Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network

The School of Law and Society at the University of the Sunshine Coast recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Here, its dean, Professor Jay Sanderson, reflects on the decade that has been, what’s coming in the future, and how to overcome the issues and trends facing current students and, ultimately, the legal education environment. In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Professor Jay Sanderson, dean of law at the University of the Sunshine Coast, about the School of Law and Society at the Queensland-based provider, how and why he got into legal academia, the 10-year anniversary celebrations, what the next decade can and will look like for legal education and students, and the headline issues facing students at present. Sanderson also delves into how receptive students are to increased AI use, necessary evolutions to course content in the wake of market and technological change, predictions for the future of legal education, the role of law faculties in helping student cohorts address the changing landscape, and the critical need to listen to law students and their circumstances.

Jane Bowes cannot recall a time when she was ever as happy and motivated to go to work as she is right now. However, to get to this place, she has overcome hardship and trauma, found success through failure, and learnt – over the course of her vocational journey – that being a “rough diamond” is one of her biggest strengths. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Bowes Legal principal and director Jane Bowes about her unconventional entry into the legal profession, what women have to put up with in law, overcoming traumatic incidents, moving forward productively from such experiences, the importance of mentors and how to find them. Bowes also delves into having a good sense of self, bringing one’s full personality to work and why, being a rough diamond rather than a polished gem, lessons from starting one’s firm and how to push through when you want to give up, appreciating that success comes from repeated failure, and what being a dancer has taught her about life as a lawyer. 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!

Having fallen pregnant shortly after starting her law firm, Melanie Vairawanathan understands not only how imperative it is for law firms to accommodate the idiosyncratic needs of employees but also how essential it is to do so in ways that minimise costs and optimise the quality of legal services. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Melmark Law founder Melanie Vairawanathan about breaking away from the mould of traditional gender roles, the challenge of having a newborn shortly after founding her firm, why it is so important for law firms to be leading the way in not only offering flexibility but also making it central to the business model, and being a business leader that proactively seeks to offer adaptable workplace structures. Vairawanathan also delves into the cohorts of the legal profession that such an approach can and will benefit, countering workplace trends like the Great Break-up, overcoming financial constraints and traditional mindsets in leaning more heavily into a flexible business model, what she thinks is working well and not so well in providing greater accommodations for staff needs, the flow-on benefits for the business in being more adaptable, and why shifting how lawyers work will ultimately be a win-win for all stakeholders. 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!

Research shows that, in recent years, there has been a huge uptick in the number of women professionals leaving their roles in the face of myriad employer shortcomings, both to address idiosyncratic needs and in light of certain unconscious biases. Legal employers, among others, must address such concerns better if they are to retain top female talent. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back freelance general counsel Anna Lozynski to discuss how and why she’s always valued flexible working arrangements for herself, observations of broader take-up of such arrangements by other women lawyers, what the Great Break-up is and why it is significant for women professionals, and the ways in which businesses may be failing their female employees. Lozynski also delves into the sociocultural and vocational structures that make it difficult for women (and men) to break free of traditional expectations and norms, what female professionals are choosing to do if they leave their employers and why, the influence of family planning, the practical steps that employers must take moving forward to better address staff needs, and why employees need to know their worth.

Here, an IP lawyer who produced a film that qualified for nomination at the Oscars, discusses her longtime passion for cinema, balancing her filmmaking with working as a sole practitioner, and how storytelling helps with arguments in the law. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Slater Intellectual Property Lawyers principal Anny Slater about how she ended up in IP law, how she came to love film early on in life, the first film that sparked her passion, her film The Ball and its subsequent success, and why she produces short films. Slater also delves into her filmmaking process and how she manages it against her day job, how and why filmmaking helps her be a better lawyer, the complementary skills and insights from filmmaking to IP law and vice versa, the importance of storytelling in becoming a better practitioner, using the law to tell stories, and the need for creative outlets for practitioners. 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!

