In celebration of International Women’s Day, we share the thoughts about International Women’s Day and practising law in-house from five of our members.
Karen Grumley
Head of Legal - Coal at Pacific National and
President & Chair at Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Australia
What does International Women’s Day mean to you and is it important that we have one? International Women’s Day is a celebration of the social, cultural and economic accomplishments of women. It is well known that corporate culture can privilege some people and exclude others, so it is important to have IWD to demonstrate the part we can all play in bringing balance to the working world.
IWD also showcases progress being made in gender parity, and that everyone should be encouraged to thrive and contribute in their communities. The day is about enablement – facilitating action in a public, global and visible way, allowing anyone and everyone to take up a role as a diversity leader and promote inclusion in their work, school, family or community.
What are some of the great things about being a woman in law? The best thing about being a woman in the law is that we are not just able to find flexibility in how we work, but also flexibility in what we do for work - we have the opportunity for a flexible career, especially when you work in-house. I speak from experience having in my short career had legal roles in private practice and in-house, as well as several non-legal roles. Even within our roles as in-house lawyers, we have diverse opportunities to contribute to our organisations and to be #morethanalawyer!
The legal profession today also has less operational segregation between genders, and I say this because I work for the largest rail freight hauler in Australia, where the balance of gender in operational environments is something that is constantly being improved upon. Being a female lawyer in this environment has enabled me to do things and see things I may not otherwise have done.
Based on your own experience, what advice would you give to women considering pursuing a career as an in-house lawyer? My advice would be to never fear being challenged or challenging yourself. It is easy to find your niche, something you are the expert at, and just keep doing that well. In my opinion, what makes being an in-house lawyer fun is when you step outside that comfort zone and do something different. You also then have the opportunity to provide a different contribution - a different thinking style, or approach to problem solving.
Who has been the biggest influence on your success? My husband. Geoff and I have been together my entire career as a lawyer, and he has always encouraged me to achieve more, and to believe in myself. Not only is he my cheer squad, but he has moulded his career around our family, so that I can do all the things I love to do. Without Geoff’s dedication to our children and keeping the household functioning, I couldn’t be who I am, and I wouldn’t have achieved many of the things I’ve had the pleasure of accomplishing – including my Presidency of ACC Australia. #BalanceforBetter!
How you define women empowerment? To me empowerment means giving someone the ability to do something about their needs, wants, opinions and beliefs. It is about putting in place frameworks that enable women to become more confident that they can control their own lives and achieve their desires. It is about being more than a mother, a sister, daughter or wife – it is about being given the opportunity to achieve success in your own eyes.
What message would you like to leave for both men and women on International Women’s Day? Balance is better. Whether at home, in the office, school, or your community, balance drives a better outcome, and we can all contribute if we are given the opportunity and accept the privilege.
#BalanceforBetter #morethanalawyer #morethanamother #morethanawomen
