Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network

Australia was "once ahead of the curve" when it came to protecting and empowering whistleblowers. However, as Kieran Pender notes, "we are now seeing them being punished". On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Human Rights Law Centre senior lawyer Kieran Pender to discuss the state of affairs in whistleblowing around Australia, including reflection on where our whistleblowing laws once were compared to where they're at now, and what both major political parties are saying about this umbrella issue with a federal election around the corner. Mr Pender also details numerous current high-profile whisteblowing cases that Australian lawyers should be aware of (such as the trials being brought against former ACT attorney-general Bernard Collaery, ATO whistleblower Richard Boyle and former defence lawyer David McBride), the extent to which Australian legal professionals are paying attention to these cases, how some lawyers are advocating for better whistleblower protections and how Australians more broadly feel about the need to bolster whistleblower protections. 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!

It is imperative that professionals across law departments better understand and appreciate where their colleagues are coming from so that collaboration and collegiality can be better fostered. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by NOVA Entertainment group general counsel and company secretary Ben Willis and senior legal counsel Samantha Walker to discuss the need for legal counsel of all stripes to acknowledge and respect the needs of their colleagues at different levels within a law department so as to be a trusted adviser not only to one's business but also for those within one's immediate team. Mr Willis and Ms Walker also delve into their personal investments in legal work in the media space, how and why that landscape has shifted in recent times, the importance of being motivated by the work of one's law department, why different thinking has been required for lawyers in this space and what lawyers in media can look forward to. 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 IP lawyer Naomi Pearce has the "preparedness to do things differently". For her, this means preparing to be flexible, adaptable and creative, but also – and perhaps most importantly – the knowledge that one cannot prepare for every possible situation. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes Pearce IP chief executive and managing director Naomi Pearce – who won the Partner of the Year (SME Law) category at both the 2021 Women in Law Awards and Australian Law Awards – to discuss her journey as an intellectual property practitioner, why she is so passionate about it, how her business fared during the age of coronavirus and the state of affairs in IP law more generally. Ms Pearce also details how her business managed its increased workload in the last two years, the importance of being flexible, adaptable and creative, her broader philosophy on preparedness, recognising the limitations of preparing for any eventuality, the lessons she has learned that other business owners should understand, and what excites her about the future of IP law in Australia and her own firm's forward momentum. 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!

One of our 2021 Women in Law Awards finalists shares with Protégé why students do not need to fit into the "perfect" package of what a lawyer should look like – complete with high grades and clerkships – in order to have a successful career. In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Naomi Neilson is joined by DLA Piper paralegal and one of our finalists from the 2021 Women in Law Awards Sarah McKenzie to talk about how less-than-perfect grades did not put an end to what is fast becoming a successful legal career in the commercial space. In the episode, Sarah shares: "I never thought I was a person who would be able to get a clerkship. I wasn't that star student who was topping all of the courses, I wasn't involved in moot court. I wasn't on the law student society. I wasn't that package of what I thought a perfect commercial clerkship candidate would look like. "When reflecting back on my law school experience, it was looking at my law school experience, my uni experience, [and knowing] that it grew me in so many different ways that just my grades and my transcript could never encapsulate [alone]. It was all those experiences I had in courses and throughout my uni experience." In the episode, Sarah also talks about the Women in Law Awards and what it has been like to work alongside female leaders in a supportive work environment. The episode also touches on how Sarah has navigated the legal profession with a disability, including what some workplaces are still doing wrong. Have a listen below! 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 or naomi.neilson@momentummedia.com.au Socials: Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter or reach out to me directly here.

On this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with CommBank Professional Services, the reigning Mentor of the Year discusses, among other things, why mentoring should be seen as the right thing to do, rather than simply something employers do for talent retention purposes. Host Jerome Doraisamy and CommBank Executive Manager of Professional Services Julienne Price interview Colin Biggers & Paisley partner Peter Harkin, who won the Mentor of the Year category at the 2021 Australian Law Awards, about why mentoring means so much more than attracting and retaining top talent, his personal experience with mentors, where mentoring programs can make the most difference and what sets good mentors apart. Mr Harkin also outlines what emerging lawyers should look for in a mentor, how lawyers can become mentors in the new normal, how the age of COVID-19 has changed the nature of mentoring relationships, and the need to regularly evaluate one's approach to mentoring and guiding the next generation of leaders in law. To learn more about CommBank's professional services offerings and its recent Legal Market Pulse 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!

