Allens Confidential podcast
Pathways to reconciliation
How can lawyers contribute to reconciliation? In this episode, hosts Mel and Tahlia speak with Lawyer and First Nations Internship alumna Olivia Henderson and Community Engagement Manager Jodie Symes to discuss Allens' commitment to reconciliation and how junior lawyers can get involved. Olivia and Jodie share their perspectives on pro bono work, pathways to legal careers for First Nations students and the firm's new First Nations Engagement Plan.
Some of the questions we discussed
- How does Allens contribute to reconciliation?
- What are the pathways to the legal profession for First Nations students?
- What is Allens' new First Nations Engagement Plan and how does it work in practice?
- What's the role of pro bono work?
- How can junior lawyers get involved?
This episode is part of our 2023 series.
Listen to the episode
About the presenters: Melissa Camp and Tahlia Rodrigues
As a child Melissa was told she would talk to a brick wall if it looked at her in the right way. As fate would have it, that brick wall would be Allens lawyers. Melissa clerked in 2019/20 and is now in Corporate M&A while also completing her Masters in Global Competition & Consumer Law. She describes law as a 'perfect fit' as it allows her to talk for a living and bankroll both her dogs' knitted sweater wardrobe and gourmet snack habit.
Tahlia is described by the Legal Admissions Board as a 'qualified lawyer' and by her junior school report cards as a 'disruptive class clown who distracts others'. They're not mutually exclusive. A former clerk in 2019/20, she is now rotating through the Intellectual Property team and quietly listens to Hans Zimmer scores at her desk in order to encourage productivity.