In this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with InfoTrack, we explore how lawyers and conveyancers are perceived by property buyers and sellers and what professionals can learn from these findings. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with InfoTrack’s Head of Property Australia, Lee Bailie, about the recently released 2024 State of Real Estate Report. Together, they unpack key findings and takeaways from the report, highlight what Lee sees as being the “good, bad, and ugly”, and what these insights reveal about the current standing of lawyers and conveyancers in the property market. Lee also delves into areas for improvement lawyers and conveyancers can consider moving forward, processes that need attention, the importance of both proactivity and reactivity, future opportunities, and how InfoTrack’s solutions can support best practices. To discover key findings from the 2024 State of Real Estate Report, click here. To learn more about InfoTrack, click here. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

In the current age, clients want (and demand) to know more about their various service providers. Here, we unpack what this means for law firms and how best to strike the right balance for you and your business. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Ruby Assembly director Iolanthe Gabrie and Macedon Ranges Family Law principal Megan Puszkar about the “real period of generational change” being faced by SME businesses across the country, how high a priority evolving communication methods and approaches are becoming in the current age, why clients want to know more about their service providers, and how to take a holistic approach to such change. Gabrie and Puszkar also reflect on the importance of being a “pseudo-psychologist” for one’s clients, the dangers inherent with not rolling with the times, striking the right balance between putting yourself and your brand out there while also protecting yourself and your family, what such an approach looks like for NewLaw practices, what works and doesn’t work, and their broader guidance about riding the wave of evolving client expectations. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

The introduction of minimum cyber security standards in Victoria earlier this year reinforces the fact that educating one’s workforce and implementing optimal frameworks to prevent breaches and attacks is not just good practice – it goes to the heart of one’s professional duties as a lawyer. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Law & Cyber principal Simone Herbert-Lowe to discuss her interest and background in practising cyber security, the introduction by the Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner of minimum cyber security standards and why the standards were brought in, what it means for practitioners in the Garden State and what practitioners in other state and territory jurisdictions should glean from the standards. Herbert-Lowe also delves into the extent to which upholding certain standards regarding cyber security is at the forefront of lawyers’ minds, the expansion of the remit of professional obligations for lawyers, the potential penalties for lawyers who breach standards or civil liability obligations, what lawyers must do in order to ensure best practice and avoid disciplinary findings, and the need for constant vigilance rather than employing a “set and forget” attitude. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Down periods in his career have presented personal and professional challenges, but what those periods have taught Peter Muzariri is that “fundamentally, everything is going to be OK”. Here, he unpacks navigating times of hardship, how to move forward as a young practitioner, and meaningfully chasing one’s goals. In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Costa Asset Management legal counsel Peter Muzariri about his journey of moving from Zimbabwe to New Zealand, studying and graduating in NZ and having a job cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, how he navigated that setback in his career and what he learnt from it, both personally and professionally. Muzariri also delves into the importance of trusting the process, having meaningful, tangible goals in place, the questions one needs to ask of one’s self, his current goals, how to make time for one’s development and planning, and his broader words of wisdom about believing in one’s self. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

There has long been, Gemma Nugent says, a “convention of having long contracts”, particularly in sectors like construction. Clients, however, are seeking legal documentation that is more easily digested and that they can better comprehend – and she is on a mission to provide this. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes SoundLegal director Gemma Nugent to discuss her journey from the in-house realm to operating as a sole practitioner in Alfred Cove, Western Australia, why she finds contracts work so uplifting, the issues she sees in the design and implementation of many legal contracts, and the diversity of thought among legal practitioners about the necessity or otherwise of long, convoluted contracts. Nugent also delves into what she believes constitutes a clear and easy-to-understand contract, why simplification is a win-win for all parties, convincing clients of the need for simplification, how lawyers can adjust their mindsets in creating contracts that are more fit for purpose and not convoluted for the sake of it, and her broader guidance for practitioners in getting their documentation right in order to ensure optimal client service delivery. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

The 20th and 21st centuries have produced some outstanding (and award-winning) legal, or legal-adjacent, motion pictures. Here, we flesh out what makes a good legal movie and why, and what are the best and most enjoyable cinematic experiences involving lawyers. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Keith Ford (deputy editor of Lawyers Weekly’s sister brand, ifa) to discuss his passion for cinema, the tropes and themes that can make up a legal-adjacent motion picture, the myriad forms a legal movie can take, from courtroom drama to class action investigation, and whether legal movies need to be realistic to be good. The episode also delves into the necessity or otherwise of a true story to make a good legal movie, the importance of social, cultural or personal themes that can hit home for the audience, the extent to which the Australian movie industry has produced good legal films, the tenet of injustice being overcome by central characters, and what both Doraisamy and Ford view as being the best legal movies of all time, and what their personal favourites are. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Maintaining passion and momentum while dealing with the day-to-day grind and challenges of running a business and promoting growth in a regional area can be arduous for firm leaders in any practice area. Here’s how Kymberlei Goodacre does it. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Coffs Law Co. principal solicitor Kymberlei Goodacre about her Coffs Harbour-based practice, why she operates in the family law and care and protection spaces, looking after one’s self and one’s team in the face of emotionally draining subject matter, what she’s learnt from a decade of running her own firm, how often she evaluates what’s working or not working as a firm leader, and what has surprised her about the juggle between being a practitioner versus a business owner. Goodacre also reflects on the importance of maintaining the passion for what one does and not simply turning up each day to tick the boxes, the questions one should be asking of one’s self in keeping the flame alive, why putting wellness front and centre leads to revenue growth, how she leverages public holidays to create longer weekends for staff, what she is looking forward to in the coming years with her succession planning, and her broader suggestions for how firm leaders can keep up their motivation levels. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

