Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network

Being boxed in to a particular area of practice has “never really appealed” to Virginia Crawter. Instead, she has looked to pave her own way in law, allowing her — as a senior legal counsel — to operate in ways that make sense to her, thereby allowing her to provide as much benefit to a business as possible. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Main Sequence head of legal and company secretary Virginia Crawter to discuss the lessons she’s learnt from her varied legal career, whether moving in-house has better allowed her to tick the vocational boxes that are most important to her, the day-to-day of in-house government roles and well as what life looks like for in-house VC lawyers, as well as the headline challenges faced by such professionals. Ms Crawter also outlines what crafting her own adventure means to her, how and why she realised such a mindset would be so important for her journey, how to communicate with colleagues and executives about such an approach, the values or outcomes that one needs to understand, how to respond to resistance to crafting one’s own adventure, pushing back on traditional structures and how other in-house lawyers can better shape their vocational direction in the post-pandemic market. 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!

For SME law firms operating in emerging practice areas, ensuring that you and your business meaningfully understand the work being undertaken by your clients — rather than simply having a surface-level appreciation — is critical to the longevity of that firm. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Celia Legal founder and principal Chris Elias to discuss growing a law firm in the spaces of fintech and web3, his perspective on building such a business in the current climate, the headline issues and challenges to be overcome and how he looks to be as across new and emerging technologies as he possibly can be. Mr Elias also delves into how upskilling in new and emerging technologies not only helps grow his business but also makes him a better legal professional for clients, how and why lawyers must be better at client experience moving forward, and what boutique firm owners can learn from those practising in emerging areas, including and especially fintech and web3.

A 294-page review of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has been released, putting forward 51 recommendations to improve the structure, governance, and decision-making processes of the central bank. The review considered the RBA’s performance over the past 30 years and has recommended the biggest overhaul of the central bank in its 63-year history. In this episode, Momentum Media managing editor of mortgages Annie Kane is joined by the managing editor of property and financial services Phil Tarrant to discuss why the RBA review is calling for two RBA boards, their thoughts on dropping to eight cash rate decisions a year, and Philip Lowe’s reactions to the review.

Numerous overseas jurisdictions have implemented “right to disconnect” laws — recognising that workers should be able to switch off outside of working hours. What’s the likelihood that we’ll soon see such laws implemented here? On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by barrister Ian Neil SC to discuss what “right to disconnect” laws are and why they have been implemented in overseas jurisdictions, how such laws operate overseas, whether the need to disconnect has been heightened since the age of COVID-19, and lessons legislators can take from the experiences in other countries. Mr Neil also outlines whether there is an appetite for introducing such laws in Australia (from legislators and employers alike), whether such rules against contacting staff outside of hours could even work in the post-pandemic professional services marketplace, and whether he thinks Australian lawyers will ever be able to do practice with such laws in place.

In this special episode of LawTech Talks, brought to you in partnership with PracticeEvolve, we provide invaluable insights into selecting the right practice management system for your law firm in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Join host Jerome Doraisamy as he interviews Adam Bullion, the General Manager of Marketing, and Anthony Bryce, the Sales Lead in Australia and New Zealand, from PracticeEvolve. In this episode, they delve into the world of practice management systems and the environmental considerations to keep in mind when selecting the right one for your law firm. Listen in as Mr Bullion and Mr Bryce share their insights on how PracticeEvolve assists firm owners in navigating the complex decision-making process of choosing the best software for their unique needs. They also discuss the essential questions that firm owners should be asking when considering software selection and the benefits and drawbacks to consider. Additionally, the trio explores how software providers can offer maximum value to law firms of all sizes and offer practical advice on securing staff buy-in on new technologies and developing long-term operational strategies for your law firm. Whether you’re a legal practitioner, a law firm owner, or simply interested in the evolving landscape of legal technology, this episode is not to be missed. Tune in now to learn from industry experts on identifying the best practice management systems for your law firm. To learn more about PracticeEvolve’s Legal Industry Outlook 2022/23: State of Cloud – From Migration to Realisation report, 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!

