Meet Rebekah—a Women's Legal Service Qld volunteer
‘Do no harm’
It's Queensland Law Week—and this year we're recognising the people powering justice across our state.
One of those people is Rebekah Mannering, a family lawyer in private practice and an Independent Children's Lawyer, who volunteers at Women's Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ).
When Rebekah meets a woman at the Monday night clinic, she often knows what kind of day she's had.
The day spent on the phone to Centrelink. The hours at Medicare trying to untangle health cover. The childcare rebate. The school. The bills. All of it landing at once, on top of the worst thing that's happened.
Rebekah knows because she's been there.
‘When you're separating, that's the absolute worst time to have to find and advice,’ she says. ‘I remember when I separated, you'd spend a whole day either on the phone or in the Centrelink office. So, the last thing you want, is to have to take time off to go see a lawyer. The Monday night clinics are just perfect.’
A solicitor advocate, an Independent Children's Lawyer, and a volunteer
By day, Rebekah runs a family law practice in Sandgate, in Brisbane's north. She's a solicitor advocate, which means she appears in court herself, and she's also an Independent Children's Lawyer—a role appointed by the court to act in the best interests of children when allegations of family violence, abuse, or other serious risks are involved.
It's the part of her work she's most passionate about.
‘Our job is really to gather all the evidence we can and make sure everyone keeps the child front and centre of their mind,’ she says.
For Rebekah, family law isn't transactional. It's about helping people see the bigger picture at a moment when they can barely see beyond the next hour.
‘What you do now is going to set the dynamic up for the rest of your children's lives,’ she says. ‘Even though this is the worst thing that's ever happened to you and you're really grieving and sad - this is the time to start making that dynamic work. Or to put those healthy boundaries and protections in.’
Why volunteer
Rebekah's decision to volunteer at WLSQ came after a client of hers walked into a meeting already grounded—knowing what to expect, what was realistic, and what to ask about. The client had been to WLSQ first.
‘I thought, wow, this is an organisation that really assists.’
The Monday night format suits her—and, she says, it suits the women who come through the door. Short, focused appointments. Real-world advice. Referrals where they're needed. A team of supervising solicitors who make the practice run smoothly, and a culture she describes as warm, collaborative, and protective of each other.
The work that stays with you
Family law work takes a toll, and Rebekah is open about it. She talks about vicarious trauma - the way other people's stories settle into your own bones—and about how much the profession has changed in acknowledging it.
‘I'm really happy that vicarious trauma is such a known issue now within the profession. In the early days, you'd see practitioners disappearing into styles of drugs and alcohol. So now having that addressed as an important thing we need to think about—that's fantastic.’
For her, the antidote is simple. Swimming. Running. Triathlons. Friends and family. The black line at the bottom of a pool.
‘Your brain is kind of free to just really process.’
One philosophy
Asked what she lives by, Rebekah's answer is short.
‘Do no harm. But that has to be child-focused. Do no harm to our children—as much as you can.’
It's a phrase that runs underneath everything else she does—the court appearances, the Monday night clinic, the years of mentoring.
‘Protecting children from intergenerational trauma - that's the most rewarding part.’
About Women's Legal Service Queensland
Women's Legal Service Queensland is a community legal centre providing free legal advice and support to women across Queensland on family law, domestic and family violence, child protection, child support, and related matters.