It is often said that workers don’t quit their jobs; they quit their bosses. To this end – particularly in the current professional services climate – building and nurturing a trusting workplace environment is fundamental for firm leaders. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Travis Schultz & Partners managing partner Travis Schultz to discuss whether firm leaders are doing a good enough job at building and maintaining trust, how and when he came to appreciate the fundamental need to establish trust, how much of priority it has to be, what he sees as being the difference between maintaining a firm’s health versus doing its hygiene, and what he feels constitutes a trustworthy leader in a professional services environment. Schultz also delves into the crossover and differences between leadership and management, whether being a trustworthy leader is more important now than ever before, how best firm leaders can look to build trust across the business, the flow-on effects from fostering and maintaining such trustworthy environments, and how best firm leaders can bolster their capacities to instil trust. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Right out of high school, Vicky Martin worked as an office junior in a law firm, doing all manner of tasks, including emptying ashtrays and taking the boss’ clothing to the dry cleaners. She ultimately got admitted as a practitioner at the age of 50 and was recently promoted to special counsel. Here, she reflects on her uncommon journey, including going in and out of the legal profession, and what the emerging generation can learn from her experiences. In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Thynne + Macartney special counsel Vicky Martin to discuss her earliest experiences in a law firm shortly after leaving high school, the myriad twists and turns her life and career have taken since those early days, overcoming a fear of responsibility that practitioners have, and how life maturity brings all-important perspective. Martin also delves into life as a mature-age law student and then graduate lawyer, her insights into goal setting and achieving those goals, building up a contact base, the differences in how colleagues and clients might approach a mature-age professional, and her broader lessons and reflections on how best to climb the corporate ladder and have faith in one’s self and one’s abilities. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!  

Here, the chief executive and managing partner of Gadens joins to discuss the BigLaw player’s recent national integration, its strategy moving forward, the importance of being “Australian at our core”, and what he’s learnt about leadership from the hit TV show Ted Lasso. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Gadens chief executive and managing partner Mark Pistilli about his journey in the legal profession and how he came to head up the BigLaw firm, Gadens’ recent national integration and how and why this was executed, where he thinks the firm currently sits in the legal services marketplace, why he is positioning the firm as “Australian at our core”, and why this approach resonates with clients across the country. Pistilli also delves into the firm’s strategy moving forward and how he intends to overcome market challenges, his role as the firm’s head in driving it forward in the current climate, whether or not the firm is exploring new practice areas, whether the government should be engaging global firms on matters pertaining to national security, what he has learnt from Ted Lasso and how he incorporates that show’s teaching into the workplace, and what motivates him now that he is in the “legacy” phase of his legal career. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

In the wake of increased insolvencies across the market, particularly in sectors like construction, preferred creditors like legal service providers may see fees paid to them clawed back by liquidators. Here, we discuss the potential impacts on legal businesses and how best to safeguard your firm moving forward. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by MA Legal senior associate Cristian Urdea to discuss the increased volume of insolvencies in the market, the flow-on effect of clawing back fees, why lawyers are preferred creditors, and the inherent risks with providing legal services to companies that may be at risk of insolvency. Urdea also delves into the potential consequences for firms that may be worried about their bottom line, the “growing general understanding” of the impact of liquidators looking to claw back fees, out-of-pocket disbursements to barristers, putting in place practical steps to safeguard one’s firm, ensuring debts are secured, and why firm owners need to better concern themselves with such financial security questions.

