Fifteen years ago, Amy Sydney was a clerk in commercial law at MV Law. Now, she has returned as a highly experienced lawyer with a different specialisation. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
She might be new to MV Law as head of employment law, but Amy Sydney and this firm go way back.
A bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Amy started her career as a humble commercial law clerk at MV almost two decades ago when it was still known as Meyer Vanderberg.
She worked her way up to paralegal, then lawyer and finally senior lawyer before putting that on hold to have a family.
“In hindsight, it put me on a path to come full circle,” she says.
While she and her husband raised their children, Amy worked for her family’s business, The Parlour Family, the local hospitality group once behind Knightsbridge Penthouse, Parlour Wine Room and The Elk & Pea.
Her background in commercial law came in handy when dealing with the gamut of business matters, from governance to leasing and managing employment-related issues for the 100-plus employees.
When the time came to get back on the career track, it came with a realisation: “Commercial law was not for me.”
“If you ask a lawyer why they pursued a career in the law, most will tell you the same thing – to help people. I still loved the law, but I’d realised commercial law – while fast-paced and punctuated by big names – couldn’t satisfy that criterion for me.”
Instead, she went to work for the ACT Government on legal policy for the ACT Attorney-General’s portfolio, which concerned itself with making law instead of compliance. This led back to advocacy work as a practising lawyer for the ACT Government Solicitor, where she ended up as an employment lawyer assisting ACT Government directorates and members of the Legislative Assembly on employment issues.
Amy’s commercial law background and family business experience perfectly positioned her for the specialisation. And though she says it’s just “where the cards landed”, it also ticked all the boxes.
“Employment law has commerciality but also has the human element. Managing employee relationships can take such a toll on businesses, but it’s a critical part of running a business. For a lawyer, there’s your client’s well-being and emotional toll to consider,” she says.
“When you work for employees, it’s about assisting them in what can sometimes be one of the most difficult times in their lives, whether they’re facing investigation, termination or levelling a claim of bullying or sexual harassment against their place of employment.
“It’s about navigating the legal system with heart and understanding that what you’re dealing with is people’s livelihood. So you have to treat it carefully while understanding the legalities that exist in that space.”
Amy’s time in government gave her a well-rounded practice, but she ultimately craved the freedom, pace and agility of advising private sector clients.
“The same laws apply, but there’s not that hierarchy of government where many decisions need to be made with many people,” she says.
“You get to think outside the box and do things that might not fit within government processes.”
With strong connections in the local communities and plenty of experience, Amy returned to MV Law as head of employment law.
She says her aim there will be to advise the client – whether employer or employee – to find the least litigious option and be guided by the client on the level of help they need.
“Often that means finding a right string of resolution that the client can pull themselves,” she says.
“Some clients might simply need to understand a framework or how to make an application. I’ve had situations where I’ve just pointed clients in the right direction and said, ‘You have my number; call if you need me’. Many times I’ve gotten that call and they’ve said, ‘Thanks, it’s done’. It didn’t cost them the Earth but I was able to give them the tools needed to empower them to take a stand. Other times, people are understandably daunted by the legal process and want more help.
“I love that flexibility in employment law. In the moment, you can take on your client’s problem as your own, but it’s all worth it in the end when you’re able to help them see through all of the grey and darkness of their matter and get them where they need to be – a resolution.”
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