After working as a lawyer, Roper began a career in professional legal education. He was the Executive Director of the Leo Cussen Institute in Melbourne and later the Director of the College of Law in Sydney. After working as the Director of Education of King & Wood Mallesons he became the first Director of The Centre for Legal Education. Roper then returned to the College of Law and developed an alliance between the Colleges of Law in England, Australia and New Zealand.
