Jane, Tasmania lawyer

I grew up in Hobart and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Tasmania in 1995. I spent many years practising insurance litigation in private firms in both Hobart and Sydney. After having our three children (one of whom has a disability), I had a career break to care for them and our elderly parents. During this time, I realised my deep wish to move from an adversarial to a collaborative and rewarding space where I could make a more tangible difference. My experiences as a carer were eye-opening as I discovered some of the challenges faced by people with disabilities when accessing appropriate support.

Since January 2021, I have worked at Tasmania Legal Aid (TLA) on the Advice and Legal Services team. This involves answering the statewide telephone advice line, conducting in-house clinics and responding to the TLA Legal Talk chatroom on our website. It has given me a deep appreciation of the immense challenges faced by people with disabilities, the incredible importance of trauma-informed care and the pressing need for systemic reform.

I joined Your Story Disability Legal Support in August 2022. I am delighted to be working with such a passionate team that is dedicated to supporting people with disabilities, their carers, and support workers to make submissions to the Disability Royal Commission. I am committed to ensuring our clients feel heard and validated. Their lived experiences and stories really matter. By sharing them with the Royal Commission, I am hopeful positive, life-changing systemic change will result. I am so grateful to have the deep privilege of working towards this aim.