Having come to Australia as a migrant refugee, Peter Le is adamant about giving back to the community. Such a purpose, he says, serves him well as an in-house lawyer.
Peter Le (pictured), the general counsel of legal and governance at the City of Swan in Western Australia, arrived in Australia with his parents and siblings after the end of the Vietnam War. Migrants and refugees who arrive Down Under, he told Lawyers Weekly, “feel a sense of gratitude and want to make a valuable contribution to the communities in which they live”.
“There is a need and a want to belong to the community. I also work at the City of Swan, one of the largest local governments in Western Australia, and it is often said that it is the level of government that is the closest to the community. So, working at a local government fits in with my community values,” he said.
Le certainly keeps active outside of his full-time role with the City of Swan. Among the roles he has held, or continues to hold, are: board member of Carers WA, chair of City West Lotteries House, chair of Paediatric Nursing Services Limited, legal and strategic adviser to Project Humanity Australia Inc, chair of the Lawyers in Local Government Network, president of the West Australian branch of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association, president of Vietnamese Community in Western Australia, chair of the Asia Business Council of Western Australia, and president of Westnam United Soccer Club.
In conversation with Lawyers Weekly, he stressed the valuable contributions that refugees and migrants have made to Australia – a salient observation at a time of vocal sociopolitical protest against mass migration.
“The journey and challenges of moving to a new country, which includes challenges like adjusting to new culture, language and lifestyle, and the emotional toll of leaving family and friends behind, the experience makes you more resilient, helps you put things into prospective and assists you to deal with challenges that you face personally and in your professional life,” Le said.
On the question of how he balances his community work with his role as a GC, he said that “if you have a passion and desire for something, you will find the time and find your purpose in life”.
“Luckily, the City of Swan is supportive of my extracurricular community activities and [it] encourages volunteering and active community participation,” he added.
All lawyers have a purpose in life, Le continued.
“[Fred Hollows Foundation general counsel] Katrin O’Sullivan said, in a keynote speech to in-house legal counsels in Adelaide this year, spoke about finding purpose through law, and that finding purpose is a deeply personal journey, but it often lies at the intersection of the four principles of ‘Ikigai’, a Japanese concept meaning ‘the reason for being’ – what you love (passion), what you are good at (vocation), what the world needs (mission), what you can be paid for (profession),” he said.
“Katrin said that for lawyers, purpose often emerges when our skills and values align with making a meaningful impact – whether through advocacy, problem solving, or driving positive change.”
“So, for lawyers, doing something that aligns with your skill sets and values will make you better lawyers or make your career more rewarding at least.”
When asked what excites him most about his community work moving forward, Le said that most community and not-for-profit organisations start off with a conversation over the kitchen bench, with one person’s idea and version to change the world.
“Community and not-for-profit organisations are well advanced these days and operate in an increasingly complex and regulated environment. With this comes demand for lawyers’ skill sets of legal, risk and compliance,” he said.
“The boardroom now also consists of a wider skills matrix and the encouragement of diversity and inclusion, with diverse backgrounds and genders being diversity of thought and the diversity of opinion.”
Jerome Doraisamy is the managing editor of Lawyers Weekly and HR Leader. He is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in New South Wales, and a board director of the Minds Count Foundation.
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