Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network

From their first pay cheque, new lawyers should be having open discussions about their salaries with peers to familiarise themselves with the prejudices and the structural discrimination that exists in the profession, one graduate lawyer said. In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Naomi Neilson is joined by graduate lawyer Taylah Spirovski in an important conversation about new lawyers being open and honest when it comes to their salaries and the hiring processes. By removing the pay secrecy, the profession can take steps to address its many concerns. Taylah shared that this “normalised rudeness” that can come with discussing money with friends and colleagues has led to pay secrecy, which in turn has “direct implications on the workforce” and, importantly, the lives of women, people with disabilities, people from marginalised communities and many others. “My overarching thought is that law students and young and new lawyers need to familiarise themselves with the prejudice and the structural discrimination within the legal profession as soon as they possibly can. Ultimately, this is going to change outcomes for themselves. Pay secrecy is basically a lack of truth, and it breeds discrimination,” Taylah commented during the episode. As part of the episode, Taylah also discussed other important topics that new lawyers should be having with their peers, including prejudices they face at work. “I think that law students and young lawyers would benefit so much from having conversations with each other about this kind of prejudice, including their own experiences and obviously, the experiences of others that have been recounted in books and research that have come before them for decades,” she said. 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.

The challenges faced by lawyers with disabilities are not something that is spoken about often enough by Australia’s legal profession. Three lawyers are looking to change that. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Equality Lawyers principal Natalie Wade, Makinson d’Apice Lawyers special counsel Ella Alexander, and Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office graduate Abbey Dalton, who together founded the Disabled Australian Lawyers Association, to discuss the myriad challenges facing lawyers with disabilities, stigmas faced by such professionals, and the prevalence of ableism. The three founders also go into the role of the rest of the legal profession, particularly leaders, to ensure inclusive and safe working environments, and how the past 18 months have both positively and negatively altered the day-to-day practice experience of lawyers with disabilities, and how those circumstances might evolve post-pandemic. 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!

According to findings from the Association of Corporate Counsel, too few law departments have and implement equitable briefing policies. This, a barrister and a senior in-house lawyer argue, must change. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Talitha Fishburn, a barrister at Black Chambers in Sydney, and Paul Green, senior lawyer at Westpac Group, to discuss the low adoption rates of equitable briefing policies by law departments nationwide, the lack of knowledge and understanding of such briefing policies, and what might be the best approaches moving forward in ensuring that equitable briefing can be successful. The trio also delve into how Westpac has implemented and enforced equitable briefing in recent years and what other law departments can learn from that bank’s experience, how barristers can better advocate for more briefs, and why a more equitable distribution of legal work is ultimately good for the legal profession. 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 pregnant with her second child, Danielle Snell’s litigation practice was peaking. Not wanting to stop fighting for her clients, she and her business partner unveiled a new firm as she entered her seventh month of pregnancy – proving that there can and should be no obstacles to having personal fulfilment and professional success at the same time. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Elit Lawyers by McGirr and Snell co-founder and director Danielle Snell to discuss why the work she was doing while pregnant was too important to let go as she carried and then raised her second child, the challenges she encountered along the way in building a new practice and engaging with the profession, and why there shouldn’t be any reason why lawyers cannot flourish in ways that, pre-pandemic, might have seemed abnormal. The pair also talk about the lessons that Ms Snell has learned from such an experience and what she would recommend to other women lawyers, what men in law (particularly leaders) can take away and how best they can support their female colleagues, and how her views on leadership have evolved, both in the new normal and as a result of her extraordinary 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!

Kathleen Folbigg has been branded Australia’s worst female serial killer but new research into the deaths of her four children, backed by the world’s leading experts, may instead make her Australia’s worst miscarriage of justice. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Naomi Neilson is joined by solicitor Rhanee Rego to discuss the new scientific evidence that suggests Ms Folbigg has spent the past 18 years behind bars for crimes she never committed.  Backed by genomic testing, a group of eminent scientists have cast doubt on Ms Folbigg’s guilt and her 2003 conviction for the manslaughter of her son Caleb and the murders of her three other children, Patrick, Sarah and Laura. With a new petition, Ms Rego and others on Ms Folbigg’s legal team hope to see her free.  During this episode, Ms Rego shares the legal avenues still available to Ms Folbigg (whether a pardon is granted or not), explains how the controversial diary entries play into this new research, and discusses what Ms Folbigg’s potential wrongful conviction could mean for the justice system – including what should and shouldn’t be accepted as credible and reliable forensic evidence and research.  “This case should be of concern to everyone because it establishes that hard scientific facts can be pushed aside in preference of subjective interpretations of circumstantial evidence. That is scary and, frankly, one that every lawyer, every person, should be concerned about. It’s not just about Ms Folbigg,” Ms Rego said. Ms Rego also examines how media and public perception plays into a case like Ms Folbigg’s, the opportunities that wrongful convictions offer the legal system, how she herself got involved in Ms Folbigg’s matter, and much more.  Have a listen now! Additional notes: What is the new scientific research?  The crux of the petition is based on the full genomic sequencing of Ms Folbigg and all four of her children. It found that Ms Folbigg had a previously unreported mutation to the CALM2 gene designated G114R. The CALM2 gene controls how calcium is transported in and out of heart cells and studies have found variations can cause heart problems in young children. This was found in both Sarah and Laura. Caleb and Patrick’s genomes showed a separate rare genetic variant in the BSN gene, with studies in mice linking it to early lethal epileptic fits. Patrick was diagnosed with epilepsy before his death and Caleb had a floppy larynx. Have a question? If you have any questions about this episode and Ms Folbigg’s case, send us an email at editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for any future episodes or other content. 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, LinkedIn and our new Instagram.   If you have any other topics in mind or if you would like to lend your voice to the show, email editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!

