2024 AGM

Angelyn Seen is legal counsel for Yara, which operates one of the world’s largest ammonia plants in WA. She advises all areas of the business including in the areas of regulatory compliance, environment, tenure, data privacy and commercial disputes. Prior to moving in-house, Angelyn worked in government as solicitor and counsel, representing the State of WA in regulatory prosecutions, commercial litigation and coronial inquests. Angelyn was named ACC’s “New-to-in-house” Lawyer” in 2023, in recognition of her successful transition into an in-house role.

She sits on various committees including Women Lawyers WA and Association of Corporate Counsel (WA) and freelances as a food writer for SBS and Broadsheet. These roles reflect her commitment to increasing diversity and accessibility to the legal, food and media industries, together with her drive to encourage others to embrace a sustainable non-linear/ portfolio career… and her appetite for good food!

Angelyn has been responsible for creating and running our highly successful Coffee Connect programme this year.

She is passionate about continuing organising coffee connects – particularly linking up with other associations (e.g. Pride in Law, Piddington, Asian Australian Lawyers Association) to celebrate significant holidays/ dates etc. As well as improving CPD offerings for women and women identifying members of the profession – especially the links between in-house counsel, law firms and barristers!

I completed my Juris Doctor degree at UWA at the end of 2022. I am newly admitted to practice and currently work full-time as a Solicitor at Welfare Rights and Advocacy Services. Prior to being admitted I have worked at the State Administrative Tribunal and Administrative Appeals Tribunal (now Administrative Review Tribunal). I am currently on the Executive Committee for Pride in Law WA Chapter as Communications Officer which recently had our chapter launch in September this year.

I wish to join the team at Women Lawyers of Western Australia because I strongly believe the organisation plays such as important role in the legal profession by providing a supportive network to women law professionals and students. I am passionate on
providing a community and support network to other law professionals and students. In my experience I found value in being in organisations such as Pride in Law, Asian Australian Lawyers Association, Blackstone Society UWA and have developed professionally and personally through the programs and events held by these organisations. I would like to be part of Women Lawyers WA to contribute to the number of ongoing projects and programs the team have been doing

I have been practicing law for more years than I have not (over 20 years!).  I have always practiced in insurance litigation, and I love that it is a very well rounded area of law – encompassing almost every area of law (excluding criminal and family – although sometimes …).  I have worked at the big-end of town in top tier firms, as well as for a sole practioner in my early days.  Each workplace has taught me something valuable – and in addition to using those lessons daily in my practice, I throghouly enjoy passing them on.

I was on the committee for Women In Insurance in Queensland for several years, including holding the position of vice-president.  I have also previoiusly been on the AILA committee in Queensland.

Having recently moved to Perth to focus on myself and my career, I am very keen to give back as much as I can to a profession (and in particular the women of the profession) who have provided so much support to me throughout the years.

I want to give back.  I have a passion for mentoring junior lawyers, whether that be through CLE / CPD programs, formal one-on-one mentoring , or informal support.  In addition to my years of legal knowledge, I have a raft of personal experiences (both good and bad), an absolute bucketload of resilience, and a very much glass half full approach to most of life.

After completing her Law degree as a mature aged student in 2016, Frith gained experience in litigation, estates and succession law, corporate and commercial law, family law and matters affecting capacity, guardianship and administration. Frith’s values drive her work in taking time to understand her client’s needs and providing reliable and tailored legal advice.

During 2018 & 2019, Frith worked with Notre Dame University Law School as part of an academic teaching team and in 2024 she mentored law students in the area of estates and succession law by running a pro-bono law clinic.

More recently, Frith has expanded her legal practice into the area of Advance Care Planning. Frith is passionate about clients having access to accurate and reliable information and advice, supporting clients to make informed choices about their wellbeing and care moving forward. As a result of this work, Frith has been nominated and appointed to two committee roles. One with the WA Health Department on the advanced care planning subject matter expert team and second committee being the Elder Law and Succession Committee of the Law Society of WA.

She is interested in supporting all women in our profession as well as raising awareness and educating the profession about how inclusivity, diversity and people living with disability are a reflection of the community we serve and enrich the profession, if only we can make some small adjustments to the way we think and work together.

I commenced at Legal Aid in 2023 after almost 30 years as a legal academic. Other than two years at Notre Dame from 2009-2010, I’ve spent all of those years at the Law School at UWA, where I’ve taught Torts, Evidence and the elective app creation unit, Legal APPtitude as well as the undergraduate broadening unit, Law for Everyday Lives. I was Deputy Head of School (Learning and Teaching) from 2022 to 2023 as well as the Director of Applied Innovation, a role that focussed on the intersection of Law and Technology. I am co-author of ‘Western Australian Evidence Law’ and ‘Connecting with Tort Law’ (a 3rd edition is forthcoming) and remain connected to the UWA Law School as an Adjunct Associate Professor.

In terms of previous committee or board experience, I have served as a Council member on the Wesley College Council from 2007 to 2014;  as a board member of the Teachers Registration Board from 2018 to 2023; as Chair of the Teachers Registration Board’s Disciplinary Committee from 2013 to 2023; as a Committee member of the Piddington Society from 2017 to 2019 and as a Committee member of WLWA since 2023.

