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Hugh

I started off my legal career at one of the largest corporate law firms in Australia.  After a few years of that I put my hand up for a pro bono secondment for six months at a community legal centre at Deer Park.

I absolutely loved it, handling anything from neighbourhood disputes, to family violence, sexual assault, road crashes, or debt issues.  It was a big change from specialising in employment law.

I learnt more in six months there than I had probably in the previous five years working in a corporate firm and all of university.

I never wanted to be in the corporate world all my life.  I wanted to do something more rewarding, more interesting, more varied.

After leaving Deer Park, I travelled for a bit, then the job came up for me to manage the centre where I had worked, and after three and a half years I came across to the Federation of Community Legal Centres.

A core part of my job now is working towards changing things I couldn’t change before.  I have the chance to have an impact on reforming Victoria’s legal system for the better.

It was like a shot of fresh air for me coming into the community sector. The rewards are incredible, and the people are incredible.

The community legal sector is an unbelievingly passionate bunch of people.