As well as being successful professionals in their own right, Michelle Meares, Jennifer Spear and Emalene Gemmell are among those investing in the future success of fellow regional lawyers.
In February 2023, Michelle and Jennifer were part of a small group that established NSW Regional Women Lawyers (NRWL) – an organisation that now has Emalene as its vice-president. The trio are among a number of UNE graduates who have either served on the group’s committee or benefitted from membership.
“We wanted to create an organisation to advocate for the unique needs of women working in law in regional and rural areas,” said Michelle, its founding president, who was called to the NSW Bar in 2023 and practises primarily in commercial litigation, insolvency and bankruptcy, building and construction disputes. “Many of our members are the principals of small law firms and one of their big challenges is staff retention, so we actively try to address that issue.”
For while a rural or regional practice promises opportunities for diverse legal cases, it can have its downsides. “We experience the law very differently to women in the cities, having to deal with distance, isolation and the lack of access to professional development and networking opportunities,” said Michelle, who has chambers in Sydney and appears in courts across NSW and interstate. “Career opportunities can also be limited for women at some levels.”
Women now comprise more than half the lawyers in NSW yet represent only 23-26% of barristers and hold just 16% of Senior Counsel roles. “Equal representation of genders is something that still needs to be addressed and one of our goals is to encourage pathways to the bar,” Michelle said.
She was inspired to pursue a legal career after being involved in community action against the scuttling of a naval frigate off the Central Coast of NSW in 2010. “I helped to instruct lawyers acting on our behalf from the Environmental Defenders Office, who challenged a permit granted by then Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett,” she said. “Ultimately, we went to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, in a case that lasted almost a year, and it showed me that the law can be a very powerful tool. It bought me to my calling.
“Studying at UNE suited my lifestyle and care commitments with school-aged children. There, I met other students who I am still in touch with.”
NRWL fosters collegiality and wellbeing through an annual face-to-face conference featuring guest judicial speakers and professional development sessions. An end-of-year dinner and regular lunchtime webinars provide further opportunities to upskill and connect.
“The practice of law can be stressful, and one of the risks is burnout,” Michelle said. “You are often dealing with people having the worst day of their lives and lawyers need to have strategies in place to manage that. Our group helps to connect women lawyers and to support their sustainable careers.”
Emalene, who runs a family law practice in the New England and North-west, joined NRWL a year ago and appreciates the focus on staff retention.
“Many of us are running our own practices and dealing with this challenge,” she said. “The regions provide a wonderful opportunity to get hands-on experience but there can be a level of complexity associated with accessing the support you need.”
With the 50-strong membership of the group spanning junior lawyers right through to senior barristers, it’s not surprising that balancing personal and professional lives is a common topic of conversation.
“We are very committed to supporting younger women graduates and advocating for the same opportunities, resources and access to justice as our city counterparts,” said Jennifer, a senior associate whopractises in Dubbo, primarily in criminal and traffic law, together with estate planning, administration and litigation.
“There are challenges in navigating motherhood and interaction with clients you might see down the street. A lot of what NRWL does is to enable women to make connections with other women in similar situations, so they have someone to turn to when they have queries and want to bounce ideas. Women are very good at helping one another to get ahead.”
A former resident of Newcastle, Jennifer moved to Dubbo on a whim for her first job.
“I thought I’d only be out here for a couple of years, but I fell in love with the place – and a local – and I’ve been here just gone 11 years now,” she said. “Only about 11% of legal practitioners practise in regional and rural areas yet it’s a really rewarding career option. No two days are the same.”
If you are interested in joining NRWL, please go to https://nrwl.org.au/ . Students enjoy a discounted membership rate.
