The career pathways most commonly presented to young First Nations people considering a career in corporate law, or in law more broadly, tend to lead toward community legal services or the university sector, both of which make an enormous contribution, yet they can leave students with the impression that the commercial end of the profession belongs to someone else. Duane Keighran, a Gomeroi man and Managing Director of Keighran Legal + Advisory, has spent his career demonstrating otherwise, from partnership at major international firms to founding his own specialist practice, and his advice to the next generation is both encouraging and candid about what matters most.

Corporate law is open to First Nations students, and the path is well proven

Duane Keighran is a clear example of how far a career can go. With no one else in his family having built a career in law or attended university at that stage, he became a partner in 2011 at major international firms in Australia and overseas, and in 2021 he founded Keighran Legal + Advisory.

When asked what he would say to a young person wondering whether corporate law is for them, Duane answers without hesitation. “I’d say yes, because I was that kid who was wondering the same thing, with no-one else in my family having had a career in law or having been through university at that stage.”

He then describes where the path led. “I went on to work in some amazing law firms, became a partner, worked overseas on some massive, groundbreaking deals and opened a specialist law firm.”

Why the move from partner to founder was an accumulation, not a single moment

Aspiring lawyers often imagine that a major career decision arrives as a single turning point, whereas Duane describes his decision to start his own firm as an accumulation of experience and observation. He had established that he could succeed at partner level, and he remains positive about that chapter. “I’d shown I could succeed in that environment, and I really enjoyed my time there.”

What changed over time was what he noticed around him, namely “how few Indigenous lawyers there were in top-tier commercial practice (particularly at senior levels)”.

His response was to build a firm focused on client outcomes that also offers “a safe space for young Indigenous lawyers to grow careers in, on top tier commercial work should they wish to”. His path suggests that time spent mastering the craft inside a large firm and the later decision to build something new need not be in conflict, because the first can provide the credibility and client relationships that make the second possible.

The firm has also hosted First Nations paralegals, and Duane is direct about its openness to students. “Our door is always open for a discussion with any First Nations aspiring lawyers who want to come work with us.”

Law is one pathway to independence, and not the only one

Alongside his encouragement, Duane is honest that a legal career does not suit everyone. “I’d also be honest and say that law isn’t for everyone. What matters more is that you do something that builds your independence.” He names several routes toward that goal, including to “Get an education, learn a trade or start your own business”, and he describes each of them as a pathway to self-determination.

His reasoning extends beyond the individual to their family. “Education and financial independence give you pathways to follow, and most importantly, it provides your family with broader choices.” For students weighing their options, this is a useful reminder that the aim of a career is the independence and choice it creates, and that the profession is one of several ways to achieve it.

Why visibility matters for aspiring Indigenous lawyers

Duane’s recognition as Indigenous Leader of the Year at the Lawyers Weekly Awards has brought attention to the firm, and he sees one benefit above the others. He hopes the award sends a message to the next generation that “it is absolutely possible to succeed at the high level of corporate law in Australia”. He is also clear that the recognition belongs to the whole team, and that is consistent with how he describes the firm’s culture of backing one another.

What success looks like for the next generation

Beyond the procurement goal he is working toward for First Nations professional services firms, Duane describes a longer-term outcome in which other people’s names appear on awards like his, and he is specific about what he hopes to see. “I want to see lawyers who came through our firm, or other large firms, leading major deals and making partner in top-tier firms, if that’s the path they wish to pursue.”

For students deciding whether corporate law is for them, that ambition is worth noting, because it describes a profession in which the path they are considering is already being cleared by those ahead of them, and in which the choice of how far to take it remains their own.

Duane’s final message to those who succeed is the same one that has guided his own career, which is to hold the door open for the next person.

To learn more about Duane and his work, visit Keighran Legal + Advisory.

About Duane Keighran

Duane Keighran is a real estate, hotel and commercial lawyer who acts for developers, hotel operators, investors, landlords, tenants, Community Housing Providers, Indigenous businesses and government departments, with transactional and advisory experience across Australia, Oceania, the Middle East, North Africa, Asia and Europe. He is recognised in Who’s Who Legal for Hospitality in Australia and Best Lawyers in Australia for Real Property Law. A proud Gomeroi man, he is also a Non-Executive Director of National Housing Limited, NSWALC’s social and affordable housing provider, and provides pro-bono and advisory support to Indigenous businesses and individuals.

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