Broderick is trained as a lawyer. She has spoken publicly about her own experiences of sexual harassment by a client as a young lawyer. At law firm Blake Dawson Waldron, Broderick worked part-time for twelve years while she was a partner - the first partner at the firm to work part-time. She also created a database giving people legal advice at low cost. Broderick was named "Telstra NSW Business Woman of the Year".
Sex Discrimination Commissioner
Broderick was appointed Sex Discrimination Commissioner by Prime Minister John Howard in 2007. Her term was extended by the Rudd government and again by the Abbott government. As Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Broderick worked on equal-pay cases, "proposed a model for the paid parental leave scheme", and commented publicly on sexual harassment cases. Broderick persuaded some of "the most powerful men in the country" to publicly commit to being part of a group called Male Champions of Change and take action on gender inequality. The group is still active and has inspired the creation of many MCC groups in other sectors, including architecture, property, elite sports and in Victoria. Current members of the Founding MCC group include, Alan Joyce, Kevin McCann, Martin Parkinson, David Thodey and Lieutenant GeneralDavid Morrison. The Male Champions of Change have released progress reports in 2011, 2013 and 2014. They also partnered with Chief Executive Women to develop a model for leaders to use in order to examine their own actions and 'Leadership Shadow'. In 2014, Broderick published a fourth and final report on gender-discriminatory practices in the Australian Defence Force. Broderick finished up as Sex Discrimination Commissioner in 2015 and was succeeded by Kate Jenkins.
Broderick won in the Diversity category as well as recognized as the overall winner in the 2014 Women of Influence award. She was also an Impact 25 winner in 2015. On November, 2015, the University of New South Wales-Sydney conferred upon her an honorary degree honorary Doctorate of Laws for her "eminent service to both the Australian and international community”. In 2016, she was awarded the New South WalesAustralian of the Year for her being a "powerful and influential voice in the struggle for gender equality enlisting both women and men as agents of change." She received the Australian Award for Excellence in Women's Leadership from the Women & Leadership Australia on the same year, and won the 2016 Hall of Fame during the Women's Agenda Leadership Awards. Broderick was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia in 2017.
