19 February 2007
Sydney, 19 February 2007: Clayton Utz senior associate Tara Eaton[1] is about to trade in the fast-paced life of corporate Sydney for a career experience with a difference - and a chance to play a part in Vietnam's legal history.
Tara has been awarded a place in AusAid's Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) program, which places skilled Australians between the ages of 18 and 30 on short-term assignments in developing countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Tara and her husband will shortly make their home in Vietnam's capital of Hanoi where Tara will work for the country's largest local commercial firm, Vietnam International Law Firm (VILAF).
Among other services, VILAF provides pro bono advice to government authorities, including undertaking reviews of draft legislation. One of Tara's key responsibilities will be to assist in building a legal framework to help Vietnam transition to a market-oriented economy.
"I will be researching, advising on and drafting a variety of law reform projects," says Tara. "I understand one of my first tasks will be to draft the foreign investment law of Vietnam, for example. "
Tara is presently a lawyer in the Litigation practice at Clayton Utz in Sydney, where she specialises in product liability, class actions and pharmaceutical regulatory work. Tara says her exposure to a range of legal systems through her work at Clayton Utz should prove useful in her role at VILAF.
"I think I have the skills to identify good legislation, which is important when advising clients," she says.
Clayton Utz has granted Tara a 18-month leave of absence to enable her to participate in the AYAD program. The firm is also providing Tara with financial support and access to the firm's resources, including the donation of legal texts.
"I am very grateful to Clayton Utz for supporting me in fulfilling a long-held ambition to work in a developing country," says Tara. "Their assistance is invaluable."
Sharing her legal knowledge has long been an interest of Tara's. She volunteered for a number of years with the Refugee Advisory Casework Service and participates in Clayton Utz's extensive pro bono program.
The AusAid AYAD program was launched in 1998 and aims to strengthen mutual understanding between Australia and countries of the Asia Pacific and make a positive contribution to their development.
With her interest and experience in Asia, Tara is keen to build relations between the Australian legal community, in particular Clayton Utz, and the Vietnamese legal community.
As well as using her legal skills, Tara says she also hopes to expand her cultural horizons in Vietnam.
"I am really look forward to living and working somewhere different. It is such a good opportunity to gain new skills while also doing something a little left of field."
[1]Tara completed an Asian Studies (Chinese)/Law degree with honours at ANU and holds a Masters of Law from Sydney University. During her Asian Studies degree she studied Mandarin at the People's University of China in Beijing and also worked for the Australian Embassy in Beijing.
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