KATIE WEIR

KEY CHAMBERS

QUALIFICATIONS BA (HONS), LLB, LLM (PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW)

DATE OF ADMISSION 2006 CALL TO THE BAR 2021

PREVIOUSLY KING & WOOD MALLESONS, FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, HWL EBSWORTH LAWYERS

CONTACT EMAIL weir@keychambers.com.au PHONE 02 6185 1435

CURRICULUM VITAE

What particular areas of interest/expertise do you hold?

I have been fortunate to have a fairly broad experience of civil litigation before coming to the Bar, in private practice with a few stints in-house. I consider myself an employment/industrial specialist, but I also enjoy working on personal injury, human rights and commercial disputes. Often, the issues overlap.

What inspired you to join the Bar?

I have been argumentative my whole life and my parents used to joke about me being a barrister. Ultimately, it was the autonomy, and the opportunity to do more advocacy work that prompted me to make the move. I am also a sucker for a good TV courtroom drama.

What is one key trend or issue you are seeing in your preferred area of practice?

It will be interesting to see how the recent High Court decisions on independent contracting might prompt alternative claims to challenge contractual arrangements.

Who have been the strongest influences in your life?

Generally, my parents, who encouraged me to always engage with the issues and to be independent. I also worked with some great people as a baby lawyer, who taught me a lot about the law and how to be a lawyer (not the same thing).

What are your tips for appearing in court (whether in person or virtually)?

In person: have lots of spare copies of all of your key documents. Virtually: test your technology beforehand! But be forgiving of everyone else’s tech problems, as you never know when yours will inexplicably fail.

What’s the most interesting/funny/quirky/ strangest experience/incident you have come across while in the court room/at the Bar?

In a virtual hearing, one of the witnesses was giving evidence from their home, with nude posters on the wall in the background. It was quite distracting. I’m not sure whether the judge noticed. Thankfully I didn’t have to cross-examine that witness.

PERSONAL QUESTIONS

What is your favourite album/band/book/ movie/podcast/show and why?

I love to re-read classics like Anna Karenina and Pride & Prejudice. Recently, I’ve also been really enjoying contemporary Australian authors like Trent Dalton and Vivian Pham. For podcasts, I like Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly’s The Party Room, Chat 10, Looks 3 with Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb, and Mamamia Out Loud with Mia Freedman and Holly Wainwright. Basically, I enjoy listening to cool chicks talk about interesting things.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Travelling, which obviously has been unfortunately curtailed over the last couple of years. My babies have now grown into real kids, so the travel destinations will require a rethink once we can all travel freely again. To relax, I love curling up with a good book, or, if I need to give my brain a break, some trashy TV.

Tell us something about yourself we may not expect.

I am a Eurovision song contest tragic. I wish the telecast was on a Saturday night here – I’d love to have a big dress-up Eurovision party! The choice is currently 5am (live) or Sunday night (delayed), so not ideal party conditions.

What is your favourite cuisine/cookbook/ restaurant/signature dish and why?

Laksa from the Dickson Asian Noodle House – a cheap and cheerful uni favourite. I really missed it when I lived away from Canberra. It’s still amazing.