Sharne’s destiny was law
DESCRIBING her personality type as one that questioned most things, analysed everything and often suggested an alternative way, Toowoomba’s Sharne Lategan said she was always destined to be a litigation lawyer.
But she didn’t decide that a law career was for her until she stumbled on a law subject early on in her marketing degree.
She transferred to a law degree the following semester and has not looked back since.
Now, she’s an associate with Creevey Russell Lawyers in Toowoomba, as part of the litigation team.
Previously, she worked at King & Wood Mallesons, a leading international legal firm, and another Toowoomba legal firm.
“I enjoy advising my clients on their rights and obligations, and representing each client and their prerogative to the maximum extent possible,” she said.
“I am still surprised by the number of people who come to me for advice, thinking that they are, or are not, obliged to do certain things at law, when the opposite is true.”
Mrs Lategan said she started her day with an extra large long black coffee (with a dash of milk) and read the news headlines of the day before looking at her to-do list.
That list, she said, mostly was comprised of copious amounts of drafting (correspondences, settlement agreements, advices etc), some research, phone calls, attending to new client enquiries and negotiating on behalf of her clients.
Mrs Lategan is married to a school teacher and is a mum to a seven-month-old girl named Lia Elise.
“What a game changer she has made every day more gratifying and memorable than the last,” she said.
She said she’s also mum to a two-year-old Maltese terrier dog called Barkley, who would always “be my first baby”.
Mrs Lategan said she enjoyed spending her downtime with her family and loved curling up with a decent red wine and a good book.
“I enjoy watching rugby union - wouldn’t survive my marriage otherwise - and I like playing piano and singing along to it, much to my husband’s distaste,” she said.
She said she loved living in Toowoomba after moving to the city with her family as a 13-year-old from South Africa.