There might be a perception that government legal work is mundane, boring or repetitious. In fact, much of the work we do at Victoria Police is incredibly interesting and challenging and involves critical issues for the criminal justice system, and the whole community. Particularly at managerial levels, public sector lawyers have an important role to play in shaping the culture and values of the organisations in which they work, building great relationships, and working collaboratively to find practical solutions which balance legal principles with operational needs.
I began my career in the Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. After a stint working in London, I undertook the Bar Readers Course and practised as a Barrister, primarily in criminal, family and child protection law. My government legal career started at the Victorian Government Solicitors Office, before I joined the Department of Health and Human Services as Assistant Director, Legal, managing the Child Protection Litigation Office.
One of the great attractions of my current role as Director of Legal Practice and Deputy General Counsel at Victoria Police is that no two days are alike. On a day-to-day basis I deal with a range of matters, including providing advice on statutory roles, responsibilities and powers; negotiating resolutions in civil proceedings; working on Public Interest Immunity claims; and collaborating on Victoria Police policies and the application of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 to broader legislative proposals. Government legal roles offer the opportunity to practise across diverse areas of law, without necessarily being pigeon-holed into particular specialisations, as is often the case in private practice.
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