Four Gadens practitioners were recently recognised as standout women in law. Brihony Boan, Breanna Davies and Denise Sheehan are recognised in this year’s Australasian Lawyer Elite Women report, and Clare Miller is a finalist in the Partner of the Year – BigLaw category in the 2026 Women in Law Awards.

To mark this recognition, we sat down with Brihony, Breanna, Denise and Clare to reflect on their career journeys, the people and experiences that have shaped them, and the changes they have seen across the legal profession.

While their paths to leadership have been very different, their reflections reveal several common themes about what drives long-term success in law. From the value of sponsorship and mentorship to the evolution of flexible work, authentic leadership and creating sustainable career pathways, their insights offer a candid perspective on both the progress made for women in the profession and the opportunities that remain.

There is no single path to success

Our practitioners spoke candidly about the paths that led them to their current roles. Some began their careers with very different ambitions. As Brihony noted, "careers are rarely linear, and that's often where the most valuable experiences come from."

Clare and Brihony knew they wanted a legal career from a young age. Clare said, “For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a lawyer. As a child, my picture of what that meant was simple, one day I would be appointed to the High Court (modest ambitions, clearly),” while Brihony planned to, “save the world through human rights law”. Both ultimately found fulfilment in commercial legal practice, building careers in corporate and real estate law respectively.

Breanna originally planned to become an award-winning journalist after completing her journalism and law degree, but, like Clare and Brihony, she was drawn to the collaborative nature of corporate and commercial law. Breanna noted, “I like that the parties are all working to the same outcome which is getting a deal done. I genuinely like helping people to solve problems and closing a transaction.”

Denise took a different path again, “I took the long way into law, and I wouldn't change it. After school I went straight into work, both in law firms and outside them, and spent time living and travelling overseas. I had enjoyed legal studies at school, but it was only when I came home, with some life experience behind me, that I saw law as a career I genuinely wanted. I enrolled as a mature-age student and studied by distance education, both full-time and part-time, while working full-time in law firms. It wasn't easy, but I knew exactly why I was there.”

Their experiences are a reminder that there is no single path into the profession, showing that different backgrounds, experiences and career journeys can become some of a lawyer's greatest strengths. As Denise reflected, “for anyone considering a less conventional route into law, my advice is simple: the experience you bring with you is an advantage, not a delay.”

The power of sponsorship, mentorship and support

The group proves that support can come from a variety of people and networks, from colleagues, friends, family and even clients.

Clare and Brihony were both guided by female clients, which was especially important for Brihony when she lacked female leaders within her own firm. Brihony noted, “When I started my career more than 25 years ago, there were very few senior female partners or leaders around me. The shift I've seen since then has been enormous and having more women in leadership positions has made a real difference.”

Breanna says she feels supported by friends and family, “I have the most wonderful supportive group of female friends I met at university. We each carefully balance demanding careers and busy lives, and I appreciate their mentoring and support. At this stage of my life, I often turn to my husband and daughters who give me such sage advice and unwavering support.”

Appropriately, Clare praised Brihony, describing her as “loud about supporting women and calls out stereotypes without missing a beat. For a junior lawyer, having someone confident in the room say, “that’s not OK” or “why don’t we do this differently?” can have a massive impact on everyone present – junior and senior alike.”

Brihony herself noted she looks up to Aggie Maisano, General Counsel at Gadens, and admires “how incredibly smart and authentic she is”.

Progress made, and progress still to come

It is clear to our practitioners that more women are joining the legal profession, but they highlight that the focus now shifts to retention and progression to support women into leadership roles. Clare calls for: “more active sponsorship, meaning senior leaders who put women forward for key client relationships, major matters and partnership, not just mentors who give advice.” She also encourages firms to, “look closely at how work and origination credit are shared, because those decisions quietly shape who gets promoted.”

All four women discuss how flexible working has been positively normalised over their careers. Denise noted that when she was balancing full-time work and study, “flexibility was something you negotiated quietly, if it was available at all.” Now, women like Clare can laugh about children in unicorn costumes gatecrashing calls and requesting snacks or accidentally answering a call with a sticker on your head. Clare reflects on the impact this has on client relationships, sharing that “a decade ago I would have apologised profusely and pretended it never happened. Now clients ask after the children by name.”

They also highlight the importance of allowing men to work flexibly and take on caregiving roles too. As Breanna explains, “the dial is finally (slowly) shifting and balancing work and children, or work and caregiving, isn’t just seen as the responsibility of mothers and women anymore.”

Denise considers a different phase of the working lifecycle, pointing out that “many senior women are caring for ageing parents, managing their own health, including menopause, and carrying heavy leadership loads, often all at once.” She notes she would like to see changes to carer’s leave, the addition of menopause-aware policies and increased flexibility in senior roles to ensure women can “lead for the long term”.

Leading authentically

A consistent theme throughout the interviews is that leadership is not about fitting a mould. For Denise, it’s about, “building a team where people with different backgrounds and commitments can thrive, for example, by making time for regular, informal mentoring, so that people feel comfortable asking questions and talking openly about their career goals.” Meanwhile, Brihony focuses on, “being a role model for women coming through, showing them that they can be in senior leadership positions in an authentic way.”

Breanna and Clare both discussed the rewarding side of leadership. Breanna enjoys, “mentoring junior lawyers and watching them hit career goals” and Clare adds, “watching someone I've mentored lead their first deal with confidence is the best motivation to keep going (even if it makes me feel slightly old). Putting our people at the centre of everything we do is a core Gadens pillar and seeing that play out in the growth of our junior lawyers is incredibly affirming.”

Advice for the next generation

Along with their own advice for young female lawyers, the women also shared meaningful advice they received throughout their career.

Breanna tells young lawyers to, “build your network early. Remember you have a long career ahead.” Clare supports this sentiment by adding, “my mentors have also encouraged me to build relationships early, both with clients and across the firm… as they'll become your network and your future referral sources. Find people who will speak up for you in rooms you aren't in.”

They all agree it’s important not to be too hard on yourself. Reflecting on mentors who appeared to "do it all", Brihony shares, “their advice was, you don’t. Don’t expect to be 100% in all areas. You can do both (have a career and children), but there has to be give and take.”

Denise adds, “you'll have hard days and you'll make mistakes. Everyone does, including senior lawyers. What matters is how you respond and what you learn. Back yourself, because the qualities that make you different are often the ones that will set you apart.”

Key takeaways

As the legal profession continues to evolve, these perspectives highlight both the progress that has been made and the opportunities that remain. What emerges most strongly is not a single definition of success, but a shared commitment to supporting others, embracing different career journeys and creating pathways for future generations of women in law.

We thank Brihony, Breanna, Clare and Denise for sharing their insights and congratulate them again on their recognitions.

Read the full interviews

• Interview with Brihony Boan
• Interview with Breanna Davies
• Interview with Clare Miller
• Interview with Denise Sheehan