Jennie Pakula was admitted to legal practice in NSW in December 1988. After six years in private practice, she found her vocation in legal services regulation, in which she has worked since 1994. In that time she has held various roles at the NSW Law Society and the Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner. She has spoken with hundreds of lawyers about their ethical dilemmas, handled hundreds of complaints and enquiries, and spoken with hundreds of consumers of legal services. While managing the front end of the complaints and enquiries function for nearly nine years, she read over 14,000 client complaints.
Jennie has used her insights from these experiences to write numerous articles and guidance tools to help lawyers overcome common ethical and practical problems, avoid complaints and practice law better. She regularly participates in conferences and presentations aimed at helping lawyers to understand issues in regulation, consumer protection and legal services innovation.
Jennie is currently Manager, Innovation and Consumer Engagement at the Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner. She is driven by the goal of helping to foster more accessible and affordable legal services for average people.