Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network

At a time when it is much more difficult for SME law firms to grow organically, ensuring that a business can continue to thrive is more important than ever. Having a successful plan in place for firm acquisitions is one critical avenue that firm owners can take. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Justice Family Lawyers principal Hayder Shkara to discuss his firm’s performance during the age of coronavirus, how and why he had been on the lookout for an opportunity to acquire another practice to complement his first, how the chance to acquire Melbourne Family Lawyers in mid-2022 came about, and the practical steps he undertook to ensure — both personally and professionally — that it was the right move for him to make. Mr Shkara also details the boxes he felt needed to be ticked to move forward on such an acquisition, when it can be advantageous to acquire another practice rather than start a new office from scratch in another city, why acquisitions are never black and white, how to look after one’s self during the process, the need to be open to acquisitions as part of the firm’s growth strategy, and why it is so hard for firms to grow organically right now. 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!

Tom Penglis understands firsthand what issues exist in Western Australia’s criminal justice system. Now the co-founder of the WA Justice Association, he — together with colleagues like advocacy director Steven Thiele — is on a mission to ensure that emerging and existing legal professionals better appreciate the shortcomings of Australia’s justice system and what they can do to improve it. On this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with WA Justice Association co-founder and non-executive director Tom Penglis and advocacy director Steven Thiele about Mr Penglis’ experience of incarceration, what he learned from his term of imprisonment and how it offered him perspective on the criminal justice system, what WAJA does and why, and how it involves law students in its important work. Mr Penglis and Mr Thiele also discuss the flow-on benefits for emerging lawyers who broaden their understanding of the criminal justice system, why even senior practitioners need to be more familiar with such issues, how to triage multiple urgent advocacy priorities and what WAJA hopes to achieve in years to come. 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 LawTech Talks, produced in partnership with Sympli, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Sympli chief executive Philip Joyce to discuss the year that was and what we can expect in the new year in the e-settlements space. Mr Joyce discusses what was learnt from 2022, particularly the impact of legislative developments, the need for more flexibility, choice and efficiency, any potential hurdles that may arise in ensuring ease of access and seamless operations of platforms moving forward, and navigating marketplace headwinds to ensure practitioners and clients can thrive in the coming 12 months. He also delves into the most pertinent and exciting challenges that will be faced in 2023, what Sympli’s outlook for the new year is and what the disruptor is aiming to achieve, his predictions for progress by the year’s end, and what he is looking forward to in the broader e-settlements space. To learn more about Sympli, 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!

A new report shows that almost half of companies are failing to identify clear modern slavery risks in their supply chains and that too many companies’ promises on corporate reporting remain unfulfilled. Why is this the case, and how can it be overcome? On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Human Rights Law Centre senior lawyer Freya Dinshaw about HRLC’s new report, Broken Promises, detailing corporate failures on reporting requirements, the headline findings from that report, why businesses are failing to meet their obligations, and how a lack of legislative understanding is contributing to said failures. Ms Dinshaw also reflects on how and why blame should be distributed for the current state of affairs, whether there exists a disconnect between companies’ public ESG commitments and what is happening on the ground, why the law department needs to find new and better ways to engage different business functions on reporting requirements, what will constitute best practice for GCs and other law department leaders, and how best those lawyers can ensure such duties remain front and centre, amid other urgent priorities. 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!

Many lawyers, over their career, will identify a vocational niche and stick to that practice area, such as mergers and acquisitions. For Kristen Porter, “niching down” means something else: identifying a sector she feels strongly about, and wearing multiple hats for those in that sector, so as to “really understand” specific businesses. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with O*NO Legal founder and legal strategist Kristen Porter, who refers to herself as “The Real Estate Agent’s Lawyer”, about how and why she came to work with those in real estate, her experience of starting a boutique law firm at the beginning of COVID-19, and why those who started such firms at the beginning of the pandemic have fared so well in the intervening years. Ms Porter also discusses what niching down means to her, how she came by that strategy, why such a pathway is inspiring to her, whether there is and will always be work for those who niche down by sector, the extent to which other lawyers are following her lead, and how best others can niche down by sector if they so wish. 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!