Lawyers promoting their legal practice and broader brand is becoming more commonplace in Australia but is perhaps not as mainstream as in global jurisdictions. Whether tall poppy syndrome or an archaic view of self-promotion, lawyers who modernise brand-building often face reticence or scepticism from certain corners of the legal profession .In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Danielle Snell and Robert McGirr, the founders of award-winning firm Elit Lawyers by McGirr and Snell, to discuss the evolution of self-promotion of a lawyer’s legal services to the market over the years, whether such promotion is client-driven or spurred by the need to stand out from competitors (or both), and the stigma that can surround such promotion. Snell and McGirr also reflect on the myriad sociocultural factors that might contribute to such stigma, how Australians compare on such fronts to their global counterparts, why there remains a long way to go before lawyers’ self-promotion is more mainstream, what a lawyer needs to establish in getting started on the promotion journey, first steps to be taken, differentiating between personal and professional marketing, the relevant modes of communication, and the investment of time required. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Australia’s “housing disaster” could soon turn catastrophic, says former Victorian Supreme Court justice Kevin Bell. To counter this, the nation needs not just legislative action but also a reframing of our collective mindset to view housing not as the Great Australian Dream but as a fundamental right. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes the Honourable Kevin Bell AO KC, former justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria and patron of Tenants Victoria, to discuss his new book – Housing: The Great Australian Right – and why housing is no longer a dream for Australians but rather a “nightmare”, his upbringing in social housing and motivation to see an overhaul of our housing system, and why housing needs to be viewed as a right for all persons across the community. Bell also unpacks the four-pronged disaster currently facing Australia’s housing system, recalibrating the national mindset about housing as a right rather than an investment or commodity, what a national plan can and should look like and why legislation is needed instead of policy, our collective duty to view housing as a human right, and whether he is optimistic that Australia can avoid catastrophe. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

In the first six months of this year, plaintiff firms have investigated and pursued a “very broad base of claims”, and even though there has been a softening in filing rates for the year-to-date, it will be prudent to maintain a cautious outlook, one BigLaw partner says. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Allens partner and class actions co-lead Alex Tolliday about how and why he ended up practising in this space, why he finds the “detective work” so rewarding, the key takeaways from his firm’s recently released Class action risk: Interim update report, and what we can learn from the volume of filings seen in the last six months, and what it could mean for the back half of the year. Tolliday also reflects on there having been no shareholder proceedings filed so far this year, the volume of consumer proceedings being witnessed and a pending High Court judgment, how teams like his prepare for what might be coming in the market, whether we will see more cyber and data privacy proceedings being brought, ensuring clients are as prepared as possible for proceedings of any kind, whether ESG-slanted proceedings are being brought, what good leadership of a class action team looks like, and what excites him about working in this space moving forward. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

In recent years, there’s been a “huge” rise in the number of boutique practices in NSW alone, and such firms, more broadly, are becoming more and more specialised. These trends, together with increased demand from clients for competitive rates, have created a “perfect storm” in which small firms can flourish against the big end of town. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Redenbach Legal principal Keith Redenbach to discuss the increase in specialisation and movement away from generalisation in smaller firms, the modernisation of law as a profession, economic jitters and how these impact upon small-firm owners. Redenbach also discusses the “perfect storm” creating opportunities for specialised, smaller law firms that can offer competitive rates relative to the big end of town, the challenges inherent with staying ahead of the curve, the questions firm owners need to ask themselves in the new financial year, playing offence and defence, understanding why specialisation is so critical moving forward, and why he is so excited about such market disruption. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

While not all allegations of bullying will meet the legal definition of such misconduct, Max Kimber SC reflects, the raising of those concerns will very likely be indicative of broader relationship issues within the workplace, which all employers would do well to address. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back barrister and mediator Max Kimber SC to discuss allegations of bullying in legal and non-legal workplaces, how such alleged misconduct may stem from relationship and communication failures on the part of the workplace, and why prevention and early intervention are so essential. Kimber also responds to whether there is an increase in allegations of bullying or related misconduct in recent years since the COVID-19 pandemic, what constitutes best practice in addressing relationship and communication failures, recognising the positive duties that businesses and team leaders have moving forward, shoring up the fundamentals of workplace culture, finding new ways to speak to one’s employer about necessary team cultural and environmental changes, the role of HR, and his optimism that the profession can move forward in the right ways. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

With the new financial year underway, lawyers looking to expand their property portfolios or get on the property ladder should do the “smart yards”, not rest on the laurels of increased borrowing capacity, and ensure they are getting the best deal for themselves in the current market. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Legal Home Loans director Andrew Johnson and director of sales Cullen Haynes to discuss the state of the “moveable feast” that is the Australian property market, why banks move their rates in line with the Reserve Bank, whether the start of the new financial year brings new opportunities for lawyers to be aware of, and what bankers might not be telling legal professionals about how best to get ahead. Johnson and Haynes also delve into the good news for lawyers who have been promoted in recent times and those who run their own practices, why asking the right questions is so critical, the need to be diligent and not rest on one’s laurels, practical steps that lawyers can and should take at this juncture, meaningfully making time to do a financial wellness check, having a personal board of directors for financial matters, considerations for high-net-worth lawyers, and why if you don’t ask, you don’t get. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

