Danielle Captain-Webb
Solicitor Advocate, Coronial Inquest Unit, Legal Aid NSW | Non-Executive Director and Atlantic Fellow Councillor, Law Society of NSW | AGSM MBAX (Social Impact) 2023
Improving outcomes for First Nations people in the justice system
Danielle is using governance and advocacy to challenge the status quo of the justice system.
She’s a proud Gomeroi and Wiradjuri woman, lawyer and mother born and raised on Darkinjung Country. Danielle’s successfully applying her systematic legal thinking ability to achieve justice, land rights and equilibrium for her people, and across New South Wales.
Her role as Solicitor Advocate gives her the ability to advocate for systemic change to prevent any future harm or deaths from occurring across a range of settings, both within and beyond the criminal justice systems.
As an Aboriginal woman and lawyer I want to ensure my people are elevated by the law, not brought down by it.
Bringing cultural context to the justice system
Danielle brings a cultural perspective to the coronial inquests she’s involved in. This is hugely important for the families involved as they know she will place their interests front and centre.
"I've always been impacted by the high number of First Nations people dying in custody and police operations. That’s always motivated me. First to study law, then enter the law and to try and create change from within."
She sees ‘therapeutic justice’ as one way to address systemic failures, limited resources and high levels of trauma impacting her people. This simply means finding alternative ways of getting outcomes within the justice system that also focuses on being trauma informed and healing.
"I’m helping to ensure the justice system is a space that attempts to reflect cultural safety and is more aligned to contemporary lawyering and courts."
Leading change from within
Growing up as a First Nations person Danielle found she had to overcome her own self-doubt to achieve for others.
Like many who are the first in their family to seek tertiary education, she questioned her ability to enter university and study law. Feeling supported by her family and driven by a desire to empower her community, Danielle earned her law degree at UNSW and launched her legal career at Legal Aid NSW.
"I've always had a sense of responsibility. I've always recognised that I've been really privileged in my life."
Now as Solicitor Advocate of the Coronial Inquest Unit, she’s responsible for providing advice, minor assistance and representations to families who have lost their loved ones.
Leading collaborative change
One of the biggest themes in Danielle’s career has been moving people from conflict to cooperation.
I don't see myself as a traditional leader. I see myself as someone who collaborates with and raises others above me. Fostering cooperation is more effective than taking a hierarchical approach to change.
Danielle believes it’s vital to include every stakeholder in the process of creating social change.
"Everyone brings different thoughts and ideas to the table. Working through and respectfully listening to everyone’s views is the way to find common ground and achieve alignment."
Learning to navigate conflict with confidence
Dealing with conflict is a challenge every leader faces. Danielle says her time at AGSM gave her a new academic understanding and frameworks for social impact leadership.
Doing my AGSM MBA sparked a big shift in thinking about how to navigate and approach conflict with confidence. It’s something I've been able to apply throughout my career.
She describes learning a “sandbox” approach: when you're navigating conflict or difficult conversations, you have to sit in that metaphorical sandbox and resolve the issues before moving forward.
"I already had quite a systematic way of thinking and that's been fostered through my AGSM MBA. I always look at things through the lens of how I can transform or make something better."
Blazing a trail of inspiration with AGSM
Danielle aims to inspire young people in her community by example: if she could become a lawyer and make a difference, they can too. Completing her MBA was a significant step – giving her a deeper understanding of how to achieve social impact and motivate others.
"If I'm able to inspire one First Nations young person to look at me and see that I'm a lawyer and that they can do the same thing, that's a win."
She chose AGSM for both practical and academic reasons.
“AGSM is so flexible - providing multiple different options to complete your study. This was very enticing to a fulltime working mother.”
The fact that the assessments were flexible enough to allow all students to apply their task to their individual passions, interests or workplace also impressed her.
“I chose the AGSM MBA because it equips you with the skills and capabilities you need when navigating social impact and change. It also gives you long life friendships and colleagues who are transforming their own professions.”
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