In this special edition of The Corporate Counsel Show, produced in collaboration with Lawyers on Demand, A Consilio Company, we examine the rising significance of self-hosted AI solutions in the legal sector and how they compare to traditional “closed” AI service providers. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Consilio senior prototyping engineer Mitchell Scott about the rise of self-hosted AI models in legal technology, exploring the advantages and disadvantages of this new approach. Scott also sheds light on why self-hosted AI solutions are fast becoming the future of legal AI, particularly for teams seeking to navigate the complexities of sensitive client data. The discussion also covers Australia’s restrained approach to AI adoption compared to other global markets, key risks and harms currently posed by AI, and how legal teams should prepare their data for AI-enabled systems. They also discuss high-impact areas for AI tools, the importance of trial and error in the adoption process, and how Consilio’s new Guided AI Review can better support legal teams in the litigation discovery process. To learn more about Lawyers on Demand, A Consilio Company, click here. To learn more about the Guided AI Review, 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!

Increasingly, ownership of digital assets and resources will form part of estates and, at present, there exists a “real conflict” in how those heirlooms will be treated, as compared to traditional assets like property. The evolving legal landscape, one principal says, requires a different approach to thinking about legal advice. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Tiyce & Lawyers principal Michael Tiyce about the struggles Australian legislation currently has with digital heirlooms and why, the flow-on issues for successful planning and wills and estates, the increased use and ownership of digital assets, and the consequences for lawyers on the ground given the state of affairs. Tiyce also reflects on the extent of cynicism from and a lack of education for Australians when it comes to digital assets, the potential for unjust outcomes in disputes, recommendations to standardise rights and procedures when it comes to digital records and assets, how lawyers can better serve and advocate for clients in the absence of such reform, employing a different way of thinking about property, and what will constitute best practice for lawyers 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!

Here, we bring you an episode from Lawyers Weekly’s sister brand, HR Leader, in which we unpack the headline hurdles facing the human resources departments in professional services businesses, such as law firms, and how HR can and should manage those issues. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Swaab head of people and culture Angela Sharpe about her work at the Sydney-based mid-sized firm, what motivates her about working in the HR space, navigating talent shortages and increased competition for top candidates, the need to think more creatively about identifying ideal talent, the ever-present mental health challenges in such firms, and the role of HR teams in improving workplace wellness. Sharpe also delves into the myriad legislative changes that HR teams have to grapple with, including the recently introduced Right to Disconnect, the corresponding duties that HR teams must undertake, the emergence of new technologies and how best HR teams must adapt, striking the right balance between streamlining processes and ensuring the human touch doesn’t get lost, and reflects on whether it has ever been more difficult to be in HR in a professional services environment. 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!

Here, we bring you an episode from Momentum Media’s newest show, Contested Ground, in which Joe Hockey, former Australian ambassador to the United States, joins hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson and Steve Kuper to discuss the continued importance of the relationship between Australia and the United States. The trio discuss the fallout of the latest presidential debate between contenders, former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, touching on the implications for the bilateral relationship, the role of grey zone warfare and information warfare efforts in the upcoming election and how they may shape the outcome, as well as the importance of the partnership in helping Australia reindustrialise and build a truly sovereign defence industrial base, with a pathway forward to establishing an integrated Australian prime. Contested Ground is a new podcast investigating the complex and murky world of grey zone warfare as nations compete on the global stage. It lifts the veil on how state and non-state actors compete for influence below the threshold of armed conflict, informing business and public sector leaders on how malicious actors exploit Australia’s financial and social systems for their gain. 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!

Australia and its legal profession are embracing diversity more than ever before. Here, one Indigenous law student reflects on her experience interning with a BigLaw firm and how others can put themselves forward for more and better opportunities. In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with McCabes intern Lara Jash, a Yuin and Kamilaroi woman, about how and why she came to study law and her experience in the profession thus far, the internship program she is undertaking with one of the nation’s biggest law firms and what it entails, and the broader perspective the internship has offered her into the promotion of diversity in the legal profession. Jash also discusses her perception of the experience of Indigenous law students, the sense of isolation that many feel and how best to overcome it, the need to put one’s self out there and be “bubbly”, how best to put one’s self forward for recognition and advancement, why more law firms should champion diversity for Indigenous Australians, and her optimism that the profession can continue to progress on such 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!