Environmental Defenders Office (EDO)

Testimonials

• Sean Ryan

  Former Managing Director - Environmental Defenders Office - 2023

  Improving access to justice for all by working in a community legal centre, or other pro bono work, is a noble tradition of lawyers and a foundation of the rule of law and administration of justice. I have also been concerned with the world's environmental problems so was drawn to volunteer at Environmental Defenders Office (EDO), a community legal centre specialising in environmental law, both as a legal researcher while I was undergraduate and then on their board while I was in the workforce. After about ten years of volunteering I was offered a role as a climate litigator at EDO in 2011, which I only recently left to start my own firm.

  If community sector public interest work appeals to you then remember it is important to plan your career but it is difficult to predict where you'll end up so stay flexible. Follow your passions and interests as you will always perform better at what you enjoy. If your passions do not pay, then, aim to do the highest value thing for the least amount of time possible so you can pursue your passions in your free time.

  Real-world experience is crucial for your career growth. After graduating with degrees in science and law, and a masters in law and economics, I sought policy roles but felt my experience was too academic, so I became admitted to practice law and went into private practice to gain real-world experience. I enjoyed working for diverse clients in private practice but happily did not overcommit myself financially so that when EDO offered me a role at half my then salary, I was able to accept it.

  Many people think working for non-profit law firms like EDO is in tension with lawyers' ethical obligations to put the clients' interests and the administration of justice first. However, I found that to be incorrect. Private practice lawyers face constant tension between their economic interests and those of their clients, which is absent from community practice. In both private and public practice lawyers put their clients interests, and the administration of justice above their own interests, commercial or otherwise.

  The outcomes of community sector environmental lawyering can be incredibly rewarding. For example, I recently assisted conservationists and First Nations opposing a large thermal coal mine on grounds including the impact of climate change on human rights, particularly cultural rights. My clients were overjoyed to see the proposal refused and a beautiful area of Australian bush preserved for future generations as a result.

  If you're thinking of practising law for the benefit of the less fortunate, I recommend doing as many clerkships, placements, and volunteer placements as possible. Two or more years in a commercial law firm practising in your area of interest can be highly advantageous before going straight to community sector. Commercial firms provide excellent training and discipline. Try not to let your lifestyle rise to meet your income in private practice. It's crucial to keep financial obligations low so that you can pursue your dreams.

• Bronwyn Bell

  National Operations Coordinator - Environmental Defenders Office - 2019

  A day in the life of one of our lawyers is full of variety. On any given day, our solicitors could be representing a conservation group or regional farmers in Court; meeting with government on law reform and policy; or travelling to rural and regional locations to deliver community workshops. Our lawyers work enthusiastically with members of the community to help empower them to understand their rights at law and to protect their environment and community.

• Jo-Anne Bragg OAM

  CEO, Solicitor - Environmental Defenders Office - 2020

  "Yes I accept the job! I would love to work at Environmental Defenders Office." I can still remember the excitement of accepting the offer from EDO Brisbane, then resigning my Sydney job. My then boss at Minster Ellison seemed a little puzzled why I preferred a community legal centre to Company and Corporate law in Sydney. Its true, working on mergers and acquisitions at Minters was kind of fun. But overall, nature called. Overall, I preferred to use my legal skills in line with my values, to help protect forests and nature and stamp out pollution. This career better fitted with my childhood of camping and bushwalking in our wonderful National Parks with my family. And working at a community legal centre has meant cooperative work colleagues who share my values in an informal and supportive environment.

  I have been at EDO for more than 25 years. Its exciting when after a difficult battle, we win a major Court case, or achieve changes to the law to expand community rights. A memorable date is 19 December 2003. On that date two things happened. Firstly, we won a now famous Federal Court case called the Nathan Dam case which expanded the boundaries of Federal environmental assessment. Secondly we won changes to Queensland nature conservation laws that expanded community rights of enforcement. As in every EDO victory, these were the result of both legal work and extensive team work amongst lawyers, clients and the public.

