Get to Know Your Council Members – Amelia Higgs

In this edition of Get to Know Your Council Members, we speak with our current President, Amelia Higgs. As a Principal Lawyer at Dobson Mitchell Allport, our featured member Amelia has built a respected career in family law, guided by a practical mindset and a genuine commitment to helping clients achieve outcomes they may not have thought possible.

From an early start in commercial litigation to finding her niche in family law, her journey reflects both adaptability and dedication. With a passion for supporting the profession through her involvement with the Law Society Council, she brings thoughtful insight into the challenges facing lawyers today, including the opportunities presented by emerging technologies and the importance of connection within the profession.

Can you tell us a bit about your current role and the main areas of law you practise?
I’m a principal lawyer at Dobson Mitchell Allport, practising in Family Law.

What first drew you to the law?
My father told me I was good at arguing, and I realised that aspiring to be this century’s answer to Jane Austen probably wasn’t going to pay the bills any time soon.

Could you share a little about your career journey so far and any key milestones along the way?
I was employed in 2013 by DMA from Legal Prac to work in the commercial litigation team, but as the baby lawyer I was quickly roped in to help in the Family Law team during an especially busy period. It stuck, and I’ve been doing it ever since.

Have you worked in any particularly memorable cases or projects that shaped your approach to the law?
When I was still a uni student I did a summer of work experience at what used to be Levis, Stace & Cooper in Devonport (now part of Rae & Partners). Michael O’Farrell SC had been briefed as counsel on a dispute between private landowners and a local council, and I helped to prepare the documents for trial. While explaining the importance of good trial preparation, Michael said to me words to the effect of “always make it as easy as possible for the Judge to agree with you”, and that’s always stuck with me.

What do you enjoy most about practising law?
Helping clients to find solutions or reach outcomes they’d never thought of or didn’t think possible.

What motivated you to join the Law Society Council?
I’d been on the Young Lawyers Committee (as it used to be known) and the Employment, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. I really enjoyed those roles but wanted to be involved more broadly across the work of the Society.

What do you think are the biggest challenges currently facing the legal profession?
Working out how to utilise AI to make us more efficient and effective lawyers, rather than treating it is something to be afraid of. Harnessed well, it can be a very powerful tool. In Tasmania, the increasing demand for legal services compared with the difficulty in attracting and retaining lawyers is an enormous challenge which requires a multi-faceted approach to tackle.

How can members best engage with or support the work of the Council?
Attend Society events, vote in elections (or even better, run for election!), and respond to call-outs for feedback or input. We also rely on our members to bring issues to our attention that we may not be aware of.

What’s your top tip for early career lawyers just entering the profession?
When you start out, make sure you’re clear on who your supervisor is and who’s responsible for delegating work to you. If nobody tells you, ask. Once you know, sit down with that person/people and find out what works best for both of you in terms of giving and receiving feedback, reviewing work, and delegating tasks. Getting on the same page early will avoid confusion, frustration and disappointment. Also, remember that you’re still learning and mistakes are a normal and acceptable part of that.

Looking back, what advice would you give your younger self when you were starting out?
Don’t spend your first graduate lawyer pay packet all at once on new clothes darling, you still need to eat and pay rent.

How do you maintain balance and wellbeing in what can be a demanding profession?
I’m pretty strict about protecting my weekends and down-time. I don’t function my best when I’m over-worked or stressed so making sure I spend my weekends on non-work stuff is important for me. It also motivates me to use my work hours more productively so that I don’t have to eat into my leisure time catching up on work.

Are there any professional habits or mindsets you think are key to long-term success in law?
Taking the work seriously doesn’t have to mean taking yourself seriously.

What do you like to do outside of work to unwind?
Bushwalking, gardening, spending time with friends, and a good G&T.

Tell us something about you that people might be surprised to learn.
I’m an unabashed Taylor Swift fan.

Do you have a favourite book, podcast, or quote that inspires you professionally or personally?
I keep a pinboard in my office with the nice cards and messages I occasionally get from clients. On hard days it helps to remind me that the work I’m doing is helpful and important.

If you weren’t a lawyer, what career do you think you would have pursued?
I still harbour dreams of writing the next great Australian novel, or at least a trashy chick-lit that becomes a BookTok best seller.

Coffee or tea?
Morning person or night owl? Two cups of tea, then coffee. Early to bed, early to rise.

March 2025

Amelia Higgs
Dobson Mitchell Allport Lawyers