Junior Legal Counsel
Name: Julia Firth
Career stage: Early career - less than 5 years' experience
Working: Office
High School Subjects: International Baccalaureate - Maths standard level, English (language & literature) higher level, Sport exercise and Health Science higher level, Italian standard level, Environmental Systems and Societies standard level, Religion, Theory of Knowledge
Favourite: My favourite subject was sports science as I loved learning about how the human body functions and the impact it has on athletes. Overall I am a big sports fan so found it really fun and interesting.
Further study: University
where and what: I completed a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Screen and Media Studies) at the University of New England, Armidale.
"I never thought I would be in the construction industry with a Law and Arts degree, but here I am! My part-time reception role opened so many doors for me and I now have a job I love and a great network of friends at work."
THE INSIDE SCOOP…
What does a Junior Legal Counsel actually do? My role is very broad, so here are a few key components of my day to day job: - Dispute resolution - sometimes there are issues on buildings RCC have completed, and I assist in resolving these issues through liaising with the other party, external lawyers, our on site maintenance team and experts in the industry. This is a big part of my role. - Assisting live projects with legal issues that arise during the course of construction, such as a contract dispute or delays in projects due to inclement weather. - Reviewing contracts, legislative changes and other RCC documents. - Drafting 'legal alerts' to distribute to the company to update teams on legislative changes in the industry. - Administrative legal tasks such as diarising court dates and scheduling meetings.
What does a day in your life at work look like? Each day varies so much! Often I am in our Head Office and I also spend a bit of time working from site with the project teams. There are also days I am in the city with our lawyers preparing and attending a mediation or settlement conference. There are the occasional overnight trips to visit project teams outside of Sydney, which are also a lot of fun!
What's the best part of your job? My favourite part is being able to drive around Sydney and point out all the buildings RCC have built or are building. I can tell my friends and family what we were doing on it, any issues we are having, discuss how we resolved any disputes etc.
What made you realise construction could be for you? It wasn't until I started working as a receptionist for Richard Crookes Constructions (RCC) that I realised how great the construction industry is. I never thought I would end up in construction, but I started part time as a receptionist during university and then I moved into HR to assist with resourcing, before landing in the Legal Team to complete my College of Law and become a lawyer. My journey into the construction industry has been different to most, but the industry has provided me with so many wonderful opportunities to develop.
Do you have any advice for young women picking a career? My advice would be to say 'yes' to any opportunity. I never thought I would be in the construction industry with a Law and Arts degree, but here I am! My part-time reception role opened so many doors for me and I now have a job I love and a great network of friends at work.
Tell us about balancing work with your other interests, or family. I spent the first two years of my time in construction balancing work and full-time university study. It was challenging at times, but it is all about perspective. Work was a break from studying, studying was a break from work, and my social life as a break from both work and study. I found the busier I was, the more productive and attentive I became to my work because I knew I had other things (study, family, friends, gym) to squeeze in before/after work.
What's something that surprised you about working in construction? What surprised me the most is how open and inviting the industry is. It is a very small world in construction, but people are so welcoming and are willing to teach you. I am constantly learning new things every day and it is a testament to the inclusive and open environment that I work in. No question is ever a silly question.
Julia is open to engaging further via: Taking a student for work experience, Speaking at a high school, Mentoring a student
If you'd like to enquire more, please fill out the form below with the subject name: "Julia Firth" and we'll pass your message on.
