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First I did a bachelor of arts in criminology and criminal justice; my second degree was a bachelor of laws and I graduated with second class honors, which was great. I`m currently studying for my masters at the University of The most difficult experience came last year after I was admitted as a legal practitioner and started applying for work. Of all the applications I sent off, only a couple of firms offered me an interview and then when I told them I would need to arrange a sign language interpreter, I didn`t hear from them again. I also did a six week internship with the Tax Office in their in-house prosecution unit, which I loved, but when I applied for a permanent position they said “ thanks but no thanks”. It started to turn around when I did some work experience at Porta Lawyers (at Geebung, in Brisbane`s North). Principal lawyer Giovanni saw I could do the work just fine and he employed me one day a week to keep my toe in the water. About five per cent of my clients are deaf. To interact with speaking clients I use interpreters via video calling as well as Skype, email, faxes and MSN. I owe so much to my parents for everything they`ve done to encourage me, and my partner Daniel is my rock. We met at uni six years ago and he is now fluent in sign language. When our daughter Mischa, now five, came along I had no idea how to be a parent. It was hard for me to communicate with her in the beginning because I couldn`t even hear the tone of her cry but we can sign now; she learnt to sign before she could talk. I have lots of advice to give her as she grows up but the most important message will be “ follow your passion”. AMANDA WATT |
Queensland. I had to work twice as hard as everyone else at uni., not because of the study - I found that pretty easy - but because the interpreters at the lectures used a different form of sign language than I was used to. Learning the new version from scratch was a bit of a culture shock.
