Rebecca Torsello

Tell us about yourself
I completed a Bachelor of Law (Honours)/Bachelor of Arts in 2016. I completed a journalism major as part of my Arts degree. Since finishing university, I completed my PLT and following my admission in June 2018, I have relocated to London.

 

What does your career/current role involve and what aspects do you most enjoy?
My most recent role before leaving for London was as a Legal Help Officer at Victoria Legal Aid. The Legal Help department at VLA runs the phone helpline. I would chat to people from all walks of life about their legal (and non-legal) issues. Legal Help would triage and conduct intake for eligible clients, provide legal information and advice over the phone on a variety of areas and provide referrals to external organisations.

I most enjoyed getting to talk to people and help them with their legal issues. Calling VLA was quite often the first point of contact a person would make, so being able to talk through the problem, identify the legal issues and provide information and referrals was a rewarding experience. My goal was for the person to end the call feeling like they know the next step to take and where to seek help.

 

What has been your career path since graduation?
Following graduation, I went overseas for 6 months. I had spent 7 years at university, did not have a job lined up and to be honest, just needed a break. I came back and decided to enrol in a PLT course as being admitted in Australia would open up opportunities overseas as well.

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I completed my PLT and did a placement at Justice Connect in their Not-for-profit Law team. After I finished my placement, I began work at VLA. I was admitted in June 2018 and had some decisions to make. I had always wanted to live overseas for a few years, to get out of comfort zone and see more of the world. So on a whim, I decided it was now or never, and booked a one way ticket to London. Having lived there for a few months previously, I knew the city and had a few friends there already. I arrived here 2 days ago so am still settling in.

 

Where do you see yourself in ten years?
I do not even know where I will be in 2 weeks, so I am not sure. In an ideal world, I would love to be working for a not-for-profit organisation helping people navigate the legal system. The clients I have encountered at Justice Connect, VLA and when I volunteered at a CLC have motivated me to pursue a career in making the law more accessible. What form this takes, I do not know yet, but I am excited to begin exploring the possibilities.

 

What made you choose to go to London to work?
I have always wanted to live overseas but never knew when I would it. Having just been admitted, I was at a crossroads – do I begin applying for jobs as a lawyer, or do I relocate? I’m in my mid-20s now and decided if I didn’t go now, I may never, and it was the fear of regretting that decision that drove me to book a ticket.

I do not have a job lined up yet, so being unemployed is both nerve-racking and exhilarating at this point.

 

I see you have worked as a legal journalist – would you be able to share some of your experiences there and what drew you to that role?
I completed a Journalism major as part of my Arts degree and so writing has always been a passion of mine. I started contributing to Bucket Orange Magazine in 2016 when I was looking for ways to integrate my legal and writing skills.

Bucket Orange is an online magazine that aims to make the law accessible to young Australians. We cover a wide range of topics, providing analysis and insight into the laws affecting society today. I have written articles on a range of subject matters from human trafficking to revenge porn to security guards.

 

It also looks like you spent some time working in the NFP legal sector? How did you find it? What sort of words of wisdom would you have to share for someone looking to pursue that kind of career?
I did my PLT placement at Justice Connect, a not-for-profit organisation that provides free legal help to those that cannot access the legal system. I was placed in the not-for-profit law team who helped the helpers. NFP Law provides advice and assistance to other NFP organisations on a range of issues, including governance, employment, privacy and tax. NFP Law also offered training sessions to organisations to help them be compliant with the relevant laws regulating them.

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The work was incredibly rewarding as NFP Law would take care of the legal side so that the charities could focus on their real work. The clients we encountered ran charities and NFPs in their community that helped marginalised and disadvantaged people, and their stories were inspiring.

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I would highly recommend getting some volunteer experience during university. Whether this be legal or non-legal, it will help you gain experience in working with everyday people. Choose subjects at university that you are passionate about, not that you think you have to do. Most people who wish to work in the NFP sector have a passion for helping people, so make sure your experiences show that you do.

 

What advice would you share with law students who are about to graduate and enter the workforce?
While my career path so far has been somewhat unconventional, I have enjoyed all of the places I have worked and the law I have been exposed to. My biggest piece of advice would be to pursue what you are interested in. As cliché as it may sound, life is too short to stay in a job you hate or in a type of law you have no interest in. Do not be afraid to seek other options or pathways if those opportunities arise.

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What has been the most exciting/scariest thing about graduating?
The most exciting thing has been seeing where all my friends have ended up. Some of them have ended up exactly where they predicted, others have completely changed their minds and some are still searching for what they’re passionate about. Everybody has finished the same degree, but the depths of fields they are now working in is immense. It’s been exciting to see that there is no one way to proceed after graduation, and that is also the scariest thing. It can be scary choosing to follow an unconventional path, but the friends that have done so have no regrets.

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Why did you choose to study law?
I actually wanted to do a journalism degree. However, a journalism professor told me that journalism is so competitive that to set myself apart, I should do law and specialise in journalism, and not just a straight journalism degree.

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So I did that, and over the course of the degree and internships found that I was enjoying law a lot more than journalism, and it wasn’t the industry I thought it was.

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I still enjoy writing and creating content and hope to be able to continue to use both my degrees throughout my life. Right now, I’m focussing on overcoming my jetlag and settling in to this new city but am ready for the next phase to begin.​