The legal profession has, on the whole, been receptive to adopting new technologies for daily operations. Even among those who utilise tech, however, there remains an element of resistance to change — particularly if using a tech platform means giving over control over a given task, argues one lawyer. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with McLay Legal Consulting principal and consultant Fiona McLay about how prevalent technophobia is among Australian lawyers, why it is an issue for so many practitioners, what we mean by technophobia, and whether lawyers feel duty-bound to complete tasks as traditionally intended. Ms McLay also delves into the most common reasons for technophobia, whether the age of COVID-19 has reduced the number of lawyers who resist using various technologies, the practical steps that lawyers can take to overcome any resistance they may have, how best to undergo a mindset shift in terms of your daily operations, and her broader guidance for how and why lawyers can ensure they are prepared for the future of legal practice. 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!

On this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with Madison Marcus, we dive into how firms and practitioners alike can deal with the influx of insolvencies and bankruptcies that could occur if a recession comes to pass. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Madison Marcus director John De La Hoyde about his passion for commercial litigation and insolvency, how and why he came to practise in these spaces, where Australia is at with regards to insolvency against the backdrop of a looming recession and coming out of the pandemic, what clients are currently up against, and how and why it is so important for businesses to be planning ahead and not waiting until it is too late to restructure. Mr De La Hoyde also outlines which sectors are at most risk in the near future and what kind of flow-on consequences there will be for litigators and insolvency lawyers, lessons to be taken from the last economic downturn, what will constitute best practice for lawyers moving forward, how best teams in boutique and BigLaw firms can work across practice areas, how to meaningfully engage with clients at this critical stage and managing one’s self and one’s team amid such turbulence. To learn more about Madison Marcus’ work in this space, 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!

When selecting external providers, in-house teams may soon have to move away from thinking of certain firms as a “one-stop shop” and instead be more deliberate in choosing great lawyers to make up a legal services panel, argues one GC. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Sydney Fish Market (SFM) general counsel Michael Guilday to discuss SFM’s recent court success, why he looks more closely at individual lawyers in firms rather than the firms themselves when deciding who to brief, identifying the standout individuals with whom one might want to work, the existence of unconscious bias in briefing decisions and whether big firms have been allowed to rest on their laurels in remaining on legal services panels. Mr Guilday also outlines market fragmentation and the proliferation of BigLaw lawyers starting their own boutique firms and how that can impact briefing decisions, his non-negotiables for the constitution of his legal services panel, whether the mindset of looking to brief individuals rather than firms is mainstream yet, how best to shift one’s mindset, and if he thinks “brand name” will ultimately have any bearing on the constitution of legal services panels in the future. 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!

Protecting a boutique practice against cyber risks must be viewed in the same vein as any other business risk, and one will discover that dedicating such time and resources to preventative action is absolutely achievable amid so many other responsibilities, one award-winning practitioner argues. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Law & Cyber founder and legal practitioner director Simone Herbert Lowe — who last year won the Innovator of the Year category at the Women in Law Awards — about what innovation means to her and how she applies that within her own firm, the state of affairs for cyber attacks in Australia, and why boutique practices need to be just as worried about cyber attacks as multinational companies are. Ms Herbert-Lowe also delves into why firms might be a target for different hackers, her practical guidance for boutique firm owners to ensure they are upholding their professional duties and are engaged in best practice, the need to be across proposed legislative changes, the place for limited liability, prioritising urgent needs in anticipation of a possible recession and why boutique firm owners must put themselves forward for recognition for their stellar work. 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!

On this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with Naiman Clarke, we dive into what lawyers need to know when considering a vocational shift to corporate legal life, from salary expectations to requisite experience. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Naiman Clarke’s managing director, Elvira Naiman, about how life in-house has evolved over the last two decades and what change has been witnessed since the onset of COVID-19, evolving and emerging trends on the back of the pandemic, what roles law departments are most keen to fill right now, how much experience private practice lawyers should have before moving in-house, and additional skills they may need before doing so. Ms Naiman also details the extent to which branding is important in making such a vocational shift, salary expectations and realities for those shifting to corporate legal roles, post-pandemic and/or recession-inspired fluctuations in in-house roles, and why in-house life may be so rewarding for certain practitioners — but not all practitioners. To learn more about Naiman Clarke, 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!