Courting success

Gareth Burke was considering a career in law enforcement – until a double degree in law and theology at Australian Catholic University (ACU) caught his eye.

Born and raised in Bathurst, NSW, Gareth hadn’t given much thought to what he’d do after high school. His father had worked in law enforcement, so he applied to work in that field rather than pursue tertiary study. But then he thought he’d just “have a glance” at what courses were available.

“I saw ACU was doing the dual degree of law and theology and I was surprised,” he said. “It’s an odd pairing, something other unis don’t do, and I didn’t think it would be available anywhere. 

“I was amazed at the prospect of being able to complete two degrees in a five-year period, and the fact that I could study degrees that appealed equally to my passion for justice and faith sealed the deal.”

The combination of law and theology appealed to Gareth because of his religious upbringing and the respect for the law instilled in him by his dad.

“I had always attended church with my family from a young age as well as attending Christian schools,” he said. “And my father worked at a high security prison for a long time, so respect for the laws and the people who follow the laws was drummed into my sister and I from a very early age. 

“I found law and theology inform one another. Law is a reflection of human values, specifically morality and justice. In the early days of the Western legal system, society looked to the Church for the human moral values upon which to establish laws. It’s really a very logical progression from, say the 10 Commandments of the Old Testament, to the legal system of today.”

‘A fantastic opportunity’

In 2015, Gareth moved east to study a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Theology with ACU in Sydney. The boy from out west absolutely thrived.

“Studying at ACU was everything for me,” he said. “I moved from a smallish country town to a massive city, and I met amazing people from all walks of life. 

“I learned so much, made amazing friends, and was always treated with kindness by staff. The quality of the courses was fantastic. The lecturers always showed amazing dedication to the success of their students in both theology and law. And they were hugely knowledgeable in their disciplines. 

“I always appreciated that Campus Ministry was there too. They always provided support around exams – just little things, like offering breakfasts, giving out chocolate, that made campus a lovely place to be.”

It wasn’t all fun though; Gareth worked hard to make the most of his opportunity.

“I studied hard and was fortunate enough to receive honours in my law degree,” he said. “I was also lucky enough to be awarded the Barry O’Keefe Memorial Prize [for academic excellence] each year. Each year I’d invite my family out from Bathurst, have a glass of wine and shake the Dean’s hand.” 

Gareth on his graduation day with his father, Colin Burke.

His academic prowess is even more impressive given that he worked up to three jobs at a time to support himself in Sydney.

“I’m not sure how I did it all,” he said. “It was challenging to do everything I needed to do – sleep, eat, take care of myself, and push myself to do the best I could, to sit down and study thoroughly. I didn’t have to drive as hard as I did for the results I got – not all students do – but I decided I’d been given a fantastic opportunity, so I wanted to get the most out of it.”

Working with like-minded folks

After graduating in 2019, Gareth worked for a couple of law firms before finding his niche as a solicitor in defendant insurance litigation at the boutique firm McCulloch & Buggy.  

He loves what he does, acting for insurers, corporations and local governments in contested matters before the district and supreme courts. It’s his workmates, though, that make the difference.

“The best part of this job is my colleagues – I’m very fortunate to work with like-minded folks,” he said. 

“The work itself is brilliant. It requires you to think critically about what you do and think strategically; it’s a lot like playing a game of chess, so it appeals to my strategic side. 

“But, first and foremost, it’s the people I’ve encountered in the industry that make it – for better or worse. If you’re one of the lucky ones who finds yourself in a happy place, it’s very rewarding.”

Gareth’s not resting on his laurels though. He plans to build something of his own.

“I think I’ll start my own firm next,” he said. “I’ve applied for my unrestricted practising certificate, as I’ve done two years of full-time practice and I can now act for clients in my own firm.

“I would like to practise all kinds of law. It’s so often that someone comes to you with a generic legal issue, and I’d like to be able to field those oddball issues. But I’ll mostly stay in my current field of defendant insurance litigation, as it’s a good one to be in.” 

His dreams are big and he’s thankful for the opportunity that sparked it all.

“I was lower working class and struggled at school in the early years, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to come to Sydney and study. I will always be incredibly grateful to ACU for that.”

Interested in pursuing a rewarding legal career? Study law at ACU.