After graduating with the Class of 2005, I thought I wanted to become a professional musician. I reluctantly missed out on schoolies which clashed with my audition at the Conservatorium of Music. After the audition, I realised that rehearsing alone for 6 hours per day might be rather lonely, so instead, I chose to study a combined degree in Arts and Law at the University of Sydney.

At university, I was fascinated with intellectual property law, an area of law which protects intangible property rights in creative works and inventions. Studying cases in the entertainment, art, fashion and technology space was much more exciting to me than breaches of corporations legislation. After university, I passed on a graduate offer in insurance litigation and took a leap of faith by moving to London to pursue a career in intellectual property (IP). My first job was working for Disney before I transitioned into the IP litigation team of a large firm whilst Icompleted a post graduate diploma in US/UK/ EU Copyright Law at Kings College London.

For the last four-and-a-half years I have been fortunate to work as a litigator in the IP team at Gilbert + Tobin where I specialise in copyright and trademark infringement and technology disputes. It is an exciting role where I work on cutting edge cases, anywhere from representing musicians and video game companies to rights holders at start-ups and banks in disputes, where often law and technology intersects. I never would have thought I would be utilising
my musical background to understand expert musicologist evidence, but it has been rewarding to combine my passions.

I am very grateful to have been recognised as a Lawyerly Litigation Rising Star in 2021, an award honouring 30 Australian lawyers under the age of 40 for their work in high-stakes litigation. I cannot believe I am closer in age to 40 than 17 (when I graduated school), but I am thankful for my time at Monte and the values it instilled in me which I try to embody in my professional life. Those Monte values guide me to be a practitioner who is authentic, generous and respectful whilst making strategic, informed decisions in what is often described as a ‘blood sport’. To see so many Monte girls in the profession, including on the High Court, speaks volumes and I look forward to seeing many more trailblazers around Phillip Street.