ABL Lecture connects Monash Law students with leading commercial lawyers
On Tuesday 26 May, students in Corporations Law (LAW3112) at Monash University’s Clayton campus were fortunate to receive a special guest lecture that brought the realities of commercial law into sharp focus.
Arnold Bloch Leibler (ABL) partner and Monash Law alumna, Genevieve Sexton, returned to the Faculty to lead the session. She was joined by fellow alumni Nathan Faiman and Lulu Morton, offering students the opportunity to hear directly from practitioners at different stages of their careers.
The session, introduced and moderated by Professor Jennifer Hill, the inaugural Bob Baxt AO Professor of Corporate and Commercial Law and Director of the Centre for Commercial Law and Regulatory Studies (CLARS), reflected the strength of ABL’s ongoing partnership with CLARS and Monash Law and its commitment to connecting students with the profession.
A partnership grounded in real-world learning
Jennifer welcomed a full classroom and highlighted the importance of the Faculty’s engagement with industry, describing the collaboration with ABL as a special relationship.
Her introduction set the tone for a session that moved fluidly between doctrine and practice.
Genevieve Sexton’s lecture focused on corporate insolvency and the legal frameworks that govern the winding up of companies, drawing directly on her current practice in restructuring and insolvency.
For students accustomed to working through legislation and case law in the classroom, the lecture grounded abstract principles in the pressures and unpredictability of real client work.
From classroom theory to commercial reality
Genevieve’’s discussion illustrated the dynamic nature of insolvency law, where legal questions often arise alongside urgent commercial decisions.
“We get questions where directors might just ring you up and say, ‘I owe 300 million bucks in three weeks’ time. My shareholder doesn't want me to sign these agreements. What do I do?’” she said.
This high pressure experience highlighted how legal advice must be delivered in fast-moving, high-stakes environments.
Her lecture walked students through core concepts such as insolvency, voluntary administration and liquidation, while also reflecting on the policy foundations of the Corporations Act.
“ When we think about insolvency law and its policy and the reason it's here - it's essentially driven by concepts of economic efficiency,” she noted.
These insights reinforced how technical legal rules operate within broader economic and social frameworks, a key theme of LAW3112.
Monash Law alumna and ABL lawyer, Lulu Morton, surrounded by Monash Law students.
Alumni perspectives on building a legal career
The lecture transitioned into a Q&A session, where Nathan Faiman and Lulu Morton shared their experiences of moving from Monash Law into practice at ABL.
Their contributions offered a candid view of early career development, emphasising adaptability, curiosity and openness to different pathways.
“ Law firms are receptive to your curiosity and your interests. So if you're interested in intellectual property, carbon financing, environmental law or planning law - we need as many as those people as we need Merger and Acquisition (M&A) lawyers, even though M&A's a very core part of our practice,” Nathan Faiman told students.
Lulu Morton echoed this sentiment, reflecting on the importance of exploring a range of practice areas during clerkships and early roles.
“ I think the only way that you can find that area that you’re best suited to is through experience - whether it's through a clerkship process or work experience or just through reading the news. I think that's a really great way to get started and to find your footing in an area that you might like,” she said.
Their advice highlighted the value of experimentation, as well as the importance of maintaining interests beyond the law itself.
What makes a strong commercial lawyer
Drawing on nearly two decades of experience, Sexton offered students a clear sense of the qualities that underpin success in commercial practice.
She emphasised that technical ability is only one part of the equation, pointing instead to curiosity, commercial awareness and an interest in clients’ businesses as critical differentiators.
“ If you come up with the perfect answer, but it has no application to my client, then I'm not going to be able to use it. If it’s perfect-world rather than real-world response, that's going to be an issue,” she added.
This focus on practical problem-solving resonated strongly with students preparing to transition from academic study to professional practice.
Navigating the transition from law school to practice
Nathan and Lulu also reflected on the importance of developing skills beyond legal knowledge.
For Nathan, adaptability and openness were key lessons carried over from experiences both inside and outside the law.
“ Whether I was folding linen shirts in a part time retail job or I'm drafting legal documents - learning how to build effective communication styles with managers who don't work the same way as you do is, was just as important in the law as it was in my retail experience,” he said.
Lulu encouraged students to take advantage of opportunities offered during their studies at Monash, from competitions to exchange programs, noting that these experiences often shape both professional and personal development.
“ Say yes to everything, even activities that might not interest you at the moment like competitions and exchange. I think saying yes to those sorts of things is an invaluable thing to have, not just on a resume, but I think it also gives you amazing life experience,” she said.
Together, their reflections underscored the breadth of preparation required for a career in law.
A community built on connection and shared experience
One of the defining features of the session was the sense of continuity between Monash Law and its alumni community.
Each speaker reflected on their own time as a student and the pathways that followed, reinforcing the idea that a legal career is rarely linear.
Genevieve Sexton’s message was clear - curiosity, openness and sustained engagement matter more than having a fixed plan from the outset.
Strengthening industry connections
The 2026 ABL Lecture reflects Monash Law’s broader commitment to building meaningful partnerships with the legal profession and supporting students as they navigate their future careers.
By bringing leading practitioners into the classroom, the Faculty continues to create opportunities for students to engage with the realities of legal practice, ask questions and build connections that extend beyond their studies.
As the session concluded and students stayed on to network with the ABL team, the value of that engagement was evident.
Through partnerships like this, Monash Law ensures that its students graduate not only with strong legal knowledge, but with a deeper understanding of the profession they are preparing to enter.