While big budget legal dramas on TV portray lawyers as tough, intimidating people in suits, Ms Doupe prefers a more laid-back approach.
“Having a law degree doesn’t make you any better or worse than anyone else. It’s just a job where you try to find the best solution for someone,” she said.
“I don’t wear a suit and I don’t think I sound like a lawyer. I don’t want people to be intimidated by me.
“I want to be seen by my clients as someone they can approach and someone who is understanding of their issues.”
Starting her career as a corporate lawyer in Melbourne, Ms Doupe moved into private practice in regional Victoria for a change of pace and focus.
She moved into family law, where she uses her corporate law negotiation skills to obtain positive outcomes for families.
“I went into family law because it’s different every day. It requires not just an understanding of the law but interpersonal skills as well,” Ms Doupe said.
“It means you can get a result where you help someone through the most difficult time in their lives and that is very rewarding.”
Ms Doupe started Pear and Pair Law three months ago and is enjoying the freedom and flexibility that comes with being her own boss.
“Technology is changing the he way we do law and that works with me because I don’t operate in a traditional nine-to-five manner,” she said.
“Some days I start early, some days I finish late and sometimes I work on the weekend. It allows me time to run some personal errands during the day.
“But the best part about it is the flexibility it offers my clients. Everyone is busy and not everyone can take time off work to go and visit a lawyer during the traditional business hours.
“I do a lot of work via phone and the internet, so the disruption to people’s lives while they get their problem sorted is minimal.
“I work in a way that is flexible with how people live and operate in 2021. That also means my client base is not limited to the local area.
“I have clients as far away as Geelong. Because of the way I operate, I can still service those clients.”
Ms Doupe said she was taking baby steps with her business and hoped to expand in the future, but was happy operating as a one-woman show at the moment.
“I’ve just received Legal Aid accreditation for family law and family violence, which broadens what I can do,” she said.
“I hope to be in a position in the future to bring in a graduate to get more family law-focused people in the district.
“I would also like to do more Legal Aid work as there isn’t much in the area. There’s plenty of room for growth but the business is still new, so I’m taking it one step at a time.”
As for the name of her business, Ms Doupe said Pear and Pair Law had become a talking point among her clients.
“It has a meaning behind it, but I like to let people figure that out for themselves,” she said.
“It’s a bit of a play on words with the type of law that I do. I look forward to having that conversation many more times in the future.”
The Pear and Pair Law office is at 37 Anzac Avenue, Seymour. For more information, email Anna at anna@pearandpair.com.au or phone 5799 1660 or 0400 063 933.
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