Bird & Bird’s Australian head on a decade Down Under and what comes next

Global law firm Bird & Bird is celebrating 10 years in operation in Australia. To mark that occasion, the firm’s Australian head and managing partner spoke with Lawyers Weekly about the decade that has been, what the future holds, and where the firm sees opportunities Down Under and offers advice to aspiring managing partners.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Bird & Bird Australian head and managing partner Shane Barber about his journey as a lawyer, what constitutes good leadership in law, whether it has gotten easier or harder to be a managing partner, his advice to those seeking to lead firms, and his takeaways from Bird & Bird’s 10 years in Australia.

Barber also reflects on the firm’s successes Down Under and what he sees as being the big market challenges to overcome in 2025 and beyond, the corners of the Australian market that the firm will continue to target, and the fear and excitement that drives law firm leaders.