Louisa strives ever forward
CAIRNS lawyer Louisa Young is blind but that has never stopped her from achieving.
She graduated from university with a double degree and was admitted as a lawyer in Brisbane.
When her employer Maurice Blackburn decided to move their wills dispute section to Cairns she and her guide dog Keegan shifted too.
She has a strong knowledge of employment law, commercial litigation issues and is currently working in the area of will disputes, assisting people after their loved ones have passed away, not only in Cairns, but throughout Queensland.
Ms Young is a Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Technician member, Queensland Law Society member and Australian Law Society member.
Now she wants to put back into the community, especially Cairns, after 6½ months in her new environment.
“I’d like to give back to the community and decided to join Rotary,” Ms Young said.
She has been inducted into the Rotary Club of Cairns and Keegan has been made an honorary member as well.
Club president Ken Cowan said Ms Young was a remarkable woman who, despite her disability, had become a successful lawyer.
“She is a highly skilled professional and has extraordinary organisational skills,” Mr Cowan said.
“The Rotary Club of Cairns believes she will be a most valued member.”
Born blind, Ms Young used to rely on a cane to get around.
But now, with the assistance of her seeing-eye dog and best friend Keegan, Ms Young said lived life to the fullest.
“We’re a team but we operate as one,” Ms Young said.
“She lets me know what’s around, so if we’re going down a step she’ll sit down at the top and if we’re going up she’ll put her front paws up so I can feel her body is on a tilt.
“With a cane you can walk into overhanging obstacle likes signs and trees, whereas Keegan is able to see all those obstacles and let me know they are there.”
Along with Keegan, Ms Young uses a computer program called JAWS (Job Access With Speech) to assist in her role as a lawyer.
“I’m not able to use a mouse because they’re purely graphical so I use the keyboard to touch type and the program tells me what’s on the screen,” she said.
“I have two braille computers that have access to the internet but for work purposes I use the desktop computer because it’s integrated with the software the firm uses.
“Keegan is great in the office; she puts my clients at ease and lets them know I’m independent and capable.”
Although she never lets her disability hold her back, Ms Young said she was still surprised by the way some people behave when they meet her and Keegan.
“Some people are a bit reluctant to let you into restaurants or venues, particularly because of the dog,” she said.
“There are negative perceptions of what blind people can do and some people just don’t want to go out of their way to make things happen for us.
“I think a lot of people think all blind people are the same but that’s not the case.
“Everyone has different qualities, different strengths and weaknesses, different needs for support and different limitations,” she said.