Lara Douglas
Senior AssociateAbout Lara
Lara is a pragmatic commercial lawyer who has over 10 years’ experience in the legal and insurance industry. Her clients range from government departments, international and Australian corporations, and SMEs. She believes strongly in working with her clients to bring about resolutions and has a particular knack for guiding clients through complex legal and stakeholder issues. Lara is comfortable advocating for her clients whether she is in the boardroom, on a worksite, or appearing in Court, and is known for her professional and approachable manner.
What she does
Lara works with her commercial and government clients on commercial and probity matters for a range of projects and disputes, including relating to the procurement of data services, medical services, intellectual property licences, grant processes, and commercial contract disputes. With her extensive experience in litigation, Lara has a keen understanding of how to proactively manage disputes and is well-practiced at balancing risk and ‘red tape’.
Lara also enjoys performing pro bono work in family and succession law for financial vulnerable and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) clients.
Who she works with
Lara advises a wide range of clients including government departments and agencies, international and Australian companies, global and local insurers, self-insured organisations well as financially vulnerable and CALD individuals.
Qualifications
Lara holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Technology, Sydney and a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in the philosophy and the history and philosophy of science.
Life before Sparkes
Originally from Sydney, Lara managed national and international liability claims for a global insurer before Canberra in Autumn convinced her this was the place to be. Soon after she moved into private practice litigation for another Canberra firm before joining Sparkes.
Life outside of Sparkes
Lara enjoys spending time with her family and is often found with her bike mad kids out at Stromlo Forest Park or walking her gentle giant German shepherd on weekends. She loves getting lost in a book with a glass of wine or a pot of tea and is known for having a pile of books beside her bed for any reading emergency. Lara’s travel ambitions have resurfaced after COVID-19, and she is steadily ticking places off her bucket list.