Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network

Krystal Kovac assumed a leadership role in-house in her late 20s, and has learnt the key characteristics that help her bring the most benefit to an organisation – which will be particularly useful if a recession comes to pass in Australia. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Tonkin general counsel Krystal Kovac about her journey to leadership in-house at an early stage of her legal career, the importance of learning by doing, why truly listening to other business functions is so critical, and the balance between proactive and reactive collaboration across the organisation. Ms Kovac also details the lessons she has learned that have helped her professional development as a general counsel, thinking holistically, the "big ticket" items she is focused on right now, her thoughts on how best GCs can make positive contributions in uncertain and volatile times, and the need for confidence in one's self and one's ability. 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!

Annabel Biscotto — both on a personal level and as president of the Australian Law Students' Association — is on a mission to let the legal profession know that neurodiversity, and disability more broadly, is "nothing to be ashamed of". It's a conversation, she says, the profession needs to be engaging in more. On this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Annabel Biscotto, a third-year law student at Curtin University and president of ALSA, about how and why she got involved in extra-curricular activities at law school, her diagnosis and experience with ADHD, why she sees it as being a significant ailment, and how she manages her condition and navigates it day-to-day. Ms Biscotto also reflects on the volume of neurodivergent persons in Australia, whether such conditions are the "new anxiety and depression" in the legal profession in terms of broader awareness, why advocating for better awareness and treatment of disability and neurodivergence is so important for Australian law students, the practical steps that employers can and should take (from a student perspective), and what she would say to profession leaders about these all-important issues if she had them all in a room. 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!

Given the pace of change in work, health, and safety — not just legislatively, but also due to sociocultural and economic shifts in the wake of the pandemic — leaders in law must be well on top of how best to manage their teams, lest they be left behind in a post-pandemic marketplace. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Maddocks partner Catherine Dunlop about the state of affairs of workplace safety laws in Australia, the increased difficulty for leaders to look after staff in a post-pandemic landscape, looming legislative changes at the state and territory level, and how best workplaces can effectively monitor the health and wellbeing of staff in an increasingly hybrid working environment. Ms Dunlop also touches on how best to ensure no one is falling through the cracks, better managing client relationships, the place of the billable hour moving forward, the duty of care that may be owed by law departments to their external providers, the place for individual responsibility, the need for honesty from leaders, and the evolution of workplace policies by legal employers. 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 Support for Lawyers, we explore the changing landscape around wellness conversations in Australia's legal profession, and whether the burden of responsibility is shifting in a post-pandemic new normal. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Support for Lawyers founder and director Marguerite Picard about her own journey as a lawyer and the professional struggles she has overcome, the critical importance of proactive efforts to manage lawyers' wellness, the current state of affairs for the holistic health of Australian legal professionals, and the potential impact of recent marketplace changes. Ms Picard also delves into who bears responsibility for the health and wellbeing of lawyers in the post-pandemic new normal and why, movement away from box-ticking mentalities, the need for greater collective education, and details the Support for Lawyers platform and why it is so beneficial for professionals. To learn more about Support for Lawyers, 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!

On this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with nrol, we dive into the headline hurdles that legal employers are having to overcome, particularly with a likely recession looming on the horizon. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with nrol director Jesse Shah about the current state of affairs for legal recruitment in Australia, the impact of preferences for remote working on hiring, the insurmountable challenges facing SME employers relative to BigLaw competitors and how employers are having to rethink their attraction strategies in the post-pandemic new normal. Mr Shah also touches on the types of roles that are seeing elevated hiring challenges right now and why, the metropolitan areas of Australia that are facing particular issues, the gender split in recruitment at this critical juncture, the need for idiosyncratic approaches to hiring, and how a recession can and will impact upon legal recruitment, given what's happened in the market in recent years. To learn more about nrol, 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!

