Shayannah Beck

What's your job about?

A graduate’s role in the Legal Services and Procurement section is diverse, with an opportunity to gain exposure to a range of interesting legal and compliance areas. Examples of work undertaken include:

• drafting responses to emails from external stakeholders about the model WHS laws (i.e., the interpretation and application of certain provisions) and requests to use and reference our material (i.e., copyright permission requests),
• supporting policy line areas by legally reviewing their materials and giving advice on any questions. This is a great way to gain an understanding of the work being undertaken across the agency, and also to delve into different topics,
• reviewing the case law referenced in the Cross-Comparison Table – model WHS Act to ensure cases are current and leading law,
• undertaking legal research and summarising findings in a brief, and
• working on FOI requests by drafting letters, consulting with internal and external stakeholders and proposing redactions to documents (if necessary).

What's your background?

I grew up in Melbourne where I completed Year 11 and Year 12 at the Distance Education Centre Victoria. I studied a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Anthropology and Journalism) online at Deakin University. This was a 4-year course. I had so many great learning experiences at university, including going on a Chinese Commercial Law study tour, where I learnt about the differences between Chinese and Australian taxation, commercial and employment law etc.

During my undergraduate degree, I also undertook a legal internship at a community legal centre in Melbourne, where I gained exposure to generalist legal practice including employment, criminal and family law. This was an invaluable internship, and I ended up continuing with that legal centre in future roles, such as a volunteer, employee and trainee lawyer when completing my Practical Legal Training.

I had been working different casual jobs and volunteering throughout my study: such as in retail, sport and legal centres.

I then completed my Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at Leo Cussen Centre for Law, which was a great opportunity to learn about managing client files, drafting legal advice and representing clients. After I completed this qualification, I gained admission as a lawyer in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

I applied for a graduate position at Safe Work Australia while I was completing my graduate diploma. I was very fascinated by the opportunities at the agency and passionate about their work to make workplaces safer.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Yes. I went through the generalist graduate program at the agency, which is open to all academic backgrounds and qualifications. Therefore, graduates could have a diverse range of backgrounds. In saying this however, I think a placement within the Legal Services team would require a legal background or similar. This is due to the work undertaken by the section in providing legal advice and review. A graduate’s role in this section may involve legal research and analysis and having a relevant legal background would greatly assist.

What's the coolest thing about your job?

One of the coolest things about my job is working on FOI requests. For valid FOI requests, you need to consult with policy areas within the agency and undertake searches to locate the documents that fall within the scope of the request. The most interesting part is reviewing these documents and proposing redactions to them if you consider, according to legislation, whether parts of the document shouldn’t be released. Drafting a decision for approval is also fascinating, as you need to communicate your justifications for the redactions (i.e., as based in legislation).

What are the limitations of your job?

The biggest limitation of my job is that you don’t get to go to court and litigate matters. Litigation and managing cases are an interesting side of legal practice. However, this isn’t a function of Safe Work Australia and the Legal Services and Procurement Section. As a national work health and safety policy body, the agency does not regulate WHS laws – instead, our functions include (but are not limited to) developing national policy and strategy, monitoring and improving the model WHS legislative framework and improving consistency in workers’ compensation arrangements.

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

• My advice would be to make the most of study tours and opportunities to study overseas. It’s a great way to immerse and learn about another culture and lifestyle, while ticking off study goals!  
• Prioritise your wellbeing and force yourself to have breaks from work and study. A student’s life is very busy with those commitments, but rest is so important for mental health and wellbeing, and to feel recharged.
• Connect with other students at university, through joining clubs etc, You can share in hobbies and build a strong support network for university and beyond.