Page 38 - Luce 2021

A l umni News

be a great tour guide to show friends to lockdown, including interning at the bemused (sometimes distraught) owners.
around this city! ANU Asia-Pacific Maps Collection and However, my strongest memories are of
creating an exhibition for the Canberra the Dining Hall and the conversations
Melbourne is now my second Fire Museum. that lingered long after the meals had
hometown, and I am sure JCH is a finished.
sweet home for many of us. I miss you In 2022 I am beginning a PhD at ANU
all and also send my best wishes to through their Interdisciplinary and Cross- I studied combined degrees in Law and
Freshers. Cultural Research stream where I hope Commerce. There was only a handful of
to combine my interests in anthropology, women studying this combined course
Madeleine Tan ancient history, tourism, and heritage and I loved it. I remained in College until
(2016) studies. 1987, when I moved into a share house
Moving from with close friends, Anne Stonier (1984)
Adelaide to Suzanne and Simon Johnson (1983).
Melbourne at Mackenzie
the beginning of (1983) My first job after university was with
2016 to attend My first year the large commercial law firm, Blake
university at JCH was Dawson Waldron (formerly, Blake &
was without marked by the Riggall, and now Ashurst). There were
a doubt one high of Australia no computers on our desks and I was
of the most daunting things I had ever winning the the first female lawyer to wear a trouser
done. JCH was hugely supportive during America’s suit into the office! There were word
this transitional time in my life, and Cup – a great processing pools and queues based
I’m fortunate to have met some of my distraction from study for all of us at the upon seniority for having your work
closest friends through College – I can’t time – and the shocking low of the (first) typed, which meant I often was forced
imagine life without them now, and I Ash Wednesday bushfires which had to stay back late into the evening just to
look back on those two years with a killed 75 people in the weeks before my have a fax cover sheet typed.
deep sense of nostalgia and fondness. college life began.
It was at Blakes that I met my husband,
My first year at Melbourne University I had completed my school years at Michael. I left Blakes in 1993 to join an
was perhaps my toughest emotionally, Cohuna High School, in Northern actuarial employee benefits consulting
as I very quickly realised that I didn’t Victoria, where there were only 36 firm, then known as William M Mercer. I
enjoy any of the subjects that I had students studying Year 12. We had no was on my way to becoming a financial
set out to major in (Politics and computers at that time (and therefore no services and superannuation law
International Relations), and that the internet) and our access to information specialist. While I was at Mercer I was
absolute last thing I wanted to do was limited, but we did have access seconded to Adelaide in 1994 for what I
after graduating was follow my plan of to water skiing, kayaking and all kinds was told would be a one-year term with
enrolling in the JD. With the support of outdoor activities. I had first set my their Adelaide office. I never did return
of my College friends and tutors, I sights on studying in Melbourne back to Victoria. Michael’s family were from
eventually changed my majors and in 1967 when my family had taken the Adelaide and he had returned there from
began to dream of an academic career. I road-trip to Melbourne to settle my a stint overseas to work with his family’s
haven’t looked back since. older sister, Kathryn, into the first ever home building business.
intake of students at the then very new
My years beyond JCH have been La Trobe University – college life looked In 1997, I left Mercer to become a
just as exciting (although it took me like great fun. partner of an old established Adelaide
a while to fully leave College, given law firm, Piper Alderman (which is now
that I took a nap on Thenu Herath’s I had not really noticed JCH on the a much bigger national law firm). At
(2016) presidential couch at least once pamphlet I had read about residential the beginning of 2002 I founded a new
a week in 2018). I graduated with a colleges, but it turned out to be perfect boutique law firm – DMAW Lawyers,
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) majoring for me. I am forever grateful to Dr Owen together with three partners who had
in Anthropology and Ancient World Parnaby for directing me to JCH – at been at Piper Alderman with me and
Studies in 2019 with the hope to begin a the time, he was Master at Queen’s total staff of about 14. This was both
PhD overseas the following year. College, and his daughter, Dr Margaret stressful and exciting. After almost 17
Parnaby (1972), was a tutor at JCH. years building DMAW Lawyers with
In 2020 I inadvertently took a ‘gap year’ I had a wonderful time – valedictory a wonderful team of young lawyers, I
at home in Melbourne, and in 2021 dinners, intercollegiate sport, the ritual thought it was time to allow that team
I moved to Canberra to complete a of pre-dinner sherry for High Table with to flourish and for me take on a different
Master of Museum and Heritage Studies Dr Eva Eden, and later, Mrs Phyllis Fry. challenge; in late 2018 I was called to
at ANU. My year here was an amazing I recall water-bombing from the rooftop the bar to practise as a barrister.
experience of making new friends any passing residents from Ormond
and exploring a new city – although and St Hilda’s (and, if we could ever I continue my practice today, specialising
I definitely also miss Melbourne! My get them, Trinity) and the ‘pooky hit in financial services, superannuation and
Masters allowed me to undertake club’ – where numerous teddy bears trusts. Michael and I have four children
several real-world experiences prior were taken and held hostage from their aged 19 years to 10 years.

38 LUCE Number 20 2021