Welcome the first edition of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast with our hosts Major General (Ret'd) Marcus Thompson, former head of the Department of Defence's Information Warfare Division, and Phil Tarrant, director — defence and security at Momentum Media. The Cyber Security Uncut podcast is a fortnightly podcast unpacking Australia's innovative and vibrant cyber security sector, from the latest business trends facing the industry through to breaking global news. The pair begin by analysing the emerging trends within cyber warfare and the growing use of information operations as an exploitable domain. They also examine how cyber security is an ever growing financial risk to Australian companies, discussing the importance of cyber security protocols within businesses. The podcast wraps up by analysing the importance of a sovereign cyber security industry in Australia to service the nation's growing cyber security needs. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Security Connect Team

As the amount of money coming into Australian venture capital grows, so too will the demands for return on investment. For legal counsel in VC, there are opportunities abound right now. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by AirTree general counsel Nick Brown to discuss his career in VC and M&A, how the investment market in Australia is on the rise, and the nuts and bolts of supporting one’s business in the myriad deals that eventuate. The pair also discuss designing the blueprint for a VC law department when one is the first in-house lawyer, how integral financial expertise is for lawyers operating in this space, and how exciting it is to help develop the next generation of great Australian companies. 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 those in tax law, the modern market is providing ample opportunity to better support Australian businesses and see them flourish. It is, undoubtedly, a practice area through which one can give back to the community, particularly in such turbulent times. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by ABA Legal Group director Andrew Antonopoulos and associate director Toni Eisenhut to talk all things tax law in the wake of COVID-19, including the state of affairs since the onset of the pandemic, how their firm moved to better support businesses, why emotional investments in client success are just as important as professional investments of time. The trio also discuss the importance of trusting one’s team so as not to compromise the firm’s strategy, lessons learned about how to best serve the business community, looming legislative and regulatory updates, and opportunities emerging in tax law and for practitioners interested 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!

Future national security law leaders were once again invited to the Australian Crisis Simulation Summit to brush up on real-life skills during very realistic experiences. The summit’s director spoke to Protégé on what’s in store for the delegates. In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Naomi Neilson is joined by Australian National University penultimate-year Bachelor of International Security Studies/Laws (Hons) student and ACSS director Gemma Dabkowski to discuss the success of the summit’s first year and what’s new for delegates in its second year. Those who were invited will get to participate in three realistic and intense full-scale national security crisis simulations. Everything, from the scenarios through to the very lifelike newsroom, is designed to prepare the delegates for everything they will need to know to manage complex, interdisciplinary national security challenges in future. During the episode, Gemma shares how she and her team connected with leaders in the national security space and invited them to come on board. She also talks listeners through the experience of setting up the summit, leading a major team, and managing several different parts and many different students to get it off the ground. Much like last years’ event, this year’s was impacted by the COVID-19 lockdowns. Gemma discusses how she and her team were not only able to pivot the summit into a virtual event, but how much more they were able to include because of it. 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.

The world is changing around us, and thus so are the ways that lawyers network and build their personal and professional brands. But, contrary to popular opinion, being online is not just for NewLaw practitioners – “traditional” practitioners who use time-based billing can also find success in this realm. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Chamberlains special counsel James d’Apice, who runs the Coffee and a Case Note brand, to discuss how he has built his brand across various online platforms whilst retaining a more traditional legal practice, and why such a blend is complementary for him. The pair also talk about how the next generation of lawyers are consuming content and how professional development is thus evolving, whether NewLaw practitioners have “co-opted” the online sphere away from traditional practitioners, and how best lawyers can rethink their branding moving forward into the post-pandemic marketplace, regardless of what their practice methodology looks like. 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!