense of satisfaction and accomplishment in constantly closing deals. I get to be involved from start to finish, and every transaction is different. I might be funding a fish & chip shop one day or advising a financier on a deal involving financing for a multinational merger the next, or even in my case, helping set up a Bank from scratch! It’s the broad spread coverage that I enjoy, and I’ve also just been incredibly lucky in my career to work with great people and have great and down to Earth clients.

What advice would you have for students or current graduates wanting to pursue a career in law?

I have been very lucky with my career and I attribute it to two things, being nice and working hard. I think these should go hand in hand. Hard work gets you the experience, technical skills and abilities to be a great lawyer. Being nice gets you the relationships, connections and opportunities to demonstrate how good of a lawyer you are.