What's your job about?

I work at wilson/ryan/grose Lawyers, which is a Townsville and Sunshine Coast-based law firm operating and providing advice and assistance in areas of law including residential and commercial property, commercial & business law, building and construction, personal injuries, workplace relations, wills and estates, and family law.

I am employed within one of the property workgroups of the firm, consisting of a Partner, Senior Associate, Paralegal, Personal Assistant and myself.

For me, working in property involves me working on conveyancing files, that is, representing a client who is either buying or selling property of a residential nature.  Outside of this, I also do a high volume of ‘off the plan’ work, also known as developer conveyancing. This is where developers engage us to sell vacant land that is not yet registered land - I enjoy this part of my job thoroughly.

A lay person may not understand exactly what a property lawyer’s role is in a property transaction.. Our role is to guide the client through the legal complexities that are in a contract and reach the point where the property settles, resulting in a successful sale/purchase for our client.

What's your background?

I was born in Mareeba, but was raised in Ayr, a town an hour south of Townsville. I went to Saint Francis Primary School and Burdekin Catholic High School – both Ayr-based schools.

I started university straight after high school, commencing study at James Cook University in 2019. I was originally enrolled solely in a Bachelor of Business but switched into Bachelor of Laws – Bachelor of Business after realising I no longer had any career aspirations to be an accountant. Throughout my time in university, I also had the opportunity and pleasure to work as the Vice-President and then President of the university Student Union.

I had already done a couple weeks of work experience in 2021 with wilson/ryan/grose and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. In later 2023 I was actively searching for a job in the legal world once I finished my study. I was incredibly fortunate to be given an interview with wilson/ryan/grose and was successful in obtaining the position, which started two weeks before Christmas in 2023.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

If you are aspiring and determined, you could do this sort of job. It doesn’t matter what background you come from – mentality is everything in this sort of job. There will always be bumps in the road and the best way to get past that is to give this job dedication and heart. Not to mention, you also need to be a good communicator or you will struggle in gaining a rapport with the client.

What's the coolest thing about your job?

I love my team; I love working with them each and every day. Without them, I would be nowhere right now and my development is a testament to their dedication and support of me.

What are the limitations of your job?

In property, the biggest limitation I find is time. You have to be very smart with how you use your time on each and every task because time disappears very quickly when you don’t. Sometimes if timelines are tight, you have to make sacrifices such as working through lunch or staying back late to finish things.

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student…

1. Don’t work full time when you study. Allow for yourself to have a work/life balance. University is an exciting time to meet new people and find new passions in your life. Don’t cut that off because you feel like you need to work.
2. Take advantage of work experience opportunities while you are at university. Not only will it build your knowledge base but it will also put your name out there future employers.
3. Back yourself more often than not. You are going to get nowhere if you think you are not capable of doing anything.