Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network

Citizens have a responsibility, human rights law Professor Catherine Renshaw believes, to be politically aware and engaged, and when we contribute actively to our communities, Australia is better off for it. In the face of myriad sociopolitical concerns, she says, now is her time to stand up. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Western Sydney University human rights law Professor Catherine Renshaw – who is standing in the seat of North Sydney, for the Australian Labor Party, at the upcoming federal election – to talk about her varied career in law (from commercial practice to journalism to academia), her lifelong interest in human rights and what all of those personal and vocational experiences have taught her and how those experiences will serve her well in Parliament, if elected. Professor Renshaw outlines the issues that have led her to step into the political ring – including climate inaction, the #MeToo movement and aged care failures – her perception of the issues that are important to Australian legal professionals, how she feels about Labor’s prospects in the seat of North Sydney and why it is so essential that all Australians (not just lawyers) be more involved. 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, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Madison Marcus managing director Ramy Qutami to unpack the art of negotiation and what constitutes best practice in the modern marketplace. Mr Qutami reflects on why he is personally and professionally invested in litigation as a practice area, his view of law as a profession that serves the community around it, the issues and challenges that litigators have to grapple with on a day-to-day basis, and the principles that must be employed in navigating those hurdles. He also delves into the strengths and weaknesses of particular approaches to litigation and dealmaking, the need for adaptability and agility, why adversarial and combative approaches are less conducive to best practice nowadays, the need for proactive strategies as well as the reactive ones, the lessons Mr Qutami has learned from a career as a dealmaker, what he’s most excited about for lawyers in this space moving forward, and how Madison Marcus is preparing for its future in the marketplace. 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!

Welcome to another episode of Legal Lightbulbs: the show that sees hosts Jerome Doraisamy and Bowd chief executive Fionn Bowd discuss and debate the questions to which lawyers have always wanted answers (but have perhaps not felt comfortable asking). In this episode, Jerome asks Fionn about the concept of market differentiation and whether – in a modern legal marketplace – differentiation even exists. The pair talk about the lack of trust that graduates have when it comes to law firm marketing, and they dive into the history of how law firms historically differentiated themselves and what it means to have a “brand”. Fionn and Jerome talk about the importance of truth in marketing, how the fear of imaginary clients get in the way of firm marketing, why law firms are like washing powder, and the need to market what you know to be true about your business. The pair also reflect on a handful of law firms that are getting their points of difference right, the value of filling a void in the market, the black and white principles that firm leaders can use to re-establish market differentiation, whether a lack of differentiation feeds into the need for partners to say “yes” to every client request, and whether there is a place for emerging leaders to speak up about the need for a business to market itself in better ways. To learn more about Fionn Bowd, click here. If you have any questions you want to see answered on this show, reach out to Jerome at editor@lawyersweekly.com.au.

HFW – founded in the 1880s – has presences all over the globe. For myriad reasons, it sees its Australian operations as central to the firm’s long-term expansion and success. Here, its Australian managing partner explains why. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by HFW managing partner in Australia Gavin Vallely to discuss the history of the global firm, why it sees opportunities for growth in the Australian market and how the age of COVID-19 has reinforced such thinking, the sectors that will form part of the firm’s growth via its Australian operations, and how much the firm hopes to grow by in the coming two years. Mr Vallely also talks about the importance of not growing simply for the sake of growth, making strategic acquisitions, his role as Australian managing partner in overseeing such a strategy, the challenges he sees in successfully achieving the firm’s goals, the opportunities to be grasped in order to ensure such success, and why he is motivated to move the firm 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!

Construction is an integral cog in the machine of Australian society. Even against the backdrop of extraordinary challenges during the age of COVID-19, work as a construction lawyer remains exciting and “intellectually stimulating”, say two BigLaw partners. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Baker McKenzie partners Matt Coleman and Joshua Saunders to discuss the state of affairs in the construction industry and the materials shortages that have been faced in the age of COVID-19, how these and related issues have impacted upon the work of lawyers in this space and how such challenges make for such exciting work. Mr Coleman and Mr Saunders delve into why work as a construction lawyer is so “intellectually stimulating”, whether ongoing geopolitical concerns will exacerbate challenges faced here in Australia, trends and opportunities on the horizon for lawyers in this space, whether the work of construction lawyers will look different to pre-pandemic times and what excites these partners about their work 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!

