Sarah Fregon is an inspiration for women wanting to pursue a career in the law.
The Victorian Bar chief executive officer has risen above perceived gender inequalities time and again throughout her career, and is hoping she can encourage current female law students to do the same.
"There are clearly issues in diversity in the law; gender is the area where most work has been done, and still has the most left to do. It's about breaking down those perceptions and barriers of limitations in those environments," she says.
The Melbourne Law School graduate's current role is a homecoming of sorts; she was also a Barrister at Law for the Bar for eight years. Fregon said the Bar's dynamic and environment were not for everyone, however, it definitely held pull with her.
"It's a fantastic organisation; its foundations are strong in the independence of the Bar, and it has incredibly strong ethical foundations," she says.
"The contribution the Bar makes to access to justice, to policy and submissions in relation to new law or changes to current laws - it's just a really diverse and interesting place to be, and it's at the forefront of the law."
Whilst Fregon can be viewed as a leading example for female graduates, she is still insistent both genders must work hard to build a successful career.
"It's competitive. You need to be open to opportunities and think laterally about opportunities and ways to which you can get to where you ultimately want to be," she says.
"That requires a certain amount of resilience and the agility to be open to different ways to getting there, and that applied equally to 20 years ago as it does now."
"You've got to practise what you preach in that I've always viewed opportunities as exactly that."
Image: Sarah Fregon
Credit: supplied by Sarah Fregon