The Peterson Haines founder remains fascinated by "the art of persuasion"
Carrie Peterson was and remains fascinated by what she calls the “art of persuasion”. Driven by her passion for advocacy, the founder of Sydney commercial litigation and dispute resolution boutique Peterson Haines carries “small weights” from each matter, file and client until a case is resolved.
In the first half of this November interview, Peterson shares why she chose to focus on commercial litigation, and why fact finding is her favourite part of being a lawyer.
I knew I wanted to be a lawyer from the age of seven. I was intrigued by the idea of taking information, understanding how that information worked (or didn’t) within the framework of the law, and then convincing someone that my position was the correct one. So, it was an easy decision for me to be a commercial litigation lawyer. I admit that I am still fascinated by the art of persuasion. I have such a passion for advocacy, for helping people and businesses reach an outcome, and helping them understand how the process works along the way.
My favourite part of the job starts with the fact finding, which includes learning new industries. It is near impossible to assist in dispute resolution without understanding your client’s industry and what makes it tick, as this plays a big role with strategy. Working out the strategy with your client (which involves understanding the client’s end goal) means there is a clear focus on how to get from A to B, how long it should take, and the tools needed to achieve it. There are always obstacles that are thrown your way, but that is just a challenge that drives me even more.
I am not the sort of person who feels “proud” often. It’s just not something that crosses my mind. I get excited when we achieve a great outcome for a client or when I stick to a position (even when no one else believes in it) and it turns out to be the correct one. So, while I would gladly say I feel happy or excited, “proud” isn’t really the word I’d use.
The biggest lesson in law? That’s a tough one because there are lessons learned every month (!) that together form one big pool of learning.
If I were to share advice with a fellow lawyer (and I don’t mean to sound negative), it would be this: if you have passion for what you do, every matter, every file, every client will leave a little weight on your shoulders every single day until the case is resolved—and sometimes even after. And that’s okay. Embrace it. In fact, some of my most brilliant ideas come while washing my hair or in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep because my mind is working through a problem. If I didn’t carry those small weights with me, my time for contemplating and strategising would be limited to business hours.
That said, it’s just as important to recognise when the weight becomes too heavy. You have to ensure it doesn’t lead to burnout.
