Our former head of Traffic Accident Commission (TAC), Genna Angelowitsch was excited to take on her new role to help families impacted by road accidents. With a background in personal injury law and as a Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) accredited specialist, Genna wanted to ensure everyone can access the best legal support possible.

We sat down with Genna to find out more about her passions and career in law.

What made you decide to study law, and what sparked your interest in personal injury?

As a child, my nickname was Little Miss Have-a-Chat, so a profession where I was given the space to talk a lot was always going to be a requirement for me. I loved the idea of using my strength in communication to tell someone's story, and the idea of speaking on behalf of people who have been injured or who have lost loved ones to help them access assistance to aid their recovery and grieving process was something I really identified with.

How long have you been at Adviceline Injury Lawyers and what do you most enjoy about working there?

I started at Adviceline in March 2012. Having worked in other firms and roles prior to starting here, I was struck by the emphasis on treating every client as an individual human being rather than a case or claim to be pushed through. Although we manage these claims every day, each person's story and experience is unique, and it is important that clients feel that their experience has been recognised and validated.

What is the most interesting case you have worked on?

I have been fortunate enough to work on a very broad variety of cases, from representing the families of the deceased victims of the Bourke Street attack to assisting people injured in transport accidents, in workplace incidents or through medical malpractice. Every case is interesting in its own way, and that is one of my favourite parts of my job.

What do you think will be single biggest issue facing the litigation space in Australia in 2020?

I think the profession is still grappling with the integration of technology into the litigation process. There is a lot of apprehension around trusting technology as opposed to good old fashioned trusty paper, but having been involved in lengthy trials where the entire process was managed electronically, I think it has a fantastic capacity to expedite case management and to deliver better service to injured clients.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

I'd say it's tie between two:

• Fail to prepare, and you prepare to fail (my dad's favourite expression when I was a kid!); and
• Practicing law is a privilege, and the price of that privilege is an obligation to always do something good with it.

Do you perform pro bono work in addition to your work as a personal injury lawyer?

Yes. We are fortunate enough to have an extensive national pro bono program and the opportunity to participate regularly in pro bono cases.

My pro bono work has included regular appearances at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court assisting women who have been involved in applications for family violence intervention orders, in partnership with the Women's Legal Service of Victoria. Our work in the Bourke Street coronial inquest on behalf of the families of the victims who died has also been on a pro bono basis.

Do you have any hobbies/interests outside of work?

I really enjoy reading, and am part of a wonderfully relaxed book club that focuses just as much on catching up socially and finding a good breakfast place as we do on discussing our allocated book. I also have five beautiful nephews and one recently born niece, and I consider it my duty to spoil them as often as possible.

If you or your family have been affected by a road accident, call Redlich's Work Injury Lawyers on (03) 9321 9988 to find out more about your TAC entitlements.