She still has her starting gear. We're level 17.
I've done almost every quest so far. On the other hand I haven't been a very diligent buyer, and I haven't fully explored the mod system.2) She has better gear than you do. This eventually corrects itself, but if you plowed through your quests too quickly, it's quite possible she has better gear than you do. Most of your stats come from your gear.
Heck, I used a Temple Watchman's Vest I bought with commendations on Tython all the way through Coruscant. But in my defense I liked the weirdness of a Jedi of all people running around with a bare midriff.