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Burch&Co is made up of brilliant, caring and unique individuals. Each member of the team brings their own perspective and passions to their role. Collectively, we are united in our human-centred approach to law.
The Meet the Team series aims to shine a light on the wonderful humans that make up Burch&Co. In this instalment, get to know Sean, an Associate (Outsourced General Counsel) within our Commercial team.
What made you want to become a lawyer?
I originally wanted to be an AFL or cricket player manager, and I thought that having a good knowledge of contract law and developing my negotiation skills at law school would help me achieve and succeed in that role.
When I got to law school, I soon realised that there were so many aspects and areas of the law that fascinated me, so it didn’t take long for me to realise that I would likely be most fulfilled in my career if I practiced law.
Tell us about your experience in the law to date.
I started my legal career as a trade mark Administrator in the Trade Marks team at a large law firm in Melbourne.
A couple of years later I joined the Commercial Disputes team at that same firm as a Graduate.
Now, I am a member of Burch&Co’s ‘Office of the General Counsel’ team, which sits within the firm’s Commercial team. I am currently outsourced to the Monash IVF Group as part of its Legal Counsel team.
Why did you pursue a career as a disputes lawyer?
I enjoyed most of my core subjects at law school, and all of the ones I enjoyed were largely disputes-focused.
One of the main reasons I enjoy disputes work is that you have the opportunity every day to work with people going through difficult, complex and oftentimes emotional, issues (be they legal, operational other otherwise). Being able to assist them and do everything we can to bring about a positive resolution is energising and satisfying.
I also enjoy learning about new things, and working in disputes gives you regular opportunities to work with experts in other industries and develop your knowledge of different areas of law.
What is your practice today?
As Seconded General Counsel, I assist Monash IVF with both their front and back end legal matters. The types of work I do day to day include advising Monash IVF on any legal disputes they are party to and advising on and negotiating commercial transactions (including property and construction transactions) and contracts (including employment and service-level contracts).
I am fortunate in my position to work with the brilliant scientists, doctors and operational teams at Monash IVF as well as the equally brilliant lawyers at Burch&Co.
What do you like most about working at Burch&Co?
Based on my experience to date in the legal industry, Burch&Co has a unique approach to working with its clients. The firm treats its clients like people as much as it treats them like clients, meaning we take the time to get to know our clients on a personal level and provide a personal touch, as well as providing them with the best service we can. We believe this makes our clients’ interactions with their lawyers enjoyable, not a chore.
What do you love to do outside of work and does that play into your practice?
I love to travel, and I have done some relatively long stints overseas. One of the benefits to traveling is getting exposure to different ways of thinking and approaches. There’s often more than one way to skin a cat, and the challenges we face every day in the legal profession are no different.
Author: Sean Carr, Associate (Outsourced General Counsel), Commercial Team
