The senior associate believes being proactive is better than being reactive
A career in law fit Anna Ford like a glove, with her fondness for English, debate and drama. And today, as an employment law specialist with a focus on health and safety and immigration, Ford has seen it all, from criminal trials to mediations to conveyancing.
In the first part of this interview, the recently promoted Copeland McAllister senior associate talks to NZ Lawyer about helping to conduct a recent employment relations masterclass and the underappreciated blessing of getting to switch off on a Sunday.
What made you choose a career in law, and what's your favourite part of the job?
I was the poster child for the careers counsellor's recommendation - I liked English, loved debating, and enjoyed drama. Law seemed like a natural fit. I quickly discovered, however, that being a lawyer was nothing like anything I'd watched on Boston Legal.
My favourite part of the job is the people you meet along the way and the fascinating range of workplaces you get to know. No two clients are the same, and that variety never gets old.
What has been the most memorable event of your career to date?
There isn't one single event I can pinpoint - it's more of a collection of experiences that have stuck with me. Starting out in general practice meant I got thrown into an incredibly wide range of work early on – criminal trials, RMA mediations, civil litigation, conveyancing, family law - you name it, I probably had a crack at it. That breadth before specialising has been genuinely valuable. I think it means I bring a different perspective than someone who has trained and specialised in one area their entire career, and that shows up in how I approach employment matters today.
What was the most important thing you got involved in over the past year?
We launched an employment relations masterclass across Invercargill, Dunedin, Queenstown, and Timaru - an eight-week course (or condensed two-day version) covering all the critical areas of employment law. The format is half teaching, half doing - practical scenarios, applied learning, real situations. I've genuinely loved both preparing and delivering it. My view is that the more informed business owners, HR professionals, and people managers are day-to-day, the better outcomes everyone gets. We'd far rather be proactive than reactive, and this feels like a meaningful way to make that happen.
If you could relive one day in your life, which day would it be and why?
I'd like to say it's a landmark career moment or something deeply meaningful - and maybe it should be. But in reality, I think I'd pick a Sunday before smartphones, when switching off was something you did without even thinking about it. No emails quietly mounting up, no notifications, just a day that belonged entirely to you. I'd relive that and actually appreciate it this time.
