How did you start down this career path?

I started my legal career practising in commercial law and then a short period practising criminal law but I was not excited by these areas. A friend from university had started practising as an immigration lawyer and this was how my interest was initially piqued. I applied for a junior immigration lawyer role and enjoyed it immediately. The principles of Administrative Law and the opportunity to work with clients of all types and from diverse backgrounds is what interested me. I also liked the personal connection made with clients in this area of law, including the opportunity to help change their lives. The diversity of work in this area was also interesting because of the opportunity to work with the Department of Home Affairs, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), the Federal Court and Ministerial Intervention cases.

What inspires you in your role/industry? Why?

The opportunity to change an individual or a family’s lives inspires me because you see the difference it makes to be able to settle in Australia. I enjoy obtaining results for clients to visit or migrate permanently to this county. I am inspired by the stories of clients and the paths that they have taken to come to Australia. The dedicated team of highly focused immigration lawyers that I lead also provides me with inspiration as I teach and mentor them and learn from them too. The fast-paced rate of change in Australian immigration law makes it an exciting area of law to practice because you always need to be aware of the changes to law and policy to obtain results for clients. Australian immigration law is also so intrinsically linked to politics and Australia’s identity generally. I have the opportunity to deal with all types of clients, including entrepreneurs and global talent, CEOs, Managing Directors, highly specialised professionals who are experts in their field, experienced human resources professionals, businesses of all types and sizes, families and children including interesting adoption, surrogacy, child and orphan visa applications.

In this area of law, I gain personal satisfaction from being directly involved in the economic benefits of migration to the Australian economy which enriches our diversity and helps us become a more outward looking nation.

I have a team of lawyers that I coach and mentor. I am proud to pass my knowledge and experiences to my team, wanting them to excel and witnessing their desire to be involved in this area of law.

What's your approach to customer service that separates you from the rest?

My approach to client service is prompt and personalised service that is tailored to each clients’ individual needs. This goes beyond the legal deliverable that I provide. I put myself in my client’s shoes and look at the experience of hiring a lawyer and going through a legal matter from their point of view.

I quickly build rapport and trust with my clients to get the information that I need and to build a strong working relationship. My objective is always to leave the client satisfied and willing to refer more clients once their case is closed.

At Nevett Ford Lawyers we have created a well thought out onboarding experience—investing in the right tools, thinking through the right processes of our firm, and evolving that process when we see opportunities to improve so that the onboarding process is as fast as possible and to set expectations and reduce confusion for the duration of the engagement. Client journey mapping is a constant work in process at Nevett Ford Lawyers to find ways to innovate and we have had a ‘Client Service Committee‘ for many years which is dedicated to finding continuous improvement.

My client Google reviews, and those of the firm generally, stand testament to our focus on the client experience from their perspective which leads clients to actively promote our service to others.

How do you innovate and stay ahead of industry trends?

This is a continuous area of development and involves reading about proposed changes to law, including Bills and keeping abreast of legislative changes that occur on a regular basis in this fast-paced and challenging area of law. One moment, you can be up to date with all the latest rules and news regarding Australian immigration law but the next day, everything can become uprooted by a newly adopted, approved, or amended immigration regulation, particularly when there is a change of government.

I attend briefings by the Minister for Immigration and by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and I also keep abreast of updates obtained by the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) in their dealings with government on behalf of its members.

I am constantly implementing changes within my practice group and the firm to deliver exceptional client service and also to provide an exciting environment for employees so that they have fulfilling legal careers as we work together with the clients.

I stay informed about technological advancements to ensure that our clients benefit from every innovation, and we adjust our strategies accordingly to remain compliant and competitive within this high-tech landscape. My current view is that Artificial Intelligence (AI) cannot replace the advice of an experienced legal practitioner but AI is an area that we are looking to utilise to the extent that it can bring about efficiencies for our clients in terms of processes and systems. Our lawyers deliver bespoke advice, including strategic solutions which cannot be automated.

Navigating the complexities of the future of Australian Immigration Law requires expertise that extends beyond traditional legal counsel. I am dedicated to finding and providing tailored guidance that addresses the unique challenges and opportunities presented by technology-driven changes.

The benefit of Nevett Ford Lawyers size is that we can quickly adapt and adopt innovation and new ways in delivering exceptional client service.

What is the toughest challenge you've faced in your role? How did you overcome it?

The toughest challenges of my role are always client related. In some cases, the client engages our service at a stage in their Australian migration journey when avenues for new applications or appeal are limited or non-existent. Managing client expectations in these types of cases remains the toughest aspect of the job as you must provide frank advice which can mean that an individual or a family have to face tough circumstances which cannot always be resolved easily or whilst keeping a person inside Australia. The delivery of such advice and news is difficult.

Without going into the particularities of individual client cases, my work as an Australian immigration lawyer includes being involved in cases that directly impact the lives of individuals and their ability (or inability) to remain in Australia due to the circumstances of the case. Truth is truly stranger than fiction which we see on a regular basis in this area of law. You witness and are involved in cases that haunt you because the law does not always provide a solution to truly tragic situations. These types of cases take a toll personally because they simply cannot be resolved in a satisfactory way from the client perspective and/or on a human level and despite our legal expertise – sometimes there is nothing that can be done. I believe that most immigration lawyers practice in this area because they like people and they want to help them. When you cannot do that, not because of your lack of talent, knowledge, expertise or experience, that is tough. It has taken years of practising in this area of law for me to come to terms with these types of cases. I have implemented techniques to protect my own mental health and wellbeing and I have learnt that it will always be a part of practising this area of law. I have learnt to reconcile these aspects as I continue to practics as an immigration lawyer but it will always be the most challenging aspect of the job. Thankfully, there are so many cases that I am involved in that bring about extraordinarily positive change and this helps.

What are some of your goals for the next 5 years?

Some of my goals for the next 5 years personally and for Nevett Ford Lawyers, include:

1. Redefining and implementing Nevett Ford Lawyers’ new strategic plan.
2. Providing clear career pathways for members of the firm for professional career development and growth.
3. Maintaining and building on the positive culture of the firm.
4. In relation my specific practice group (migration), I want to continue to build up our corporate migration market share whilst maintaining and building on our individual client base and market share.
5. Understand the benefits and risks of new technology and implement as appropriate, including digital adoption and transformation in order to be able to deliver services faster and with heightened accuracy and harness the power of the data we manage.
6. Increasing the number of new cases opened each year.
7. Increasing billable hours each month for every lawyer by June 2025 and continuing to monitor and improve time recording over the next 5 years and beyond by reference to our own internal metrics.
8. Increase the firm’s presence in the marketplace by using multiple platforms and techniques, including traditional business development and improved online strategies.
9. Create an environment of continuous improvement in client service delivery, career development and growth and instil a culture of excellence in every aspect of the work and services delivered.

Nevett Ford Lawyers (www.nevettfordlawyers.com.au) has been providing quality legal advice for over 150 years. As one of the longest continually operating law firms in Victoria, we have built a reputation of providing exceptional professional service based on a personalised, client-focused and efficient approach. Our passion for our clients has always remained central to what we do, with every solution being tailored specifically to the needs of our clients. We are a full service law firm, providing legal advice for all aspects of life, including:

• Australian and United States of America immigration law (corporate and individuals)
• Family law
• Non-for-profit and social enterprise dispute resolution.
• Employment and Workplace Relations law
• Commercial and Business law
• Litigation
• Property law and Conveyancing
• Wills and Estate Planning.

www.nevettfordlawyers.com.au