Kate Jordan is the GC of a large listed company and, before that, was deputy chief executive partner of a BigLaw firm. Despite her very impressive resumé, she says she has "still got a huge amount to learn". Being curious, and asking questions, is critical to success in-house, she says. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Origin Energy general counsel and executive manager, company secretariat (risk and governance) Kate Jordan, who reflects on her journey from BigLaw to a large law department, how she manages her voluminous workload, the importance of being curious and challenging one's self, and what such an approach has taught her about herself. Ms Jordan also explains why "bringing curiosity to the table" is so fundamental, particularly in the current climate, why being motivated about one's employer's mission is integral, how curiosity aids leaders in self-care and management of wellness needs within teams, and how chairing microfinancing not-for-profit Good Return offers her a more holistic perspective, not only on her work but also on her life. 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!

Nicole Russell and her husband tried, for years, to have a child. The IVF journey took an enormous toll on her – emotionally and professionally – until finally, a friend volunteered to be a surrogate for her. This experience, including the legal processes, inspired her to shift her practice area to supporting families, as hers was supported. (Content warning: this episode may be distressing for some listeners. Discretion is advised.) On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Russell Walker Lawyers founder and director Nicole Russell to discuss her journey to conception, the hardship involved with so many years of trying to have a child whilst working as a lawyer, the vocational thought process that led to her setting up her own firm and why practising in surrogacy law made sense for her. Ms Russell also outlines how she managed the journey in the context of legal workplaces, how she navigates any potentially triggering matters that come across her desk, her reflections on the level of stigma that still exists regarding conception for lawyers, how male legal professionals can be champions for their colleagues and their own partners, and why any lawyer experiencing a similar journey to her should "have trust in the process". Help is available via The Amber Network or Happy Minds for those seeking support and/or further information. Russell Walker Surrogacy also provides resources. 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!

Warning: This show has been marked as explicit Danny King – in her own words – has "never had a filter" and is "fearlessly and shamelessly" herself. Such authenticity, and ownership over her own struggles, all led her to win the Managing Partner of the Year category at the 2021 Australian Law Awards. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Danny King Legal principal Danny King to discuss her journey from graduation to now running her own boutique employment law practice in Sydney, her approach to finding success as a lawyer, the need to embrace one's true self and not suppress, and how beneficial raw honesty has been for her legal practice. Ms King also reflects on the need for leaders to have self-awareness regarding their mistakes, why acknowledging that not having all the answers can, in fact, be the best attitude to adopt, looming challenges and opportunities for managing partners, and why leaning on one's family is so fundamental. 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!

Too often, disconnections exist in the working relationships between law departments and their external providers, which can exacerbate wellness issues for individuals and teams. Better understanding and appreciating how to make those relationships work is key so as to better serve clients and also the wider community. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes Canon Oceania chief legal counsel and director of people and finance David Field and Herbert Smith Freehills business development director in Australia Nora Chlap to discuss the friction points that may exist between in-house and private practice and why, the potential impacts upon legal professionals from such friction and whether the age of COVID-19 has worsened such factors. Mr Field and Ms Chlap also delve into the practical ways to improve "legal value chains", why empathy and open communication is fundamental to such solutions, whether in-house and private practice teams are cognisant of the need for such changes to their working relationships and the improvements to mental health that can and will flow on from making these changes. 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 Plenti, two leaders of Australian family law firms outline how to create and sustain a successful business – in a challenging practice area and at an extraordinary time in the marketplace. Host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Plenti head of legal finance Rose Dravitzki, Australian Family Lawyers executive chairman Grant Dearlove and Amanda Little & Associates principal Amanda Little to talk about their respective roles in the family law space, what success means to them, why a firm's financial health is so integral to its success (particularly in a post-pandemic landscape), and the myriad considerations firm leaders have to entertain in ensuring cash flow. The guests also delve into the need to think more holistically about a firm's finances, how best to grow and develop a family law team, the need to invest in the right technologies, triaging the myriad urgent priorities as a business leader, and other reflections on how best to ensure success in this practice area. 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!