MinterEllison Flex: Opening doors for candidates

2 minute read  21.10.2020

Now in the fifth year of operation, MinterEllison Flex further expanded its footprint into the Canberra market this year with the appointment of Di O’Hara, Senior Manager for Flex in the ACT. Executive Director, Juliet Fay, says this was an important move to ensure Flex could support Canberra/ACT based clients and lawyers.

Alternative career opportunities, such as the engagements offered through Flex, remain popular with experienced lawyers wanting to access different opportunities that still provide career progression and extension. We recently sat down with a highly experienced technology and commercial lawyer, Lavinia Moore, to discuss her personal experience with Flex. Lavinia is currently on a secondment with a large government employer in Queensland.

What made you choose a career path with Flex?

I trained with MinterEllison and I know what they stand for and look for in their people and clients. MinterEllison is a top tier firm and it was a clear first choice for me to go with MinterEllison Flex when looking for new experiences and quality work. They're a firm that I greatly respect.

Can you please tell us a little bit more about your most recent Flex secondments?

I'm currently working in a fabulous inhouse legal team with a Queensland Government authority. I do a broad range of work from commercial disputes, major projects, ICT and revenue procurements. I am impressed by the loyalty and pride shown by the majority of staff within the Authority, which makes my role such an enjoyable experience.

Prior to this, I had a secondment with a Commonwealth Government Department where I had the fantastic opportunity to work on a major ICT transformation project. Working as an agile lawyer I've had such close insight into how IT solutions can be designed and developed to support a social security system that runs on time and also runs smoothly.

Have your Flex secondments differed from your previous career experience? If so, how?

Yes they have. I think the placements I've had with MinterEllison Flex have allowed me to be more objective in my work.

Whilst working with the business and meeting the priorities of the day, clients look to you for your broader based experience. Sometimes if you're working inhouse as an employee, you can become captive to the audience and I think this happens a lot less when you're on a placement.

How do you think employers view you in comparison to a more permanent legal resource?

Employers are smart. I think they're smart enough to know that you're there to work hard and do a great job. With the possibility of getting longer assignments and more exposure to great work, there's only really one incentive and that's to bring your best every day.

What have you most enjoyed about your secondment work?

I think with my current assignment, the people are just great. It's not often you find a legal team that gets on really well, has fun, gets the work done and is kicking great goals. I think having a general counsel that believes in and invests in her people makes it a pleasure to go to work. I'm learning a lot about leadership and being positive and grateful every day.

How has your experience with Flex assisted in your professional and career development?

The Minters Flex network opens doors to wherever you'd like to go. Doing a great job for clients means that they know you're there next time they need a hand and I really like knowing that my options and my professional and career development are growing due to MinterEllison and the Flex team, who are doing a great job supporting me.

How have you found the Flex process from secondment initiation to now?

When people get to know you like they do at MinterEllison Flex, the process seems really easy. You get to meet a team of people both within the firm and within Flex. Having an organisation that knows you from this 360 degree point of view means that different people are looking for things that suit you from different perspectives. I think it's a great process and I'm really grateful to be on the books.

Want to be a Flex lawyer?

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https://www.minterellison.com/articles/minterellison-flex-opening-doors-for-candidates