Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network

No one starts a law firm thinking about how they're going to exit it. However, it is imperative (particularly in an age of turbulence) to not only ensure continuity in your business once you leave it but also do so in a way that makes both personal and professional sense to you and your successor. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Justitia founding partner Sarah Rey and new managing partner Melissa Scadden to talk about the inception and early years of the Melbourne-based boutique, how and why Ms Rey determined she needed to step away from the position of firm head, Ms Scadden's career and when and why assuming a leadership role made sense to her. Ms Rey and Ms Scadden also detail their pre-requisites for undertaking a succession process, and the elements involved, the personal factors that go into such considerations, the firm mission moving forward, how succession planning can be undertaken in a post-pandemic market, whether it is incumbent upon firm leaders to have succession plans in place, lessons learned (both personally and professionally) about having completed a succession, and the extent to which managing partners can and should be looking to make themselves redundant. 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!

Australian Bar Association president Dr Matt Collins QC says he is proud of how well barristers across the country have adapted to the new normal in recent years. Looking ahead, the bar is shaping up to be a stronger, more united cohort as a result, he believes. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Australian Bar Association president Dr Matt Collins QC to discuss his personal experiences of practice during the age of coronavirus, how he feels barristers fared in general, the advent of virtual hearings and other changes that barristers have had to grapple with, and whether professionals have had to relearn what it means to be a barrister. Dr Collins also stresses the importance of retaining the art of persuasion in whatever hearing one appears in, what the future looks like for in-person chambers, whether barristers could embrace hot-desking, how regional barristers have fared in this age, turning old courthouses into spaces for virtual hearings, and what he thinks the future holds for barristers all around Australia. 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 the Australasian Legal Practice Management Association (ALPMA), learn more about what the future will hold for legal practice managers, including all those with leadership and management responsibilities, as we exit the age of coronavirus. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with ALPMA strategic learning and development manager Fiona Croswell and PwC directors of NewLaw Eric Chin and Carl White about who ALPMA is and what it does, the headline issues for all legal practice managers in the post-pandemic new normal, juggling client expectations in the new normal, striking the right balance moving forward, and necessary skills to ensure that balance. The trio also reflect on the ongoing war for talent and the rise of new roles in legal businesses, the pace of change and need for adaptability, ensuring that all employees feel accommodated and that they have purpose, why the current age is so exciting for legal practice managers of all stripes, and what this week's ALPMA Summit will bring to attendees across the country. To learn more about the activities of ALPMA, 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!

"Quiet quitting" is more than a TikTok fad. It may have far-reaching consequences for daily legal practice and the evolution of businesses in law. Is this good or bad for the legal profession On this episode of Legal Lightbulbs, hosts Jerome Doraisamy and Fionn Bowd reflect on what "quiet quitting" means in the context of Australia's legal profession and why lawyers are so fascinated with the concept. They discuss whether it is reasonable for lawyers to "quietly quit" their jobs by silently refusing to do more than they are paid for and the pejorative nature of the term itself. The pair also flesh out the broader rejection of traditional, longstanding modes of practising law and debate who might be more likely to "quietly quit" their jobs. They ask about the relationship between "quiet quitting" and our duties to the court and our clients, and what "quiet quitting" means against the backdrop of the Great Resignation. Jerome and Fionn touch on the ever-increasing need to appropriately remunerate and incentivise staff and, finally, what lawyers can learn from tradies about work practices. To learn more about Fionn Bowd, click here. If you have questions you want to see answered on this show, reach out to Jerome at editor@lawyersweekly.com.au or Fionn at fionn.bowd@bowd.legal. 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 most successful fast-growing companies are ones that are not only open to change, but are "naturally wired" to be comfortable practising and operating in non-traditional modes. The law department plays a critical role in driving such an approach. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by harrison.ai general counsel and company secretary Jennifer Mulheron to discuss what life is like at the healthcare tech start-up and why such work is so rewarding, the importance of being open-minded with shifts in one's career trajectory, and managing the juggle of being GC and co sec. Ms Mulheron also delves into the hurdles for tech start-ups to overcome in the current climate, moving past a risk-averse mindset, trends on the horizon for in-house lawyers in this space moving forward, whether merger and acquisition lawyers are well-suited to life in tech start-ups, and getting comfortable with practising and advising clients in different ways in the new normal. 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!

