Brett Halliwell

While some children have dreams of taming lions or flying spaceships – Brett Halliwell always aspired to become a lawyer. However, it wasn’t the first career he pursued. Now, after a successful 35-year career in banking and finance, VIC-based Brett has finally decided to realise his childhood dream.

His first step was embarking on his Juris Doctor. His next step? Successfully completing his Legal Practice Management Course (LPMC) in 2021.

With both credentials under his belt, now undertaking PLT and preparing for admission, Brett is working to bring his past and present together – combining business acumen and legal aptitude to launch his own firm.

From a career changing decision…

Since I was a child, my interest in law had been bubbling away in the background. And I was really starting to sound like a broken record, telling everyone who’d listen ‘I want to be a lawyer, I want to be a lawyer’.

So I vowed I would never say it again – and with 15 working years left, I decided to give up my banking career and study law.

…to a bold, bright business idea

As a mature aged student, the prospect of starting as a junior lawyer didn’t fit into my shorter-than-most career timeline. So I was forced to consider my options.

And then it dawned upon me: I have all this business experience, why don’t I start a law practice?

Once the thought hit me, it was so ridiculously obvious.

A course where my business plan was the focus

I knew I wanted to run my own law firm but had no idea where to begin.

That’s where LPMC came in. From client management and billing to marketing and precedent management – the course was the solid introduction to legal practice management I needed.

The greatest benefit for me by far was the business plan. The assessment’s framework and deadline made me sit down and think seriously about each section – a process I may not have had the motivation to do in other circumstances.

Through the marketing topic, I was able to discover my target market: successful businesses on the rapid rise, who haven’t had the opportunity to set up their legal infrastructure. My contribution? To help protect them from inevitable legal pitfalls.

Learning to face the risks – and fight the challenges

There’s no doubt about it. I’m taking a leap of faith with this endeavour. To go from a six-figure salary into the unknown is a scary prospect. But for me, the potential reward outweighs the risk.

Admittedly, I initially struggled with self-belief. But thanks to LPMC’s personal resilience topic, I now have the confidence to go full steam ahead.

Supported by the best in the business

The course was presented by a good mix of teaching staff, including both core presenters and industry experts who really knew their stuff. I gained valuable insights into what can go wrong in a law practice day in day out – preparing me for what might be thrown my way.

The course materials really hit the mark as they were essential when working through my business plan. In particular, I found the billing and risk frameworks helpful to have on hand now and into the future.

One last piece of advice

The LPMC gave me a solid foundation on which to build my business venture.

However, without the drive and the right mindset, I could only go so far. Anyone completing this course needs to harness their creativity and grasp every opportunity thrown their way.

Ready to take the leap and start your own journey in Legal Practice Management?

Register For LPMC