The new financial year offers business owners a chance to regroup, recalibrate, and determine what comes next. Award-winning sole practitioner Claire Styles says firm leaders must take a more holistic approach to such a process to ensure better outcomes not just professionally but also personally. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back C Legal founder and principal Claire Styles, who last year won the Sole Practitioner category at the Women in Law Awards, about what it means to design one’s life as a firm owner, why this is so important for her, taking a more existential and holistic approach to such questions, and appreciating what it means to run a small business and have a personal life at the same time. Styles also delves into the growing number of small law firm owners taking the approach she espouses, the practical steps to take and questions to ask in redesigning a life and business approach that makes sense to an individual practitioner, and what she looks forward to in the new financial year. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

According to one employment law partner, the tone of certain disputes between employers and employees is shifting, with issues at the executive level being fought harder and businesses looking to be more aggressive about enforcing restraints. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Hamilton Locke partner Timothy Zahara about how and why he became an employment lawyer and why he finds it so interesting, how executive disputes are becoming harder to settle, how the mainstreaming of psychological risks and a broad sense of burnout is contributing to such disputes, the perfect storm of executives feeling burnt out and no oversight of their output, and the broader implications for businesses and firms in navigating such executive-level disputes. Zahara also delves into the evolving nature of post-employment restraints and how and why there is increased aggression in this space right now, the potential “chilling effect” of such restraints, whether businesses are watching the non-compete debate in the United States and acting accordingly, whether the newfound aggression is a result of post-pandemic environmental trends, what businesses can be doing moving forward to better protect their interests while not constraining employees, what constitutes good leadership moving forward, and what trends might be on the horizon. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Mel Storey has been tasked with growing the presence of global tech firm Pax8 in the Asia-Pacific region. Here, she outlines her practical and strategic vision for achieving this goal, how other law department leaders can support broader business growth (geographic or otherwise), being both more and less human at the same time, and why corporate lawyers should remember to “eat an elephant one bite at a time”. In this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Pax8 head of legal (APAC) Mel Storey to discuss her journey in law and why in-house life has been so stimulating for her, the mandate she has been given to grow Pax8’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region, her goals for this new chapter of her corporate legal life, and her definition of a good in-house lawyer, and how she’ll look to apply that definition to what she is trying to achieve in her new role. Storey also details the practical steps she is planning to take to grow Pax8’s APAC presence, the questions to be asked of herself and the law department in achieving success, balancing the BAU against the forward-looking growth, incorporating a wellness strategy into the broader approach, the challenges she foresees on the horizon and how she plans to navigate these, and why it is so critical for in-house counsel tasked with business growth to “eat an elephant one bite at a time”. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Until such time as the Fair Work Commission sets precedents from test cases, employers may need to err on the side of caution when it comes to the implementation of the new Right to Disconnect. This does not, however, mean leaders in law should be trepidatious – instead, the new laws are an opportunity for optimal leadership. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Professor Gabrielle Golding from the University of Adelaide to discuss her research into the need for a workplace right to disconnect (which has now become law), what the new laws will look like in practice, the definition of reasonableness, and how employers are broadly feeling about their new obligations. Professor Golding also delves into how leaders can approach their new duties on top of all other competing obligations, the volume of unpaid labour being undertaken in Australia’s workforce, how businesses can react accordingly, the potential for exacerbation of generational differences, the various scenarios in which an employee can or should be contacted, the need to err on the side of caution, and waiting for test cases. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

In this special episode of LawTech Talks, produced in partnership with PracticeEvolve, we unpack the need for law firms to take a step back and evaluate the value being gleaned from their tech stacks so as to better resolve business operational challenges and maximise opportunities. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with PracticeEvolve’s Head of Sales Gab Santos and Head of Marketing Adam Bullion about the PMS provider’s journey in recent years, how and why Australian practitioners have been more innovative than global counterparts, why striking the right balance between innovation and stability is so critical in the current climate, and how well law firms are managing the cost of tech stacks at present. Santos and Bullion also reflect on the questions that firms need to ask of themselves when evaluating tech stacks, how firms can extrapolate better value from their providers, how the evolution of AI and machine learning can and will influence legal software solutions moving forward, and their best practice guidance for firm leaders to strike a better balance moving forward. To learn more about PracticeEvolve, click here. If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

