Career summary

Noel Lim completed a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Criminology) in 2016. After graduating, he became involved in Effective Altruism Australia, a movement that partners with charities in order to maximise their use of donations. After a year of travel, Noel returned to Melbourne where he entered into the Melbourne Global Legal Hackathon 2018 with five fellow Monash alumni. They progressed through two rounds before placing runners up at the final in New York. This is where Anika Legal was born, a not-for-profit charity which seeks to provide free legal assistance to people who cannot afford it otherwise, whilst allowing law students practical legal experience. As one of its co-founders, Noel has worked as the CEO at Anika Legal for two years and continues in this role whilst growing the social enterprise.

Career pathway

2018 – Co-Founder and CEO, Anika Legal
2015 – Lead Operations Manager and Optimisation Manager, GradReady Pty Ltd
Jan 2015 - Jul 2015 – Recruitment Coordinator
2014 – Melbourne Operations Manager
2014 – Student Campaign Coordinator, Student Marketing Australia
2012 – Legal Secretary/Receptionist, Strongman & Crouch (part-time work during studying)
2011 – Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts (major in Criminology)

Why did you study both Law and Arts at Monash University?

At Monash I studied a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in criminology. I was interested in becoming an author after leaving high school, which is why I did an Arts degree. However, in order to make the most of my studies, I studied Law as well, which was also an interest of mine.

How have your studies helped you initiate a start-up and become the CEO of a non-profit legal organisation?

Many of the skills I developed during my Arts degree inform my current work. In my role at Anika, which often requires entrepreneurial thinking, I have come to know the value of research. Anika is a free online service for Victorians who require access to legal assistance and are struggling to find it. It’s not a traditional law firm, and I’m often developing strategies and ideas as a part of my role. The ability to read, comprehend and quickly form an opinion on ideas is crucial as both a manager and a person responsible for the trajectory of the organisation.

I also believe that the capacity to communicate strongly is a transferable skill that I acquired during my Arts degree. The ability to write clearly, concisely, and persuasively is paramount in my field. I use this skill every day, whether it’s writing an email or a statement on behalf of the company.

What inspired you to begin a non-profit rather than engage with traditional law practises in the corporate world?

I was never into accumulating wealth – my goal was always to be happy in life. I realised it was completely unfair that someone’s life may be awful or great depending on variables that are out of their control. I worked with the Effective Altruism Movement for some time, and it shaped my career decisions and goals as I became committed to helping those around me. Waking up in the morning and knowing you are going to help people and engage in something that is really worthwhile is exhilarating.

How valuable was it to go on an exchange to Canada during your degree?

In my fifth year of studying, I went to Bishop’s University in Quebec, Canada for an exchange program. This was a phenomenal experience and I would highly recommend going on exchange to anyone studying currently. To be able to get out of my comfort zone, gain real world experience and meet really diverse people is something that I truly value. I believe these experiences can shape your philosophies as a person.

What is your vision for your career and Anika?

We’re currently heavily involved in providing legal advice for people in the housing space, helping people to obtain safe and secure homes through negotiating rent reductions for circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic or when they require repairs in their rental homes. The future of Anika is to expand into other areas of law, where there are huge unmet legal needs.

Whilst we are currently based in Australia, the goal of Anika is to provide people with access to justice. This is a goal that can and should be achieved anywhere in the world.