In my outside life, I have three adult children, two elderly parents, a middle-aged dog and a middle-aged husband all of whom I enjoy spending time with. I also love reading (wait, is this what we are supposed to be doing here …?) long walks on the beach … I really do like those …) and the odd Netflix binge or two.

This was my first year on the Women Lawyers WA Committee and I would like to renominate so I can continue to work on the projects that we’ve already commenced and see them come to fruition.  In 2023,  I have been a member of the CPD Sub-Committee, the Student Sub-Committee and the Membership Sub-Committees. My focus in 2024 has been the Clothing Lending Lawbrary for students and young graduates.  The Clothing Lawbrary is now evolving into a very exciting partnership with Dress for Success, which promises even better benefits for our student members, and which will be officially launched in 2025.

The CPD Sub-Committee have run a number of well-attended CPD events including Bullying in the Legal Profession in March; Dress for Success: Dressing Authentically in a Conservative Profession in August and ‘Contentious Questions: You Can’t Ask That’ in October. I am passionate about growing WLWA and bringing law students into our organisation to ease their transition into their profession, bringing informative and valuable CPD events to our members, making professional attire available to all students and young grads no matter their means and expanding the membership of WLWA to all people who support the aims of WLWA.

I am a director of Siera Legal, a boutique litigation firm acting in civil litigation matters and family law matters. I graduated from Murdoch University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce (Mass Communication) and I  was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in Western Australia in 2012. Prior to starting Siera Legal I held senior positions in two mixed practice firms.

I am also a mum to one little boy, and run a cattle business outside of law. I love being able to get out to our family farm on the weekends and I am passionate about agriculture.

I have previously been involved in the AgConnect Committee holding the position of Vice President. I am still passionate about agriculture and hope to help WLWA be able to provide more support to our country members in the next year.

I have been a member of the WLWA committee since 2023. During my time on the committee I have assisted with organizing the 2024 Honours Dinner, am assisting with the 2025 Dinner, and I organise and run the monthly lunches, and assist the CPD sub-committee in organising our CPD events. I love being a part of WLWA and I feel as an organization we are making a real and meaningful difference for the benefit of our members and all Women in the industry.

This year I hope to be able to keep helping bring positive change to the industry and I would like to start more country based events and supports to our country members.

I was admitted in 2022 and currently work full-time at HBA Legal, specialising in personal injury and recently moving from plaintiff to insurance work. I am a mother of three boys, aged 21, 19, and 15, all of whom live with me. Since admission, I have been actively involved with Women Lawyers of WA, initially as a co-opted member and joining the committee in 2024.

Throughout 2023 and 2024, I have been involved in delivering the WLWA Honours Dinner and End of Year Events and am involved in the 2025 Honours Dinner. I have also been involved in the WLWA  Mentoring Project and hope to continue developing it this year. I have been an active mentor to a number of young women through my position as a mock trial coach for the Law Society of Western Australia’s mock trial program.

I am interested in continuing with the team to help strengthen our support for women in the legal profession, especially by mentoring young women and guiding them as they build their careers. I’m passionate about fostering an inclusive environment where women can grow, connect, and support one another. Through my work with Women Lawyers of WA, I look forward to continuing this mission.

I am a barrister at Francis Burt Chambers, practising in commercial law, wills, trusts, equity and probate.  I was admitted to practice in 2006 and since then I have worked in a large commercial practice, government, a boutique suburban practice and, now, as a sole practitioner at the bar.  I have previously served on the Women Barristers Association (WBA) committee, in Victoria, as membership officer and newsletter co-editor.

When not lawyering I am taxiing two teenagers around town, being smothered by overly affectionate dogs or pursuing my favourite sport: shoe shopping.

Having enjoyed attending and benefiting from WLWA events in the past, I am keen to pay it forward and assist the association in delivering spectacular events and continuing to champion the advancement of women in law, and beyond.  I have served on committees in other organisations, including the WBA, and I believe I can make a meaningful contribution to WLWA events, policy and future direction.

I was admitted to practice in February 2020 and currently work full time as a Senior Associate in the Commercial Litigation Team at Corrs Chambers Westgarth. Prior to commencing at Corrs, I worked as a solicitor at the State Solicitor’s Office where I developed expertise as solicitor and counsel in civil litigation and native title matters. I also tutors Contract Law and Remedies at The University of Western Australia and am the current Deputy Chair of the Board of the Welfare Rights and Advocacy Service in WA. I am also a proud mum to my 1 year old daughter, Milla.

I am interested in joining Women Lawyers WA so that I can learn from and contribute to one of the most impactful associations in the WA legal profession. As a new mum and lawyer, I recognise the importance of establishing and contributing to a community that is focused on empowering and supporting women to navigate the complex journeys they will walk in both their legal careers and their personal lives. Whether you’re a young woman choosing to study law, a law graduate entering the legal profession,  a mature aged woman deciding to embark on a new career path, an established lawyer who is working out how to juggle a rewarding career with caring responsibilities for children and parents or a woman from a diverse cultural or ethnic background- every woman in our profession has a lesson they can take from another woman who may have walked the path before them, and a unique experience they can contribute.

I am particularly passionate about ensuring new mums have the right supports in place to juggle the demands of motherhood and the legal profession and the tools to find strategies that let them get the most out of both pursuits, particularly with respect to mothers who choose to return to the profession full time, like I have done.  I am also passionate about having positive conversations about combining life as a lawyer with motherhood and providing support to our next generation of working mums.