Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network

In the wake of COVID-19, appetite for firm mergers and sales accelerated. Has that trend continued as we now approach a post-pandemic marketplace?      On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back FMRC director Sam Coupland to discuss how fertile the ground is for buying, selling or merging law firms compared to one year ago, and how best firms looking to be bought can go from being a “goodwill firm to a lockstep firm”. The pair also reflect on what a bigger firm might need to do to make their offer appealing to smaller firms being bought out, and the need for business owners to consider their own positions when “checkpoints” such as a global pandemic arise. 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 professional services marketplace in which digital currencies are mainstream is “rapidly approaching ”, and Australian law firms have to be ready, says one national firm partner.  On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Piper Alderman partner Michael Bacina to discuss new-age currencies such as bitcoin and dogecoin, their value, and overcoming accounting issues and societal stigma in order to achieve widespread adoption of such currencies by professionals and firms.   Mr Bacina talks about his firm’s introduction of such payment methods – noting it was a client-led process – what other firms can learn from Piper Alderman’s experience thus far, and espouses more broadly about blockchain-driven processes and how they are set to up-end how legal businesses operate in the near future.  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 The College of Law, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Daljit Singh to discuss the acceleration of change in the age of coronavirus and how best emerging legal professionals can respond. Daljit Singh – a teaching fellow in The College of Law’s Master of Legal Business, who teaches Workforce of the Future and Leadership – poses key questions to law students and young lawyers about how they perceive the myriad evolutions currently occurring in the marketplace, their place in it, and the practical steps that must be taken to thrive. The pair also talk about Mr Singh’s own vocational journey (including over three decades at global firms Baker McKenzie and KPMG), why he sees educating the next generation as such a worthwhile pursuit, and what advice he would offer to those who are worried about finding time for necessary upskilling to succeed in the looming new normal. This episode was produced in anticipation of Mr Singh’s appearance at the upcoming and inaugural Careers Expo and Emerging Leaders Summit – register now for this three-day virtual conference 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!

Both personally and professionally, Daniel Rod experienced success as a sole practitioner. However, there came a point where he realised he needed to pivot back to a larger firm. Here’s how and why he did it. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined Coleman Greig associate and former principal of Rod Legal Advisory, Daniel Rod, to discuss his journey as a sole practitioner (especially during the age of coronavirus) and making the decision to take his clients to a mid-tier firm following deliberations about who he is and what he values most as a lawyer. The pair also talk about the wellness considerations that go into making such a vocational pivot, the practical steps to take in determining the best path forward, and why Mr Rod is so happy with the decisions he has made. 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!.

Onboarding the right kind of technology at the onset of COVID-19 was paramount for Michael Solari, who believes it is always important to keep looking at different ways that we can improve our processes, our systems and our resources. In this special episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, produced in collaboration with Thomson Reuters and recorded at the 2021 Boutique Law Summit, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Solai & Stock owner Michael Solari to discuss why it was essential for his firm to identify the right technological solutions for his practice to ensure they collectively worked smarter, not harder during the pandemic that allowed his lawyers to spend less time in doing their research and spend more time servicing their clients. The pair also discuss how Thomson Reuters’ Westlaw has aided practitioners at Solari & Stock and the benefits they received from the flexibility of the programs as well as the offerings that they have in selecting various practice areas, tailored to a firm’s unique needs. 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 one recent grad, choosing between two major interests could have been impossible but she may have found a way to make a legal career out of both. In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Naomi Neilson is joined by one of 2020’s Women in Law Awards finalist and King & Wood Mallesons graduate Mary Aidonopoulos to discuss how she found her passions in both science and law – and figured out a way that she could keep both in a fulfilling legal career.  For other students and graduates listening, Mary has some great advice for deciding how to best fit all of their major interests rolled into the one profession: “I would definitely encourage them to do whatever they set their minds to. If that’s just doing a straight law degree or doing a double degree or doing fashion and law, whatever your passions may be, I fully encourage you to do it.” The episode also touches on what it is like to grow up surrounded by strong, inspirational women and why that is such an important thing to have in the workplace. From high school through to representing her university, Mary has had the incredible opportunity to be both mentored and to do the mentoring.  We also chat about what it is like to work in one of Australia’s biggest firms and a short interning stint in one of the world’s most exciting places: New York City.  Have a listen now! 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.

What the lawyers of today and tomorrow want is vastly different to what those who came before sought, Fionn Bowd says. New pathways are emerging, and BigLaw firms that do not get on board will be left behind. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Bowd chief executive Fionn Bowd to discuss the advent of capacity exchange models and how they are answering vocational questions being posed by emerging leaders in law who do not want to stay on the road to partnership with a single firm for the entirety of their careers. The pair also talk about practical ways that national and global law firms can move towards capacity exchange models, what constitutes the right split between contractors and full-timers, and why such pathways might be more favourable for individual lawyers 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!

As a general counsel, Anthony Bekker was able to grow the business he worked for from having a national presence to an international one. Looking back on his time in-house, there are lessons he wishes he knew that he thinks other GCs can learn from if they too wish to grow their businesses across the globe. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by BizTech Lawyers managing director Anthony Bekker, who is the former general counsel of Rokt, to discuss the practical and professional ways that he was able to grow Rokt from a national operation to having a presence in eight countries, and how best other GCs can replicate such success in a post-pandemic world. The pair also talk about Mr Bekker’s reflections on what he wishes he’d known when he was a GC, how these lessons apply to current or aspiring GCs, and what they need to do in order to thrive in the face of adversity and roadblocks. 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!

Creating briefs is not really legal work, Rachelle Bajaj says – it involves a lot of admin. For lawyers, this doesn’t have to be the case, she argues. In this special episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, produced in collaboration with Thomson Reuters and recorded at the 2021 Boutique Law Summit, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by LEAP sales executive Rachelle Bajaj to discuss the major issues concerning the creation of briefs. Drawing from her own personal experiences as a practising solicitor, Ms Bajaj explains why we should take away as much admin work as we can and, instead, dedicate time to ensuring that we, and our practices, are up to date. The pair also talk about how adopting new technologies can transform the way you work, spending your time more efficiently and making your documents easily accessible, and how LEAP’s new exclusive integration, BundlePro can aid lawyers in electronically creating a brief for councils, barristers and court books as well. 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!.

Having competed at two Olympic Games in marathon swimming, Heidi Gan has a clear understanding of the personal and professional drive for healthy competition and also the importance of having people to look up to. On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks to Clifford Chance associate Heidi Gan, who represented Malaysia at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games in marathon swimming and now works in the global firm’s litigation practice. The pair discuss Ms Gan’s journey and success with elite sport, what she learned about herself as a litigator and the transferrable skills from open water to adversarial legal work. They also talk about the need for role models, what lawyers can and should be trying to take away from those whom they look up to, whether lawyers are thinking enough about the importance of having role models and practical steps they can take to ensure that role models can influence one’s direction and decision-making for the better. 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!