Protégé: Breaking away from traditional legal careers

While many lawyers feel that the only “right” career path is to remain in a large law firm for life, Mia Madafferi emphasises the importance of recognising that pivoting into innovative legal careers is not only possible but also often deeply rewarding.

Speaking on a recent episode of the Protégé Podcast, host Grace Robbie speaks with Mia Madafferi, the founder of Grey Rock Consulting, who reflects on the early stages of her legal career at Herbert Smith Freehills, recalls how a role-play exercise at a primary school excursion – acting as New Kelly’s lawyer – first sparked her interest in litigation, discusses what it was like to transition straight from university into a major law firm, and what ultimately inspired her move from private practice to an in-house legal role.

Madafferi shares that her decision to launch her own consulting practice stemmed from a personal drive to pursue something different, reflects on the challenges many lawyers and individuals face when dealing with people who exhibit “high-conflict” personalities, and discusses how rewarding it is to support those who feel overwhelmed or unsure of how to navigate such difficult dynamics.

She also highlights the importance of lawyers recognising their ability to pivot away from traditional career paths and apply their legal skills in innovative and non-traditional ways, ponders on whether this mindset is still relatively uncommon or becoming more widely accepted, underscores the need for universities to start thinking “outside the box” in how they educate law students to better support diverse legal career opportunities, and offers advice to students who may feel daunted by the idea of going against the status quo and who are unsure about pursuing a conventional legal career.