In an age of rapid tech advancement, PhD candidate Chantal McNaught is fascinated by the navigation of conflict between law as a profession and law as a business. Zooming out and taking a more holistic approach to the purpose of law is essential, she argues. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with New Zealand-based Chantal McNaught, who is a PhD candidate at Bond University and a practice advisory manager at LEAP, to discuss her upcoming dissertation, the philosophical questions in distinguishing between the profession of law and the business of law, navigating the uncertainty of new and emerging technologies, and the need for practitioners to properly reflect on the implications of their use of new tech. McNaught also delves into environmental and external factors contributing to broader uncertainty, the need to think more holistically about one’s role as a lawyer in a changing professional services marketplace, the questions lawyers need to ask of themselves and their businesses, the importance of theory in informing the practical, and why such undertakings are so exciting for lawyers to sink their teeth into. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Once law graduates get out into the profession, the long hours and volume of work can often mean that keeping in touch with friends, including lawyer colleagues, is difficult to the point of feeling isolated. One young lawyer is trying to change that. In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Baybridge solicitor Jennie Siow, who recently founded The Legal Mixer, about her experience and social circle at law school, the work she does at Baybridge, her experience and observations of the struggles that new and emerging practitioners have when it comes to maintaining genuine connections, and the flow-on consequences of such social isolation in a tough vocation. Siow also details her efforts to create new opportunities for social interaction for new practitioners, why she thinks such social gatherings are so important, the benefits that recent graduates can glean from such social occasions, how they can overcome fears about their capacity to engage, broader, practical steps to be taken to ensure that one can maintain the connections they have already formed. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Running a successful law firm is trying at the best of times. In the wake of personal and familial tragedy, being a business owner is immensely more difficult. Here, Kelli Martin reflects on how she keeps her firm going while dealing with loss and details what other firm owners can learn from her experiences. (Content warning: This episode contains content that may be distressing to some listeners. Discretion is advised.) In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with KLM Solicitors managing partner Kelli Martin about her firm’s journey since inception, the recent tragedy that struck her family and the toll it is taking, how she and her family are managing, and what she is learning from such processes. Martin also reflects on her efforts to keep her law firm going while navigating personal matters, how she has learnt to lean on and trust colleagues more, understanding the need to reach out to those around you, how her business objectives and plans are shifting in the wake of changing personal circumstances and why, and her broader guidance to small law firm owners. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

While lawyers are adept at navigating conflict on behalf of clients, they are often ill equipped to deal with their interpersonal conflict, says one barrister and solicitor-turned-mediator and executive coach. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Maria Newport, a “recovering lawyer” now working as a mediator and executive coach, about her journey in the legal profession and what drew her to such work, why discussing lawyers’ inability to manage interpersonal conflict is such a critical conversation, whether such capacities have gotten worse since the onset of COVID-19, and how commonplace it is across the profession. Newport also unpacks lawyers’ cognisance of such issues and the time constraints to address them, examples of how an inability to manage interpersonal conflict can have flow-on consequences for lawyers, the nexus to profession-wide mental health concerns, the practical steps that lawyers can be taking to better manage interpersonal conflict, how difficult such self-improvement can be, and why lawyers cannot let this issue fall by the wayside. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

In this special episode, brought to you by Lawyers Weekly’s sister brand, Cyber Daily, Cyber Security Minister Clare O’Neil unpacks how the Albanese government aims to make Australia the world’s most cyber secure nation by 2030. Minister O’Neil provides host Liam Garman with firsthand insight into upcoming cyber security legislation to keep us safe online, reflects on the threats that keep her up and night, and how the government is tackling such a broad array of online threats – from phishing attacks to credential stuffing and insider threats. She also shares her thoughts on the recent Deloitte report on the Optus attack, clears up some common questions on SOCI/SLACIP, and details upcoming cyber security legislation and what the future of digital transformation looks like in Australia. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

In the wake of voluminous change in the industrial relations space, it is critical to reflect on how such legislative updates will impact workplaces of all stripes and how both employers and employees can navigate such evolutions to working life. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back barrister Ian Neil SC to discuss the “tumultuous” past year in industrial relations reform, the myriad changes that were legislated and are coming into effect, what the response from businesses and employers has been to such change, and whether the net effect of such changes will be to drive up the cost of labour. Neil also delves into how businesses can and should respond to the “tidal wave” of changes, why good governance has never been more essential, what the Closing Loopholes and Right to Disconnect legislation means and what its impacts might be, what might be the headline industrial relations issues to contend with in the future in light of such changes, why prudent employers will see the changes as an opportunity, what will constitute best practice moving forward, and the likely volume of work headed in the direction of legal practitioners and HR professionals. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

In this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with York Hamilton, we explore the upward trajectory of utilising remote talent, offshoring, and broader business automation considerations in Australia’s legal marketplace and how best legal businesses can proceed in the coming year. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with York Hamilton managing partner Evan Kostopoulos to discuss the need for law firms Down Under to evolve how their businesses operate, the receptiveness to such change in recent years, ensuring your firm isn’t left behind in a rapidly shifting marketplace, the benefits of utilising remote talent, and whether law firms are seeing an urgent need to explore such options in the current climate. Evan also reflects on the journey of York Hamilton, the business opportunities that can and will open up from offshoring, including potential revamps to business structure and objectives, how to engage with firms that are reluctant to explore offshoring, the place of tech in such conversations, how firms are faring on broader business automation matters, how the legal marketplace will continue to shift, and why offshoring and automation should excite leaders in law moving forward. To learn more about York Hamilton, click here. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

As one who has experienced significant adversity in life, Rugare Gomo understands better than most the importance of not just authenticity and vulnerability but also the imperative to be brave and live and work according to one’s own expectations rather than what might be expected of us by others and broader society. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Rugare Gomo, a high-performance coach, author and former lawyer, to discuss how and why he left Zimbabwe for Australia as a teenager, deciding to study and practise law and his journey in the profession, and his realisation that – personally and professionally – he needed to approach life in ways truer to his values and purpose rather than in accordance with external expectations. Gomo details how lawyers can push back against ingrained traits and characteristics so that they can live from the heart, what went wrong in his life when he wasn’t true to himself, overcoming self-limiting beliefs and fear of asking stupid questions, how time-poor leaders can better create safe spaces for staff, how individuals can find safe spaces, how to practically start being braver and more creative, and how and why such an approach to one’s personal and professional has been beneficial for him.

