Other Life: The banker inspired by the law

Brett Halliwell has gone back to school, making a lifelong dream come true

When Advantedge general manager Brett Halliwell was a teenager, he used to spend his school holidays watching court proceedings.

That interest and passion for the law was kindled within him over many years until it finally drove him to enrol in a graduate degree in law at Melbourne's Monash University.

“I have always had a keen interest in courtroom proceedings, and I think there is something exciting and inspiring about how courts uphold principles that underpin the effective functioning of our broader society,” Halliwell says.

He now juggles his full-time job at NAB with lectures and tutorials after work, and spends hours studying on the weekends. This challenging balancing act requires time management, as well as support and flexibility, which he praises Advantedge and NAB for giving him.

“It’s great to work for a business where higher education is both encouraged and supported,” he says.

Going back to school to supplement his other tertiary education in commerce, finance and business management has given Halliwell a new way of thinking and problem-solving.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to academically pursue something I have had a genuine interest in my entire life.”