Earlier in the year, our Founder and Director Alex Correa sat down with Ann-Maree David who is the Executive director of the College of Law based in Brisbane. During their time together they spoke about Ann-Maree’s career and the path she has taken. In her role at the College of Law, she is witness to much industry change, particularly as she sees new generations take charge and in the wake of the pandemic which has forced changes to our industry’s traditional way of working.

Ann Marie describes herself as a life-long learner. She has been at the College of Law for more than 20 years. She says that none of her career pathways were very deliberate, she has simply followed her passions, seeing where things take her, just putting one foot in front of the other.

Ann-Maree started her career at the Department of Justice which was followed by part time roles at the Supreme Court. These roles were intended to fund her arts degree towards becoming a teacher. She enjoyed her time there and soon added law to her arts degree workload.

When she finished her law degree, she went into private practice like many other young and enthusiastic graduates. At this time, during the recession, she had a 17% interest rate on her mortgage, and a rather small income as a first-year lawyer. It was then that she started to reassess. She returned to school to do her master’s in law. She went on to land a 12-month contract role at the Queensland Law Society where she stayed for 8 years. She discovered happily that legal education was her calling – a real chance to combine her early ambitions to teach with her law degrees. Ann-Maree says that “Legal education was where I was meant to be. I Love the reach of education. I am as happy as a pig in mud. I have the job I always wanted if I could have crafted my own career.”

One thing that stood out in our interview with Ann-Maree was that she will always stand up for what she believes in – she has a real sense of social justice. She is also a born connector and networker and driven by curiosity. She will happily sit and listen and absorb a new connection’s life story for as long as they will talk to her.

Diversity and Inclusion

Ann-Maree is also a huge advocate for diversity and inclusion – she thinks that this spark came from having 3 brothers and going back to her childhood. In their family growing up, if money was tight then the females tended to miss out.  Her mother would say things like, “Girls don’t have bicycles.” As Ann-Maree became more empowered, she started to, and then and kept asking “Why?”

Ann-Maree is pleased that diversity has now broadened in scope beyond gender into cultural diversity and knows very well that Diversity is NOT just a buzz word. She says that it is the biggest proven lever at the disposal of organisations to be successful in business. This is supported by all manner of research, demonstrating that if you invest in diversity and inclusion, you will get a return on your investment and increase your company profits. As a bonus of this investment, at a law firm, you also reflect the diversity of your clientele.

Many firms are now struggling to find legal talent in this candidate short market. Ann Marie says that there is still a fear of the unknown and people with different experience or backgrounds. Some discrimination still goes on. She is confident that this will eventually change as the millennial generation come through the ranks. They have had a very different upbringing to the baby boomers or the generation X’ers, in that they are the first generation to witness their mothers return to work in a full-time capacity. Millennials tend to have different career drivers and are looking for transparency, justice and an organisation that reflect their values.

The Quest for Work Life Balance

The legal industry will be doing things differently when the millennials become managing partners. In Ann-Maree’s experience she has found them to be driven by work life balance, and they work to live rather than living to work. This generation have always championed remote work and understand that productivity is not sacrificed by working from home.

The pandemic has proven this, with technology enabling us to be more fulfilled as both employees and people. If you can work from home and do the things you enjoy outside your workday, you become a better leader, a better person, and a better lawyer.

Ann-Maree asks, “Why sacrifice that now? Now we have made that cultural advance where people can have a life as well as a career, there is no downside, why would you sacrifice that now?” She knows that some firms have had their highest levels of productivity during covid and working from home. Yet, other firms want their people back in the office – push and pull happening.

When Ann-Maree started in the industry lawyers career motivators tended to be related to salary. This has changed over time and flexibility is the main motivator. Law firm staff want to be able to choose to work from home, maybe a day a month, maybe more. They don’t want it dictated to them, or structured. They just want to be treated like an adult. They want to choose working arrangements that work for then with respect to client demands.

The Great Realignment

Ann-Maree isn’t seeing the “Great Resignation”, but rather the Great Realignment. Where employees are being driven by values and purpose – if an employer cannot clearly demonstrate this, then they are unlikely to stay.

Ann-Maree advocates for bringing your authentic self to the workplace, which has changed during her career. Where once lawyers felt the need to wear a protective armour at work, to prove themselves and pursue perfection. Where you once had a distinct professional identity and a personal or family life, this is slowly changing. Particularly, as the industry has realised that living and working in that way creates challenges for your mental health.  Mistakes will happen during your career, and the important thing is to learn from them.

Advice to the Next Generation

And Ann-Maree’s advice to the next generation of lawyers. That they should “Keep an open mind as to what else is out there – a legal degree can be used in many different ways. They should consider what they like to do.  Are they a people person? A numbers person? Find your passion and then combine it with your law degree.

This interview was first published in our #FriendsInLaw podcast. To hear more episodes of this series that brings your career stories, challenges and highlights from the legal profession, you can subscribe here.