Given the capacity to work on both commercial and humanitarian matters, migration lawyers can build diversified practices that those in other areas of law may not get exposed to, says one award-winning practitioner. On this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Crossover Law Group founder and principal solicitor Marial Lewis – who won the migration category at the 30 Under 30 Awards 2021 – about how and why she chose migration law as a pathway, the types of matters that one gets exposed to, and finding the right balance between commercial and humanitarian matters. Ms Lewis also delves into the challenges that lawyers in this space can and do face and how to overcome these, opportunities on the horizon for those interested in this practice area, why she decided to launch her own firm focused on this space, what excites her about the future (as a young lawyer), and why others should consider this as a vocational pathway. If you have any questions about the episode or if there are any topics that you might want us to look into, please reach out – we would love to hear from you!  We’re also always open to new guests, so if you have an exciting story to tell, if you’re standing out as a student or graduate, or if you can offer some tips for our young lawyers, get in touch.  You can reach us here: Emails: editor@lawyersweekly.com.au Socials: Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter or reach out to me directly here.

Georgia Steele has over 15 years’ experience as a lawyer, both in BigLaw firms and in-house at a major bank. The skills she picked up along the way (particularly as a litigator) will serve her well, she says, if elected in Hughes in place of incumbent MP Craig Kelly. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with independent for Hughes candidate Georgia Steele – who previously was a senior lawyer and manager for regulatory affairs at ANZ, prior to which she worked at Allens and Freshfields – about her career in law, what she learned in her decade and a half as a litigator, and how she came to be the Independent candidate in the Hughes electorate in Sydney’s southern and south-western suburbs. Ms Steele also explains the issues that are most important to her as a candidate – namely her “exasperation” with the state of federal political discourse, concern about environmental inaction and the need for a federal ICAC – and reflects on the issues that are important to legal professionals, and argues for the need to “really refresh Australian democracy”. 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!

Lawrence Lau started his career as an IT programmer before eventually becoming the corporate counsel for Momentum Media (Lawyers Weekly’s parent company). Here, he muses about his time working in a growing trade media house, why he’s moving to private practice and what he’s learned along the way. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Lawrence Lau (who until recently served as corporate counsel for Momentum Media, working across Lawyers Weekly) to discuss his experiences as counsel in a growing media company, what his day-to-day entailed, how he balanced competing interests and how and why he entered the legal profession as a mature-age student. Mr Lau also delves into the importance of community for in-house lawyers (particularly those working as one-person teams within a business or organisation), key lessons for ongoing success, the need for sole legal counsel to think outside the box, why he’s moving to a private practice role and what he can bring to a law firm, whether he sees vocational pathways for legal counsel in firms right now, and broader musings about the need to sink one’s teeth into an in-house role.

Small law firms can and should look to attract work that may, traditionally, have been the domain of the big end of town. Once a boutique secures said matters, there are certain steps they must take in order to ensure success. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back award-nominated lawyer Trevor Withane – who is the principal of Blackwattle Legal – to discuss why boutique law firms must look to take on big, complex matters that they may perceive to be intended for BigLaw firms, the need to engage contract lawyers and paralegals, other key stakeholder relationships such as barristers and accounting firms, and the importance of being people-focused. Mr Withane also details his reflections on team culture and how best to manage relationships, logistical and technical considerations, including and especially “the IT stack”, bringing clients along for the ride, how best to set up one’s office, the importance of individual and team wellness, and why boutique firms can be so excited about securing big, complex matters if they adopt such a practical blueprint. 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 legal professionals considering property purchases in 2022, there are myriad factors to consider, from when the Reserve Bank will raise interest rates to what’s happening in the world around us. In the face of all such factors, proactivity remains a lawyer’s best friend. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Legal Home Loans lending specialists Rachael Massoud and Luke Mansour about the extent to which lawyers should be concerned about interest rates and when they will be raised, the impact of the Omicron wave – if anything – on the property market, declining purchase rates and geographic trends for property purchasing. Ms Massoud and Mr Mansour also reflect on the continuing trend of purchasing without finance, an increasing number of auctions as opposed to private treaties, whether the recent floods and the onset of war in eastern Europe are affecting, or will affect, prices and/or interest rates, countering any fears of missing out, and tips 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!