Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network

According to Thomas Kaldor, NewLaw firms provide in-house counsel with a much more efficient use of their time, yet ironically, in-house teams lack the time to quantify these benefits. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, LegalVision head of legal transformation Thomas Kaldor joins host Jerome Doraisamy to explain how his firm tries to set itself apart from other services in the legal sphere, discuss the latest research into knowledge about new law business models and suggest why firms might be reluctant to adopt such practices.

The livestreaming of the Christchurch shootings earlier this year and subsequent passing of the Criminal Code Amendment (Sharing of Abhorrent Violent Material) Bill has sparked intense debate in the legal community about social media regulation, both within Australia and worldwide. Partner Hannah Marshall and commercial lawyer Sophie Ciufo from Marque Laywers join host Jerome Doraisamy in this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show to examine which bodies are responsible for regulating social media platforms, consider whether reactive legislation will be an effective approach to the issue, and suggest how legal professionals can assist in driving meaningful, positive change in this contentious realm.

Financial pressure can be hugely detrimental to health and wellbeing, and coupled with the inherently taxing nature of practicing law, securing a home loan as a lawyer is a particularly stressful experience. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by head of partnerships and growth at Legal Home Loans, Cullen Haynes, to discuss why he recommends dealing with finance broking firms that specifically target legal professionals, the concerns of lawyers within different demographics around buying their first property, and his top tips for looking after personal wellness during the potentially turbulent process.

On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by independent legal counsel and founder of the First 100 Years NSW campaign Rachel Scanlon to discuss gender in the in-house realm and the issues women experience in corporate counsel roles compared to private practice. She also explains the cultural disparities between men and women in the legal sphere, how technology has shaped new possibilities for flexible work, and why she might advocate to women for a career in-house rather than in private practice.

The latest findings on equitable briefing for male and female barristers show that there is still a long way to go in addressing the professional, cultural and environmental issues creating disparity - and lawyers across the board have a role to play in achieving said parity. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is join by barrister and chair of the Law Council of Australia's Equal Opportunity Committee, Kate Eastman SC, to unpack the second annual Equitable Briefing Policy report, discuss reactions and reflections, and outline what those in BigLaw, in-house and other legal demographics can to do ensure that briefing practices are as equitable as possible.

Research from the UK linking the experience of menopausal symptoms to women's workplace participation, and the subsequent introduction of leave policies at a British university to cater to menopause, begs the question: should law firms have similar leave policies in place to better accommodate women's health? On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by McCabe Curwood principal Nicola Martin, for a discussion outlining that women will suffer from symptoms of menopause to varying degrees, potentially impacting their ability to attend and stay focused at work, and whether or not it is incumbent upon employers to put in place leave policies and other workplace initiatives to support idiosyncratic needs and facilitate a more collegiate environment. In addition, the pair discuss the possibility of period pain leave, criticisms of such leave policies, and how to address stigmas that may and do exist when it comes to women's health.

For the founder of Ladies who League, being an advocate for the myriad issues faced by women in sport offers a unique perspective on vocational concerns and what more needs to be done to address inequality. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with NBN regulatory adviser and founder of Ladies who League Mary Konstantopoulos about her legal career, how she came to work in-house, why she started her platform for women in sport and what she has learned from it, including why it is integral for women to find and have purpose.

Privacy class actions may be looming on the horizon, which both offers opportunities for Australian litigators and funders and simultaneously may expose firms whose cybersecurity measures are not up to scratch to actions from classes of affected clients. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Clyde & Co senior associate Reece Corbett-Wilkins for a discussion about data breaches, where the law currently stands with actionable privacy torts, what Australian lawyers and litigation funders can learn from global data breaches, including the Cambridge Analytica scandal, as Australia stands on the brink of privacy class actions.

Instead of hosting, attending and completing Continuing Professional Development seminars and tasks that simply tick the necessary boxes, wouldn't it be great - in this modern, evolving legal marketplace - if we had CPD events and activities that genuinely engaged us? In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by former lawyer and member of The Chaser, Julian Morrow, to discuss revamping CPD across the board. Julian discusses his 'Continuing Professional Development Under the Influence' events, and how finding new ways of teaching and learning about legal practice can help lawyers be better engaged and informed.

It is integral for lawyers to have a community upon whom they can lean for personal and professional guidance. For three in-house counsel, living together in Sydney's lower north shore means such support is never far away. On this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Thales Group legal counsel Lena Chapple, her sister and Stockland legal counsel, Eva Chapple, and Eva's fiance and TabCorp senior corporate lawyer, Ashley Kerr. Together, the trio discuss what living together has taught them about the need for regular debriefing about the idiosyncratic stresses of in-house life, why it is crucial for corporate counsel to have a "squad", and why looming challenges for those in-house mean that having mentors and networks will place one in good stead moving forward.