In this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with Naiman Clarke, we explore how best candidates can navigate reviews with their employers regarding salary increases and promotions and what might constitute best practice if one is searching for a new role. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Naiman Clarke director Kristina Steele about emerging trends based on market research and conversations with candidates and clients, current market sentiment, the “wrong” reasons that candidates might put themselves out into the market, against the backdrop of power shifting back towards employers, as well as why candidates need to be pragmatic and realistic about their prospects for higher salaries, better titles, or being better offer elsewhere. Kristina also delves into the questions that candidates can ask of themselves if they do make the decision to enter the market, how employees can and should be communicating with their superiors as they complete their reviews, what might constitute best practice for employers in the current climate, and what she sees as an exciting new financial year ahead in legal recruitment. To learn more about Naiman Clarke, including its new salary guide, click here. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Having to wear multiple hats is nothing new for small law firm owners. In the current climate, and against the backdrop of workplace and legislative change, proactivity is fundamental for leaders looking to stay ahead. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Gallant Law founder and principal Lauren Cassimatis to discuss the evolution of her firm since its inception five years ago, the practical and professional realisations one has around the need to wear multiple hats, how one has to regularly evaluate the hats being worn and why, and what one needs to be on top of as the new financial year hits. Cassimatis also delves into striking the right balance between proactivity and reactivity, whether the idea of wearing multiple hats is becoming harder in the current climate, the need for self-care as an additional string to one’s bow, the practical steps she will be implementing in the new financial year, lessons she has learnt over the years when it comes to balancing competing responsibilities, what constitutes best practice, and what excites her about the next 12 months. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

In this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with FeeSynergy, we explore how a firm’s processes can and should be enhanced, including improvements to debtor management, payments, and the overall client user experience. Host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by FeeSynergy founder and director Miki Simonovski to discuss the ever-increasing importance of ensuring efficient cash flow for your business, best practice client experience when it comes to invoice design and self-service capability, and how law firm owners and business leaders are creating unnecessary headaches for themselves. Miki Simonovski also delves into current issues being seen with debtor management, payment and billing processes and models, client payments, how these issues can be overcome by legal businesses, and how firms can ensure easy wins. To learn more about FeeSynergy, click here. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

When faced with the possibility of losing one of her senior lawyers to a leave of absence, Bree Knoester – by her admission – initially adopted a narrow, traditional mindset around what that departure would mean for her firm. Ultimately, however, she resolved to approach the matter from a wellness perspective and be true to her and her firm’s values to ensure that the business’s interests and the need for lawyers to approach their careers in idiosyncratic ways could successfully intersect. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Brave Legal founder and principal Bree Knoester and senior associate Jyoti Haikerwal about Haikerwal’s decision to take a leave of absence for her personal and educational development, how Knoester initially responded but then reframed her thinking, and why it is so important for firm owners to adopt non-traditional mindsets to such leadership and recruitment questions. Knoester and Haikerwal also discuss how best to prioritise wellness and career longevity for staff, creating supportive, hospitable environments in which staff feel supported and encouraged to speak out, viewing the intersection between business interests and non-linear pathways as an opportunity rather than a problem, and what the future looks like for firms and individuals who can successfully integrate different interests.

Understanding the needs of the business you work for, and becoming more than simply a legal practitioner, is essential for any junior lawyer looking to rise through the ranks. In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back UniSuper legal counsel Chloe Giamadakis, an award-nominated in-house lawyer, to discuss how and why she realised that being commercially minded was going to be so critical to her professional development, whether law school prepares one to think beyond technical legal skills, and why commercial know-how is so important in the current climate. Giamadakis also delves into evolving expectations and understandings of what it means to be a lawyer, the first steps to take in becoming commercially minded, questions to ask of one’s self and the law department, how and where networking takes place post-pandemic, how to have conversations with other business functions, lessons she has learnt along the way, understanding the needs of various stakeholders, making time for such professional development, and why she is a better lawyer for being commercially minded. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Substantial inequities remain across Australian society, including but not limited to homelessness, energy and water justice, and disability rights. Here, we unpack where we’re at in combating pervasive social injustice and what the legal profession can be doing more of. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Justice and Equity Centre chief executive Jonathon Hunyor about how and why he became so interested in social justice work, how well Australia is faring in addressing social inequities relative to other jurisdictions, the polarisation of public debate, and the extent to which Australian practitioners want to advocate for social justice. Hunyor also delves into the state of affairs on homelessness, disability rights, civil rights, First Nations people, and energy and water justice, how lawyers can do more to help, how legal employers can and should view their corporate social responsibility, and why the Public Interest Advocacy Centre has changed its name to the Justice and Equity Centre. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