  My tips for young lawyers include the importance of gaining diverse legal experience while you are studying or early career. Volunteer at diverse community legal centres, undertake holiday jobs, follow your interest and give things a go. Until you try it, you don't know if you will enjoy an apparently attractive career choice. In a respectful way, gather contacts. Whether you are at a commercial law firm, a community legal centre, at the bar or in government, a wide circle of contacts will smooth your path. You can then also better assist your friends and contacts with information or suggestions or legal knowledge.

  Some young lawyers are keen to work protecting the environment and wonder how to get a job at EDO. Applying to our volunteer program either through your university or separately via our website to gather experience is a great start. Many of our current staff (including myself) were once EDO volunteers. Studying administrative law, environmental and planning law is important for working at EDO. Like many law firms, EDO is looking for technical legal ability combined with practical ability to get the job done and good interpersonal skills. We do not have an organised graduate program but receiving the EDO bulletin will help keep you in the loop for when positions are advertised.

• Anna Reynolds

  Volunteer - Environmental Defenders Office - 2020

  I entered law eager to gain the skills necessary to navigate complex legal systems and better understand the roots of structural injustice. I'll admit I quickly became disillusioned while studying as I struggled to understand the practical applications of legal theory, and became overwhelmed by the competitive nature of entering the legal profession. Towards the end of my degree I applied for the Clinical Legal Education course, electing the Environmental Defenders Office as my first preference. At the time, I was living with environmental activists who were dedicating huge personal resources - time, money, clean court records, emotional energy - into protest and direct action. I was keen to engage with another facet of the environment movement, and better understand how the law could be used to protect the environment. Fortunately, my application for Clinic was accepted.

  At the EDO, I have found a singularly dedicated organisation made up of individuals with a hugely diverse range of skills and an exceptional willingness to give of their time and energy. Environmental law intersects with a huge range of disciplines, requiring constant learning and constant engaging with new and complex material. I have been immensely challenged but also immensely supported.

  After continuing to volunteer with the EDO following completion of Clinic, I was offered a casual position to assist in running litigation associated with the Adani Carmichael mine. While friends protested at the mine site, instead I chose to devote my own time, energy and growing skillset to the same cause, from a very different angle. I had resolved that a career in practice might not be for me; however, the diversity of the work I'm engaged in at the EDO and the cooperative approach to work gave me new insight into what it means to practice law. It is a privilege to be a part of a team committed to finding new and creative ways to make a system that seems stacked against us deliver genuinely just outcomes.

  If you're feeling lost, I cannot recommend any kind of volunteering enough. The community legal sector is small and everybody knows everybody. Aside from being a uniquely transformative experience, the connections you'll make will offer a huge leg up into whatever your chosen sector (although you won't want to work anywhere else).

• Alex Ladd

  Environmental Defenders Office - 2019

  All students are forced to come to grips with the daunting prospect of gaining valuable practical experience while studying at university. We each come to this realisation at various points of our degrees, with varying levels of success. Fortunately, early in my degree, I discovered the academic, professional and, importantly, personal value of volunteering in its various forms. Some of the volunteering I have undertaken has involved conducting research as a group for both the Environmental Defender's Office and the PNG Supreme Court through the UQ Pro Bono Centre. I was provided these opportunities by signing up to the Centre's roster and applying for the opportunities that interested me and suited my schedule at the time. The great thing about many types of volunteering is the flexibility in terms of schedule (often running over break periods or accommodating exam periods), as well as low hourly commitments (often siloed off to a few hours a week, generally over a single day).

  Beyond the tasks I have been fortunate to be a part of, identifying specific organisations that interest me for potential future opportunities has also been an important source of career planning. Further, many of the tasks are short-term and have allowed me to engage with a number of organisations, widening my practical understanding of the expectations and applicability of the legal profession in a variety of different arenas. I would encourage as many law students as possible to engage with volunteering while studying at university. It's the perfect time to see how the law can be applied in ways you may have failed to realize, provides vital support to organisations and individuals in need of such assistance and allows you to start building the foundations of your potential future legal career.