Page 28 - Tropic Magazine Issue 37

TROPIC • SPECIAL FEATURE
LAW
ROSALIE VELTJENS-SWAN
Graduate Lawyer
Holding Redlich
28 • Tropic • Issue 37
What inspires you or gives you energy?
My mum inspires me. Everyday.
She raised five children on her own,
worked full-time and studied to become
a nurse. She has given me the resilience
and determination to get through tough,
stressful and challenging times, with a
smile on my face and a lesson learnt.
Has anything throughout your career
Describe your typical day at work. surprised you? Good or bad?
First thing I do is connect my laptop, The life of a real lawyer bears no
make a coffee and eat something to start
resemblance whatsoever to the TV show
the day. We’re lucky our office provides Suits. (Unfortunately, no Harvey Spector
light breakfast like yoghurt and fruit. either.) In all seriousness, every lawyer
Emails are always the first thing I check, I’ve met has been extremely helpful,
before I act on a variety of matters from welcoming and always willing to impart
government panel clients to volunteering their skills and expertise. There’s no big
with the Refugee Clinic as a part of the scary door to knock on in our office.
firm’s pro-bono work. One of the reasons
I love my job is that each day brings Any advice to your 18-year-old self?
something different. Don’t be so hard on yourself! You will get
where you want and are destined to be.
What makes you excited to work in Stop being in such a rush to get things
your industry? done or to move onto the next thing.
Law covers such a diverse range of areas, Enjoy your experiences.
which makes it exciting for a young law
graduate. The other great aspect of being If you had to pick an alternative career
a lawyer, as cliché as this sounds, is that path, what would it be?
we can make a real difference – not just to If I hadn’t studied law, I would have either
individuals but to the entire community. studied teaching or if I had loads of
money, established a dog rescue farm
Why is Cairns a great place to work on acreage.
in your field?
Cairns is a regional city, but big enough to Favourite way to sign off the
progress in our careers at a pace that may work week?
be harder in larger cities. It’s also small I love being able to leave work on a
enough to keep the charm that larger Friday (admittedly sometimes with the
cities don’t have, and the comradery laptop in hand ...) get home, change into
between lawyers is something that would comfortable clothes and walk my dog.
be missed elsewhere. Another big bonus Boring, but very cathartic!
– we don’t spend hours in traffic!
A podcast or book you recommend?
What attracted you to Holding Redlich? Reading Women is a bimonthly podcast
Holding Redlich is a national law firm featuring books or interviews by, or
and so we get to work with a range of about, women!
different clients. As graduates we can
access the expertise of lawyers from Go-to spot for an office lunch run?
around Australia, across many areas of The Chambers or Grafton Coffee!
law. Holding Redlich’s commitment to
pro-bono work and giving back to the MORE: holdingredlich.com
community was also a huge enticement.