While over-indulgence with alcohol in legal circles is nothing new, it remains somewhat of a taboo topic for lawyers. Overcoming problematic consumption of alcohol is critical for employers and individuals alike to ensure a healthier, happier, and more productive profession. (Content warning: This episode contains content that may be distressing for some listeners. Discretion is advised.) In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by lawyer-turned-counsellor and coach Isabella Ferguson to discuss her journey in the legal profession, her struggles with “problematic” drinking while working as a practitioner, and how and why she now works as a counsellor and coach to legal professionals.  Ferguson also delves into the rates of problematic drinking among the legal cohort and the myriad impacts this has on lawyers (both personally and professionally), as well as the consequences for legal workplaces, the ways that legal employers can better support their workers, and what individuals can do to ensure they are living healthier existences.  Help is available via the Alcohol and Drug Information Service on 1800 250 015, as well as via Lifeline, Beyond Blue, and related resources. State and territory law societies and bar associations also have support resources available via their websites.  If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

For small law firm owners, the stakes are high in tough economic times. Here, we flesh out the impact that the current cost-of-living crisis is having on boutique practices across the country, how best to wade through this period, and why it’s so important to speak with colleagues and knowledge-share. Host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Legalite managing principal Marianne Marchesi to discuss the impact of the current economic climate on small firms and their owners, how worried firm owners are right now about the cost-of-living crisis, and why it is so important to talk about one’s situation and fears with fellow firm owners. Marchesi also discusses the need for longer-term strategies as a business owner, being both proactive and reactive with cost management, investing in the right external advisers to keep the firm afloat, and other practical approaches to ensure that your firm can not only keep its head above water but also continue to thrive in the modern marketplace. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

In this special episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, produced in partnership with TransPerfect Legal, we explore how important data is to businesses in FY25, the importance of good information governance to manage risk, the use of AI in modern legal work, and some advice for in-house teams on how to deal with data before, during and after a dispute or investigation. Host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back TransPerfect Legal director Tom Balmer to discuss key reflections and takeaways from the recent Corporate Counsel Summit, how worried law department leaders are about litigation/regulatory risks, why information governance is so essential in managing these risks, and questions to ask/advice to help businesses improve. We also delve into how and why AI is currently being used to deal with increasing data volumes, the limitations and risks associated, the issues with AI in sales, and some advice for businesses to prepare themselves for disputes/investigations. To learn more about TransPerfect Legal, click here. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Award-winning GC, public speaker, and author Theo Kapodistrias learnt early how essential it was to speak with myriad stakeholders in a language they can all understand. Doing so, he says, opens the door to more successful collaboration and productivity across the board. In this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Evergen general counsel Theo Kapodistrias to discuss how and why he discovered the importance of being a good communicator and how to speak to others professionally, avoiding “legalese” where necessary, how the post-pandemic working world makes good communication even more critical, and the questions in-house lawyers need to ask of themselves in order to become better at communication. Kapodistrias also reflects on the steps he took to bolster his skill set, the investment of time required, learning how to speak to different business units, the flow-on effects from better understanding how to communicate and engage, how high a priority being a good communicator must be in the current climate, appreciating the different modes of communication, how and why he uses video messaging, how and why he is better off – personally and professionally – for being a good communicator, and the book he is soon to release on these matters. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

