How to Build a Personal Brand Without Burning Out
Tuesday 17 March 2026
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm AEDT (session), followed by networking until 6:00 pm
ACT Law Society Training Room, Level 1, 5 Constitution Ave, Canberra
Part of: Early Career Lawyers Professional Development Workshop
Your personal brand is already forming. The question is whether you're shaping it.
Every lawyer builds a reputation. Some do it intentionally. Most do it by accident. In this 60-minute session, Sue-Ella Prodonovich shows early career lawyers how to build a profile that opens doors without the self-promotion, the schmoozing, or the burnout.
The session is part of the ACT Law Society's Early Career Lawyers Professional Development Workshop on 17 March 2026. It follows a panel discussion on advocating for your own career development and ends with an hour of networking.
WHAT YOU WILL COVER
An introduction to personal brands. What they are, how they work, and why they matter more than most junior lawyers realise.
Networks, Tribes and Ties. Ideas for seeding a career-long support base that pays dividends for decades.
Awareness and understanding. Practical ways to improve your visibility and save time doing it.
Light-Touch and High-Intensity. Different approaches to suit your style and your workload.
Busting the myths. "Isn't it the Partner's job to have a personal brand?" and "If I do a good job, that will be my brand." Sue-Ella tackles the assumptions that hold early career lawyers back, followed by Q&A.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This session is designed for early career lawyers - those in the first five years of practice - who want to get ahead of the curve on building their profile. It's particularly useful if you find self-promotion uncomfortable, you're not sure where to start, or you're juggling a heavy workload and need strategies that don't add to the load.
A note for government and public sector lawyers.
You may not have clients to develop or a billing target to hit. But you still have a career to build. A strong personal brand helps you attract the right roles, earn the right referrals, and get noticed for opportunities inside and outside your organisation. This session covers strategies that work just as well in a government or in-house context as they do in private practice.
THE FULL AFTERNOON
2:30 pm - Registration opens
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm - Level Up: Advocating for Your Career Development Panel discussion with Gabrielle Sullivan (Sullivans Legal Co), Ming Li (Australian Transport Safety Bureau), Richard Donaldson (Norton Rose Fulbright) and Kate Martin (Moray & Agnew).
1 CPD point : Professional Skills.
4:05 pm – 5:05 pm - How to Build a Personal Brand Without Burning Out Presented by Sue-Ella Prodonovich.
1 CPD points: Professional Skills.
5:05 pm – 6:00 pm - Networking (afternoon tea included)
ABOUT SUE-ELLA
Sue-Ella Prodonovich is an award-winning adviser and author with more than 25 years of senior Business Development experience in the legal sector.
She is Principal of Prodonovich Advisory, a business dedicated to helping professional services practices sharpen their business development practices.
EVENT DETAILS
When: Tuesday 17 March 2026, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm AEDT (registration from 2:30 pm)
Where: ACT Law Society Training Room, Level 1, 5 Constitution Ave, Canberra ACT 2601. A live streaming option is available.
RSVP by: Wednesday 11 March 2026
Investment:
New Lawyer and Student Members: $40 (GST incl.)
Members: $100 (GST incl.)
Non-members: $210 (GST incl.)
Afternoon tea and post-event networking are included.
CPD: 2.5 points — Core Area 3, Professional Skills (1 point for panel session; 1.5 points for Sue-Ella's session)
The Practical Details
What is the ACT Law Society Early Career Lawyers PD Workshop?
It's a half-day in-person event in Canberra designed specifically for lawyers in the first five years of practice. The afternoon includes a panel discussion on career development, Sue-Ella Prodonovich's 60-minute session on building a personal brand without burning out, and an hour of networking. You earn 2 CPD points in Professional Skills.
Will the session be recorded or available online?
No. Due to the interactive nature of this event, recordings will not be made available. A live streaming option is available for those who cannot attend in person - but online attendance is the only alternative to being in the room.
What CPD points does the workshop count towards?
The full afternoon earns 2 points in Core Area 3 - Professional Skills. The panel session earns 1 point and Sue-Ella's session earns 1 points. These are ACT Law Society CPD points.
Is this session only for lawyers based in Canberra?
No. The event is in person at the ACT Law Society Training Room in Canberra, but a live streaming option is available. If you are based elsewhere and want to attend online, contact the ACT Law Society events team at events@actlawsociety.asn.au.
Is this session suitable for lawyers who find self-promotion uncomfortable?
Yes - that's exactly who it's designed for. Sue-Ella focuses on building a profile in ways that fit your personality and your workload. The session covers light-touch strategies and practical tactics any lawyer can apply, regardless of seniority or temperament.