PLT done differently: Marianne hit pause, then fast forward on her career
Marianne Anderson is driven to learn and pursue professional excellence.
After immigrating to Australia in 2011 as a teen, she juggled multiple jobs to help keep her family afloat. Then, once her family was secure, she set her sights on pursuing her own ambitions.
This is the story of how Marianne rose through the ranks from fast food to family law. And how she’s not done yet. In fact, her burgeoning legal career is just getting started.
Our thanks to Marianne for sharing her story.
The juggling act
When I was 18, my family and I immigrated from the Philippines to Australia. We brought only the bare necessities. So to keep us afloat, I wasted no time leaping into work.
I worked in retail. Fast food. Telecommunications. I was a baker’s assistant. I delivered catalogues.
At one point, I was juggling three jobs at the same time.
It wasn’t a glamorous experience. But ultimately, I’m grateful for the grit I cultivated from those times and the hard-won skills I picked up from each job.
I gained invaluable foundational skills – like dealing with challenging customers and doing calculations on the fly – which I’ve taken with me throughout my career.
Emerging legal ambitions
After three years on my feet, my family and I were secure enough to pause. And I had the freedom to contemplate my ambitions.
Inspired by the iconic Elle Woods in Legally Blonde – and it seems I’m not the only one! – I enrolled in a Bachelor of Laws at Central Queensland University.
I started in 2015, by which point I’d had my first child. That, plus the fact that I was studying online, made academia tough. And slow-going.
The degree was highly theoretical – as most law degrees are. But thankfully I gained real-world experience when I secured a role as a Legal Assistant with Kelly Legal in 2017.
I finally finished my studies in 2020. By then, I was already looking ahead.
Study and support at the College
After graduating, I enrolled to get my PLT with the College of Law.
I chose the College because I sensed that they cared deeply about their students’ development.
In my law degree, the large class sizes didn’t make for an intimate experience. Neither did the purely on-paper feedback.
But the College gave me a different impression. I believed they would give me personalised support when I needed it.
And my hunch was confirmed when I needed to defer my PLT part way through.
Hitting pause: A program that adapted to my needs
I was pregnant with my second child when I started my PLT. This pregnancy was tough – and I knew I needed to hit pause on my studies.
The College accommodated my needs, without question. “Yep, your health comes first.” That was their message.
Months later, after I gave birth, I was ready to return. The flexibility the College offered made balancing my studies with raising another child doable.
There were times when it was difficult to complete my weekly readings and submit assessments on time. Because life happens, with my family falling ill.
Thankfully, the College understood my work and family commitments.
They checked in when I had trouble submitting on time. They granted me extensions which took the pressure off and allowed me to commit to my studies and absorb the learnings.
The College made studying fun, not stressful.
Just the beginning
Thanks to the assistance I received, I completed my PLT with flying colours. The program allowed me to put the theory to the test. And the skills I gained have carried across as I’ve supported clients at Kelly Legal.
On 11 July 2022, I was admitted as a lawyer of the Supreme Court of Queensland. I was overjoyed. I savoured the moment.
And then, true to my nature, I decided to dive back into my studies once again.
My ambition is to one day make partner – or director. So I knew I needed the practical skills – and the leadership mindset – that the Legal Practice Management Course would give me.
But that’s another story altogether.