About me
Legal risk management built for modern businesses
People love to ask me why I don’t do this work in a traditional law firm.
I get it, this approach is different to what you’re used to. And it’s for good reason.
Businesses have got used to engaging lawyers on a case by case basis, usually when things get “bad enough” to seek outside advice.
The answer is that I’ve seen it done the other way. To me, the “old way” costs businesses unnecessary time and money, it can be slow and cumbersome, and results in piecemeal advice.
Things change fast in business, you need legal support that can keep up.
That’s why I work as an on-demand lawyer.
I become part of your business when you need me, so you get the benefit of in-house advice, without creating an in-house legal team. I take a holistic ‘whole-of-business’ approach, to keep you a step ahead of risk.
And unlike working with a traditional external law firm you don’t have to wait for call backs and meetings. You can rest assured in the knowledge that our work falls under a single fixed-fee, not a moveable feast of billing every call and email.
When things change or an issue arises, you’ll have someone in your corner to provide focused advice, and support you and your team to take action.
Lawyer, consultant and business owner
With over 16 years experience as a solicitor looking after clients and their business interests, I’ve seen my fair share of different legal scenarios. I’ve got experience in private practice and in-house, and have worked with individual, commercial and not-for-profit clients.
My work spans action-focused strategic planning, policy development, HR, contract lifecycle management and general legal compliance.
I work across the whole of your business, as much as my training and experience allow, so you get a holistic understanding of the legal risks and strategies for mitigation.
When it comes to partnering with businesses, my greatest asset might be being a business owner myself.
I have been the Director and Principal of a regional law firm, and alongside my husband, I’ve run a rural services business. In 2010 we opened a gym in Wellington, Western NSW, which we still own and operate today.
The businesses I work with might have bigger teams or budgets, but I have first-hand knowledge of a "risky business".
Day-to-day, I am responsible for managing many risks, including:
client safety
client records including personal health information
insurances and contracts
staffing and operations, including policy creation.
And keeping ahead of all the other foreseeable legal risks associated with running the business.
Of course, some risks are unforeseen. Managing the impact of a pandemic in a gym setting kept us on our toes, but we had the mechanisms in place to be flexible and proactive as things changed.
I have seen how uncovering and managing foreseeable legal risk puts you a step ahead when the unforeseen happens, or empowers you to make the most of opportunities when they arise.
Trust me to become part of the team and work in the best interests of your business.
My approach
Proactive and on-demand
Get the support you need to stay a step ahead of risk, and be ready to make the most of opportunities as they arise. I’ll work where and when you need me, but take a holistic approach so you know that foreseeable legal risks are covered.
Fit for purpose
The pace of business has changed, and the burden of legal risk on a business has increased. That means the way you access legal services needs to change too. You need dynamic services, to match the dynamic nature of business.
Calm and judgement free
I pride myself on taking a non-judgemental approach. With a business to run, and people to manage, it’s difficult to be across it all. There’s no finger pointing or blame, but a singular focus on the solution and a desire to work with you to make things better.
I work with businesses as a confidential and non-judgemental partner.
That means that I can’t tell you the ins and outs of my work with clients. But I can share some of the things they’ve said after working together.
“She researched things thoroughly but articulated things in a way that the executive team could understand.”
“She had a fabulous work ethic.”
“Very reliable – if she says she’ll do something, she will get it done.”
Understand your risk
When it comes to managing and mitigating legal risk, your first step is understanding where the danger lies.
Just when you start to feel like you’re on top of everything, another challenge pops up to keep you up at night. This might be the risks associated with:
handling the intricacies of HR, managing staff, and the realities of hiring and firing
managing multiple insurances and contracts, making sure everything is current and correct
changing work environments (like increased work-from-home) and knowing your workforce is appropriately covered
a privacy concern, like unauthorised use of your team or clients’ personal information.
You shouldn’t have to be a lawyer to run your business effectively, but it can’t hurt to have one on your side.
Download your legal risk checklist to take a new perspective. No need to enter your email address, no strings attached.