In practice areas like wills and estates, lawyers and clients alike have been heavily reliant on paper in years gone by. In today's world, such an approach is no longer mainstream. Moving your practice towards more environmentally friendly and technologically reliant processes, and bringing the client along for the journey, is critical. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Safewill Legal lawyer Lauren Solomonson to discuss how and why she became a wills and estates lawyer, why making the transition to paperless is so important — especially for lawyers in this space, the challenges in making such a transition, and navigating the sensitivities of this particular practice area. Ms Solomonson also details her own firm's experience in making this transition, overcoming hurdles in the shift, evolving pricing structures, what's happening across the market in wills and estates, challenges for such practitioners, and the extent to which innovation will continue to drive those in this space. 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 limitation of the criminal justice system, ACT-based prosecutor and author Katrina Marson says, is that it is reactive to misconduct such as sexual violence. A more stringent, and proactive approach to education is needed nationwide, she argues — so as to improve sexual wellbeing and reduce harassment and assault. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by ACT Director of Public Prosecutions senior prosecutor Katrina Marson, who is also the author of Legitimate Sexpectations: The Power of Sex Ed. Ms Marson discusses her vocational journey as a prosecutor, why such work is personally and professionally meaningful, the limitations of the criminal justice system and the need to rebalance the burden of responsibility in reducing crime. Ms Marson also delves into what new and improved education about sex could look like, societal receptiveness to the need for better education, ensuring that Australians across the board are exposed to age-appropriate teachings about sexual wellbeing, the broader social implications for improvements in the education system, the role of lawyers in elevating appropriate standards, how best to have "shame-free" conversations, and the broader duties of Australian legal 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!

On this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with Commonwealth Bank, hear from two award-winning innovators about what constitutes successful innovation, in firms big and small, in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Lawyers Weekly Editor Jerome Doraisamy and National Director for Professional Services at Commonwealth Bank, Daniela Pasini, co-host this episode. We welcome Gilbert + Tobin Partner and Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer Caryn Sandler (winner of the Innovator of the Year category at the 2022 Australian Law Awards) and Peripheral Blue Founder and Managing Director Mellissa Larkin (winner of the Innovator of the Year category at the 2022 Partner of the Year Awards) to discuss all things innovation. Ms Sandler and Ms Larkin reflect on whether innovation is client or firm-led led at this juncture, striking the right balance between proactive and reactive innovation. We delve into what constitutes internal and external innovation in law firms, and embedding transformational mindsets into the teams. We explore the challenges inherent in that process, the essential capabilities needed to deliver great customer outcomes and what the future could look like for innovators in law. To learn more about Commonwealth Bank's professional services offerings, 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!

While the Reserve Bank's rate hike trajectory is painting a grim horror story for mortgage holders, these experts say there's strategic ways to beat the financial stress. As the central bank announces its cash rate decision for November and warns of more rate pain to come, Smart Property Investment's Phil Tarrant and Finni Mortgages chief executive Paul Glossop explain how borrowers can "sharpen the pencil" on their mortgages. And while inflation will likely continue to be an economic scourge for Aussies, the experts unpack how repricing your existing loan or refinancing with other lenders can help loosen the screws on the household budget. The duo also urge borrowers to talk to mortgage professionals and enumerate what questions should be asked while they're on the call to make sure they get the sharpest mortgage rates that fits their needs/situation.

Since the early days of her legal career, award-nominated legal counsel Charlotte Olsen has been determined to garner broad, diverse professional experience. Such an approach means that, as a junior in-house lawyer, she is well placed to support not just her law department, but the business more broadly. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with NRL legal counsel Charlotte Olsen about the range of roles she had in law thus far and how such different vocational opportunities have served her, what her day-to-day looks like working for the National Rugby League, overcoming the proactive and reactive challenges in that role, and combining her passions for law and sport. Ms Olsen also outlines how best junior legal counsel can put their hands up to better support across all business functions, determining the best modes of communication in a post-pandemic landscape, how those coming through the ranks can unpack and work through the myriad issues they'll face so as to better develop and thus contribute to a business, how best senior corporate counsel can aid that development, and what junior counsel have to look forward to in 2023.