Meet Sally Moten

Starting out

Graduating with first-class honours, Sally started out on a traditional pathway into practising law before her career moved in a less typical direction.

"I began my legal career as a paralegal with one of Australia's major banks before undertaking a summer clerkship with a top-tier law firm, where I was later offered a graduate role in the employment law team and worked as a lawyer for a few years."

In 2006, Sally was offered a secondment to New South Wales Government. Sally says this in-house experience was a formative experience providing a newfound perspective and connections that were foundational to her legal career and later success.

"Working in government helped me to better understand the values, people and complexities of the public sector, and the importance of building trusted relationships."

Returning to her firm post-secondment, it wasn’t long before Sally's aspirations to drive more meaningful outcomes for society and the community drew her back to the public sector, where she enjoyed six years as an employment and safety lawyer and an advisor in a workplace relations team advising on industrial relations matters - while also starting and raising a growing family.

"We knew we wanted a family, and my role within New South Wales Government afforded me the time and flexibility out of the workplace to do that, which wasn't necessarily the case for women in many private practices at the time."

Sally acknowledged that starting a family was even more challenging for her mother. "When she started out as a lawyer, multiple people asked her why she was doing it, telling her she would 'have to give it all away' when she had children. She proved them wrong," exclaims Sally.

A return to private practice

While in-house Sally often leant on the expertise of private practice law firms, including experienced workplace relations and safety lawyer Tony Woods.

Little did Sally know at the time that this relationship would open new doors for her when, in 2014, she expressed interest in returning to private practice where she could continue her focus on government clients working alongside Tony.

Just a few short years later, the pair would find themselves contemplating shifting their practice to Lander & Rogers. According to Sally, "Landers", as it is known colloquially, was different to other firms ─ "it valued people and cared as much about clients' businesses as clients did," says Sally. The shift meant that Sally would have to make the decision to forgo a partnership opportunity at her former firm - a decision that would soon be rewarded when Sally was appointed to partner at Lander & Rogers in 2018.

Reflecting on her move to Lander & Rogers alongside Tony, Sally says: "My relationship with Tony started with me as a client, then I reported to him and, now as a partner, we're peers". For the workplace relations and safety partner, relationships are critical to success, with Sally's laser focus on employment law in government and financial services paying dividends over the course of her career.

"I have deep sector and legal expertise developed over almost two decades. Having that clarity on who I'm best equipped to support has been helpful in building my reputation and a successful and sustainable practice."

Family values

Unlike her parents who were both lawyers, Sally's husband is a sports professional and former Australian Rules coach, which she says has been important for the couple in making both of their careers achievable. "Working in different fields has helped as it has meant I've been supported to focus on my career, while we simultaneously raise our two sons Angus (14) and Charlie (11)."

Sally says family is incredibly important to her, and she was inspired by her mother when growing up for balancing a successful legal career and her commitment to raising a family. "My mum was a strong female role model, which made a significant impression on me. I like that my boys are seeing that ─ two generations of strong female role models providing for their families and disrupting the status quo."

Sally affirms that everything she does is for her family. "I feel incredibly privileged to have the career that I've had, and that I'm able to provide for my boys."

While Sally quips that she aspires for the couple's children to be the fourth generation of lawyers in her family line, there's no pressure to follow suit. "I never felt any pressure to conform to the family profession. Likewise, I want my kids to pursue their own passions. If that includes the law, I'd be thrilled." For son Charlie at least, he currently looks to follow in his father's sporting steps, dreaming of a sporting career in the NBA, which as an active sporting enthusiast herself Sally is supportive of.

Sporting other pursuits

When not supporting her family, or her clients in navigating complex workplace legislation and regulation, Sally enjoys team sports and activities, including a weekly "hoops" session with her basketball team, regular outdoor bootcamp and annual running events.

"I love sport for many reasons. It's something we can do as a family, or with friends or colleagues. It also helps me to clear my mind and focus."

Sally is a self-proclaimed "mad" AFL supporter and formerly played for the AFL 9s, with the talented law-firm partner pointing out the similarities between high-performance team sports and being a lawyer. "There's enormous expectations on those athletes; each person bringing their unique skills to contribute to a high-performance environment. The standards of performance are the same for lawyers, and we're reliant on each person's skills and contribution to get results."

While Sally acknowledges many of her colleagues are leading experts in their respective fields, what she most appreciates is that they are "all really humble and good people".

"Lander & Rogers has a strong emphasis on values ─ there is a true culture of openness and authenticity that attracts a certain type of person." According to Sally, in a further reminder of her commitment to her craft, that sentiment is "perfectly aligned with the work I do with government clients in serving the community".