Alumni Profile – Deenie Roche

Alumni Profile:

Deenie Roche

Deenie Roche didn’t set out to be a lawyer while studying the International Baccalaureate at St Margaret’s College in 2012-13. It was during her fourth year of law school, and while volunteering as a crisis advocate at the Wellington Women’s Refuge that she saw first hand the difference to families in crisis in having a really good lawyer who understands their situation and can help them navigate the courts system.

Deenie secured an internship through the Women’s Refuge, and is now a senior solicitor at Cuba Family Law. She specialises in family violence and care of children, and more recently in the area of mental health. She loves her job, but she doesn’t lose sight of the fact that her work brings her into contact with people who are experiencing the worst time of their lives. She says:

“It’s satisfying to close a file and know you helped a family. Things might not always go the way you thought, but you are giving someone the tools to get to where they want to be, to help them come to an agreement that they can live with so that they can go on with their lives.”

Unlike many areas of law, family law requires a lot of time in court, and Deenie relishes persuading judges with her arguments. But the family law system is overburdened, due to a lack of family lawyers and insufficient court time.

“There needs to be more junior lawyers in family law – it’s not seen as glamorous or as well paid as other areas of practice, but with a significant review of how the law works in New Zealand in the pipeline, it’s a great time to come in. Some might think it’s depressing, but I really believe what we’re doing matters.” Deenie says.

Her role as a crisis advocate at Women’s Refuge has helped her in her current role and she believes everyone can benefit from volunteering in roles like these. Volunteers are enrolled on a 50 hour training programme before having contact with families, and this provided Deenie with valuable experience in meeting new people and seeing things from an alternative perspective.

“Violence is endemic in New Zealand and there is no easy fix. Perpetrators and respondents to protection orders are not necessarily bad people, they don’t always know that there is another way.”

Deenie is now a member of the governance group of the Women’s Refuge, which has responsibility for strategy, finance and operations. The Women’s Refuge often comes to Deenie direct when a woman requires legal support, as her training means that she knows how to speak with people in crisis and to get them the results they want.

Healthy boundaries are key, and Deenie’s firm supports its employees to see a therapist every six weeks, as well as encouraging a good work-life balance. She also gets great support from the other lawyers at her firm when she needs it.

Having spent a semester in the US while at university, Deenie is now weighing up the possibility of living overseas, but for now she is enjoying what she does, and has just completed her training to be a Lawyer for the Child, ensuring children in family law matters have a lawyer to advocate for them.

Deenie is a proponent for studying law as a means to pursue a range of different career options. “You don’t have to be a lawyer and there are lots of opportunities for law graduates. The secret is, no one has it figured out, and you don’t have to decide right now.”

Deenie was interviewed by Sienna McEwan (left) and Lauren Healey (right).