Against the backdrop of a still turbulent and uncertain professional services marketplace, finding ways to increase efficiencies in the law department must remain front of mind — especially as it will make all other urgent priorities much easier to navigate. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with head of legal, office of the general counsel at King & Wood Mallesons, Stacy Ford, about his varied legal career, what he sees as being the headline issues facing law departments right now and why, whether businesses like BigLaw firms are better placed than most corporates at identifying and tackling market challenges, and how his own department looks to manage such hurdles. Mr Ford also discusses why finding ways to increase efficiencies is especially pertinent for in-house teams in the new year, why it is so important to re-evaluate those processes on a regular basis, how optimising a department’s processes makes all other urgent priorities easier to deal with, and what practical steps he advises to ensure that increased efficiency remains front of mind. 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!

Award-winning dealmaker Sandy Mak is optimistic about the M&A outlook in Australia this year. It will be critical, however, for practitioners in this space to take advantage of the fortuitous marketplace trends, she notes. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Corrs Chambers Westgarth partner and head of corporate Sandy Mak — who last year won the Dealmaker of the Year category at the Women in Law Awards — to discuss her headline reflections on the mergers and acquisitions market in 2022 and what lessons were learnt from the past 12 months, why she is an optimist about the market and, particularly, Australia’s position relative to other jurisdictions. Ms Mak also discussed how energy, healthcare and tech sectors are creating fertile ground for M&A practitioners, how ESG considerations can and will dictate success this year, some of the challenges that lawyers will face this year, as well as the opportunities, and some best practice principles for those chasing success in 2023. 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!

Almost 13 years ago, Rebecca Bishop was in a horrific car accident, which she says she is lucky to have survived. Following this, she has not only overcome the physical and emotional trauma inherent in such an accident but has also emerged from it with pertinent life lessons for all legal professionals. (Editor’s note: This episode may be distressing for some listeners. Discretion is advised.) On this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Elite Building Services co-founder and self-proclaimed Office Goddess and R U OK? Day community ambassador Rebecca Bishop about how and why she has learnt what is most important to her vocationally, her journey of coming to legal study and navigating that course whilst working, what it’s like being an off-campus student and why being a lawyer is the proudest achievement of her life. Ms Bishop also details the car accident she experienced and the toll it had on her, how she began to move her life forward again, what she learnt from that period of her life, what others can take away from her experiences, and why lawyers should never give up in the face of hardship or adversity. 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 Leo Cussen Centre for Law, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Leo Cussen executive director Shirley Southgate to discuss the symbiotic relationship between the legal profession and education providers, and why it is so integral. Ms Southgate details the need for such symbiosis, the history of such collaboration, how the age of coronavirus taught the profession new ways of working together on legal education, the importance of proactivity in communicating educational needs, and how best providers can meaningfully create substantive educational programs. She also reflects on the partnerships that Leo Cussen has and how these have been successful, the lessons to be gleaned from 50 years in operation, looming challenges on the horizon, ways to take advantage of market opportunities, new offerings that Leo Cussen currently has, and why such offerings are so enticing as we move forward in the new year. To learn more about Leo Cussen Centre for Law, 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!

Not enough boutique firm owners appreciate that contracts are inextricably linked not only to the day-to-day success of a business but also to an optimal client experience. This has to change. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Checklist Legal founder and chief contract enthusiast Verity White about how and why she became fascinated with the importance of contracts, why having an intricate knowledge and understanding of contracts is so integral for lawyers, the common mistakes that lawyers make with their utilisation of contracts, and what they need to consider when designing contracts. Ms White also details how best to tick the right boxes in contract design, best practice principles regardless of practice area, prioritising contract updates amid the triage or urgent priorities, getting started on the journey, and why those who ignore the need to improve their contract utilisation will be get left behind. 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!