Emily Booth, senior associate at Holding Redlich tells Australasian Lawyer what she loves about her job.
What made you decide to become a lawyer?
Chocolate. I did a broad degree (Commerce/ Law) to keep my options open but first year out of university I started a traineeship in the Cadbury Schweppes legal team and loved it.
How long have you worked at Holding Redlich and what brought you to this position?
Nearly 9 months. It’s my first private practice role in Australia but since university I have admired Holding Redlich from afar. My supervisor Dan Pearce’s practice in Media, Information Technology and Intellectual Property seemed like the perfect combination for me with lots of interest and variety in the role which encompassed the work I was familiar with from earlier in-house positions.
What’s the strangest case you’ve ever worked on/been involved with?
A short-term role I had at the Australian Communications and Media Authority was strange as I was auditing the compliance of 1900 SMS services including scouring the magazines in which the advertisements for the services lurked! The interview for the position was also funny for that reason.
If you could invite three people for dinner, dead or alive and excluding family and friends, who would they be and why?
That is a hard question. Will I be judged if I include Brad Pitt? Perhaps Kerry O’Keefe because he is hilarious. Malala Yousafzai because she is brave and amazing. Edith Piaf because it would be incredible to hear her sing live. Perhaps over three separate dinners.
You’re based in Melbourne – where’s the best place to go for a drink and/or dinner after work?
After work I like Chin Chin for dinner or the bars around China Town. Also from Monday – Wednesday nights, Laneway Learning run great 1.5hr classes in bars around Melbourne on a range of things from wine tasting to terrarium making.
What’s the best piece of advice (work or personal) you’ve ever been given?
Don’t be afraid to take an opportunity before you think you are ready for it, especially as a woman. The fact someone is offering you that opportunity is a good indication that you are.
Do you have any hobbies/interests outside of work?
Sport (watching), film and theatre, travel, reading, running, food and wine. Pretty typical lawyer hobbies really!
Complete this sentence: If I wasn’t a lawyer, I would be…
A sports journalist. Ideally, with Chloe Saltau’s (chief cricket writer at the Age) job and abilities.
What do you think will be single biggest issue facing the legal space in Australia in 2015?
There is an increasing need for advice to be commercial and succinct. This is of course our method of providing advice at Holding Redlich, but if law firms more generally do not adapt they may face issues.
If you had Tony Abbott’s job for one day, what would you do?
Many things, but most topically, I would introduce a conscience vote on same sex marriage into Parliament.
What do you love about your job?
The variety of the work and assisting companies in what can be a difficult hour (for example a privacy breach or a recall of a product). I also love the advertising approvals or IP clearances as they usually involve a call on risk instead of black and white application of the law.
What would you change about your job right now if you could?
I’d shift my hours forward so that I could watch the Ashes, the Tour and Wimbledon until 2 am every night (what do you think Dan?)!