There has been a shift, marketing expert Aleks Czerwinski says, away from traditional business presentation towards establishing emotional connections with clients and communities. Therefore, being authentic is imperative if a firm's marketing campaigns are to tell a story and resonate broadly. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Pump Me Up founder Aleks Czerwinski to discuss her career to date in marketing and how she came to work with and for law firms, her broad perception of how well law firms in Australia are doing with their marketing efforts, the biggest mistakes that SME firms make with marketing, and misconceptions that they might have. Ms Czerwinski also dives into the hesitancy to commit to campaigns, practical steps that firms must take to ensure longevity from their marketing efforts, whether there is a specific quantum of time required each week to guarantee success, the need to be strategic and deliberate, the importance of authenticity, the platforms that law firms can and should be looking at, utilising awards programs to bolster one's viability to the market, and the connections that clients are seeking in the modern world. 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!

Jason Symons has always been passionate about growing a business. It's "in my DNA", he says. Recently, when the opportunity arose to build a new cyber practice at Mills Oakley, he grabbed it with both hands. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Mills Oakley partner and cyber security practice head Jason Symons to discuss his interest in cyber law, how the launching of his new practice at Mills Oakley came about and why he opted to make the move, what the experience of launching such a new practice has been like, and the balance between proactive and reactive work when building a new group. Mr Symons also delves into some of the challenges of launching a new practice in a national firm, what he is learning from this period, the trends and opportunities he has taken advantage of amidst such a growth period, what his goals are for the group moving forward, and what he's learned about himself — both personally and professionally — from this chapter of his journey. 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 Macquarie Business Banking, learn about how law firms across the country were able to adapt to the turbulence of a global pandemic. Host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Macquarie Business Banking's National Segment Head for Legal, Matthew Bolle, to discuss the findings and key takeaways from the 2022 Business Barometer report, including the impacts of the pandemic upon law firms, the building of profits during that time, the scale­ to which firms invested in technology, how easy firms made it for clients to do business with them, and the extent to which customer experience was improved. Bolle also details how well law firms appear to be proactive about managing external events like a pandemic, the top challenges for legal businesses, considerations for workplace wellness, whether specialised boutique firms are diminishing, and ultimately how well placed the legal profession is for the post-pandemic market. To learn more about Macquarie Bank's Business Barometer 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!

From the age of 12, Megan Patten knew she wanted to become a lawyer. However, less than two years after being admitted, she left legal practice. The realisation that she no longer wanted to be a lawyer, she says, was "like a bus hitting me". (Content warning: this episode may be distressing for some listeners. Discretion is advised.) On this episode of the Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Australian Energy Regulator senior analyst Megan Patten about her lifelong desire to become a lawyer, the work she did once admitted, how and why she realised that she no longer wanted to work as a lawyer and the circumstances surrounding that epiphany. Ms Patten also details prioritising her health and wellbeing during that period of vocational discovery, re-evaluating her sense of self, what she now does for work and why she finds it so rewarding, whether she has regrets about her non-linear professional trajectory, and what other young lawyers can and should take away from her experiences. Help is available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue at 1300 22 4636. Each law society and bar association also has further contacts available on their respective websites. 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 episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with Madison Marcus, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Madison Marcus partner and division leader of sustainability/ESG and banking and finance Eric Boone about the elevation of environmental, social and governance concerns as we move into a post-pandemic market. Mr Boone details his vocational journey and how he became so personally and professionally invested in ESG work, particularly modern slavery, and his motivation for serving clients across the board in the best and most holistic ways possible. He also outlines the intersection between ESG and other legal practice areas, the need to "fully leverage" such considerations across practices, the increased prominence of ESG following the age of coronavirus, how Australia's corporate approaches to ESG compare to global counterparts and whether such organisations are being proactive or reactive about implementing their approaches. Finally, Mr Boone details how organisations can stay ahead of the game with regard to ESG, what constitutes best practice moving forward, and how he sees practice groups such as his evolving in the future. 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!