In this special episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, produced in partnership with LawVu, we explore new and better ways of working for law departments of all stripes and detail practical steps to ensure the legal team is a driving force – particularly at a time of inflection for such professionals. Host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back LawVu chief legal evangelist Shaun Plant to discuss his new book, How to make in-house a powerhouse: A revolutionary way of working for in-house legal teams, and why he wanted to write it, the longstanding challenges facing law departments across the board, the history of the general counsel, and whether we are at an inflection point for the law department’s relevance. Plant also details the external factors changing the working environment for in-house lawyers, his proposed framework for law departments to become more of a driving force within a business, how to address the daily operational and practical challenges for those teams, the questions that departments need to be asking of themselves to get the most value out of new approaches, and why law departments have no option but to adapt moving forward. To learn more about LawVu, click here. To learn more about Shaun Plant’s book, click here. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Creating a workplace that is safe, respectful and inclusive is not just about mitigating risk and exposure – it helps a business provide a better return on investment. Here, a BigLaw partner details the importance of nurturing the workplace and those within it and how to do so. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Hall & Wilcox partner Fay Calderone to discuss her new book, Broken to Safe, how and why she decided to write it, the state of affairs for combating workplace health and safety issues in Australia, and the appetite among business leaders to enact meaningful change. Calderone also delves into her proposed framework for businesses to ensure they can be more high-performing and increasingly supportive of all staff members, the questions that business leaders need to be asking in order to implement change, the extent to which staff can and should be engaged in identifying the best pathways forward, and whether or not Australia is headed in the right direction in fostering safe, respectful, and inclusive workplaces. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Join us for a special episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, in partnership with LegalVision, where we reveal how your law department can streamline high-volume BAU work and focus on impactful tasks without relying on technology. Host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes Emmanuel Giuffre, LegalVision’s Head of Legal and General Manager, to discuss the innovative methods used by this leading firm. Learn about low-tech transformation projects, building a strong team foundation, and making data-driven decisions. Discover how aligning productivity with business priorities can revolutionise your department. Manny shares key questions to evaluate transformation outcomes, practical steps to initiate these projects, real-life case studies, and insights on LegalVision’s support for general counsel and in-house teams. Don’t miss this chance to enhance your legal function’s efficiency and effectiveness. Tune in now to unlock the secrets of in-house legal transformation. To learn more about LegalVision, click here. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Australia requires much more legal clarity when it comes to making decisions in the best interests of critically ill and dying children, argues one author and academic. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Melbourne Law School honorary research fellow Dr James Cameron, who has authored a new book, Critically Ill Children and the Law: Medical Decision-making and the Best Interests Principle, about the various gaps in the law when it comes to making decisions in the best interests of sick children, the challenges this presents for both parents and medical practitioners, and various examples of how this can play out in practice. Cameron also details the extent to which change might be on the horizon, the legislative and regulatory changes that are urgently needed, how to determine what is reasonable in the current climate post-pandemic, and his proposed framework to address the legal challenges and gaps currently being witnessed in the medical system. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

How can law firm partners, in practices big and small, lead on psychological and psychosocial hazards when remuneration structures revolve around profit generation? Andrew Douglas has ideas for how such workplace leaders can meaningfully dedicate themselves to making a difference for their staff rather than simply relying on slogans. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back FCW managing principal Andrew Douglas to discuss his concerns about partner capacity to lead on wellness issues given remuneration structures and frameworks, how his firm has attempted to foster and embed a new culture and environment, and whether legal workplaces are incompatible with optimal wellness given the focus on profit. Douglas also delves into what he has learnt about the role of a law firm leader like himself, making time rather than finding time to manage staff needs, navigating such needs in a post-pandemic world, better aligning purpose with profit (and everything in between), firm leaders’ scepticism to make necessary changes, and the practical steps that fellow managing partners must take. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

Jennifer Tutty was once told that she could never be a lawyer and a DJ at the same time. Now, having practised for 20 years and grown a successful practice, she has pertinent guidance for firm owners about how to build one’s brand, put one’s self out there, and flourish. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Studio Legal founder and principal Jennifer Tutty to discuss the inception and growth of her boutique firm, how working as a DJ and networking in nightclubs helped build her brand and clientele as a new lawyer, what it taught her about the importance of branding, why music and creativity are so uplifting for her, and how mindful such activities are. Tutty also reflects on how being a DJ has helped her run a successful firm, navigate people’s scepticism, what she’s learnt from her experiences over 20 years in law, the importance of wellness in small firms, what has surprised her in her two decades of practice, her guidance to other firm owners ahead of FY2024–25, and what excites her about the future of her own practice and her firm. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!

In this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with Clayton Utz, we reflect on how cyber security and data privacy will, in the future, impact every point of professional life and thus require more forward-looking approaches. Host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Clayton Utz partner and head of cyber and data governance Brenton Steenkamp to discuss how and why he ended up in cyber, why the work is so purposeful and meaningful for him, what Clayton Utz offers clients in this space, and why the BigLaw firm is investing heavily in cyber. Steenkamp also details what a day in the life of a cyber partner looks like, whether it is becoming more difficult to work in the cyber space, the indisputable need for preparation, getting into the head of threat actors in order to better serve clients, what conversations with clients typically look like, building resilience, flexing one’s muscles, and the opportunities for cyber practitioners moving forward. To learn more about Clayton Utz’s work in this space, click here.

As lawyer Melisa Sloan has discovered, making time to properly reflect on significant rites of passage – from buying your first home to caring for an ageing parent – not only offers pertinent personal lessons but also makes one a better professional. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Madison Sloan Lawyers founder Melisa Sloan about her journey in law to date, how and why she discovered the importance of reflecting on the big moments in life, what she has gleaned from such reflections, and what others can learn from such experiences. Sloan also stresses the importance of regular reflection, how busy professionals like lawyers can make time (rather than find time) to take stock of life’s happenings, why it is so meaningful and purposeful, how to identify moments in life to reflect on, and the practical steps to take in doing so. If you like this episode, show your support by  rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!