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Melissa has more than 20 years practising law in the public and private sectors. She is a strategic legal adviser with significant expertise in energy, administrative, commercial, regulatory, consumer and competition law in the public and private sectors.
Outside work, Melissa enjoys skiing, reading and spending time with family and friends.
Q Tell us how you came to join Proximity.
A I was looking for the opportunity to try working in new areas across the Federal Government. Proximity seemed to have so many varied and interesting opportunities with Government clients. I found the warm, welcoming and professional culture appealing. I was also impressed by Proximity’s commitment to the Canberra community through its partnerships with significant organisations such as Menslink.
Q What is your proudest moment in a professional context?
A One of my proudest moments was working on a case where the other side tried to argue that the court should declare the law that was breached was invalid. I researched the issues and formulated counter-arguments and submissions. When the barrister put these to the court, they proved successful. The Judge said that the other side’s argument:
“ … has only the superficial allure of expediency, it flirts with heresies such as interlocutory declarations, and it seeks to entice me down a path descending inevitably into an inferno of appellate scrutiny more unforgiving than even Dante’s allegorical circles.”
Q As a manager of people what is your biggest challenge?
A People respond to oversight and guidance in different ways. My biggest challenge is trying to work out the best approach to develop each person. My aim is to ensure that they remain engaged, feel that they have autonomy over their work and that they are developing mastery over the subject matter. This helps them enjoy their work, develop their legal skills and work on increasingly complex legal issues.
Q What advice do you give to someone starting out in a career?
A Seek guidance and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. The law is often complex and uncertain and reasonable minds can differ. More senior practitioners can teach you how to balance competing views to meet your client’s needs. Mistakes are inevitable—engage with the learnings that come from them.
Q What keeps you awake at night?
A An exciting matter or a seemingly intractable legal problem. I often mentally fidget with these things in the small hours trying to find answers or a way forward.
Q With an eye to the future, what does success look like for you?
A I love working on tricky issues and finding solutions. For me, success is building capacity and capability in the people I manage and the clients that I work with. Often, I find new ways of working and new approaches to interpreting the law and bringing cases to court. Seeing other lawyers develop and my clients continue to evolve and build capacity as a result of my work are measures of success for me.
Q Away from work, what is your passion?
A My family, my friends and my little dachshund, Stanley. I love to be outside, skiing, walking, swimming, snorkelling, kayaking or cycling. If I can turn any of these into a travel opportunity, so much the better. I am also an avid reader and crochet mad—did you know that crochet is the only fibre craft that can’t be done by a machine?!
