Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast William and Lonsdale - Lives in the Law

This week, we welcome Fiona McLeay, the Victorian Legal Services Commissioner and CEO of the Victorian Legal Services Board. The VLSB+C is the independent statutory authority responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in Victoria.

Long before her fascinating life in the law, Fiona grew up in the country, and was the first person on either side of her family to go to University. 

She is a natural-born leader who brings systems thinking to every role she takes on; from Special Counsel at Clayton Utz to CEO of Justice Connect; from General Counsel of World Vision to Co-Chair of Equality Australia. It is a wonderful conversation and  pleasure to welcome Fiona to the show. 

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week, we welcome multi-award-winning writer and former barrister, Jock Serong. For as long as he can remember, Jock wanted to be a writer, but after a better-than-expected mark in year 12, a law degree seemed to be a safer bet than journalism. Despite doing some truly fascinating cases, including early Native Title work in Western Australia, and junioring in the Silk Miller murder trials, it was always the stories and not the law that captivated him. So after almost two decades in the law, he let his practising certificate expire and made the leap to full-time writer. Jock has written seven novels, including Quota, which won the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Novel, and his most recent work, Cherrywood, whose protagonist, Martha, is a lawyer in a large firm in Melbourne. It is a fantastic conversation and a pleasure to welcome Jock to the show.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week we revisit our conversation with the former Chief Judge of the County Court of Victoria, The Hon. Peter Kidd. During his first few years in a commercial firm, Peter was unsure if law was for him, but a decision to move to crime ignited his passion for the profession. After his time at the Commonwealth DPP, he went to the bar and was quickly working on very large and often high profile cases, honing his skills and advocacy style, often under immense pressure. Peter also managed to combine his love of travel with his love of the law, working as a prosecutor at the War Crimes Tribunal in Bosnia; another challenging, enriching and fascinating chapter of his career. Our episode covers all of this and of course his role as The Chief, and is an enlightening and fascinating conversation.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Shaun Braybrook has worked across many areas of the Victorian Justice System, supporting and empowering indigenous men and women. He is now the general manager of Wulgunggo Ngalu Learning Place in country Victoria, which provides Koori men on a Community Corrections Order an important opportunity to learn new skills, reconnect with or further strengthen their culture and participate in programs and activities to help them address their offending behaviour. It was an absolute pleasure to have Shaun on the show and learn more about the impactful work he does.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Felicity Gerry QC has a dynamic and fascinating Life in the Law, taking her from Essex to Melbourne via Nottingham, Tenerife and Darwin (to name a few). She has worked in areas as varied as terrorism, cybercrime and human trafficking, with highlights including a stay of execution for a woman on death row in the Philippines and the celebrated R v Jogee case, which the BBC called “a genuine moment in legal history.”

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Our guest Peter Norden was the Chaplain at Pentridge Prison for over 10 years. He has studied and visited prison systems in the US, UK, Holland & Sweden and advocated for people within the justice system for many years. As you can imagine Peter has a unique perspective on our criminal justice system and has had a thoroughly fascinating Life in the Law.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

At 13 years old Daniel Ajak left the Kenyan refugee camp he grew up in, with his sister and a suitcase, bound for Australia. He had never left the camp before, let along boarded a plane or been overseas. A few days later he landed in Australia and would not see his parents again for 12 years. Daniel’s upbringing, work ethic, tenacity, community and vision all guided him to a dynamic Life in the Law, where he became a lawyer at Victorian Legal Aid and an active member of the Australia African community.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

May 18th – 24th is National Volunteer Week, and our guest Joan Murphy has volunteered for Court Network at Frankston Magistrates Court for over 25 years. She does an incredible service for our community - standing beside, empowering and instilling confidence in all court users. As we’ll hear in this episode, Joan has always been fascinated by criminal law, and began her Life in the Law as a legal clerk for iconic Melbourne criminal defence lawyer Ray Dunn.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Emmett Dunne began his career in the back pocket for the Richmond Tigers and finished as Assistant Commissioner for Victoria Police. His Life in the Law included frontline policing from Prahran to Heidelberg, conflict resolution, hostage negotiation, the Ethical Standards Department and one of his most challenging and enjoyable roles - as a Police Prosecutor.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

The Hon Marilyn Warren, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria is our inaugural guest on Lives in the Law. From feminism to football, leadership to legacy - the conversation was candid, lively, thought provoking and inspiring.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

William & Lonsdale explores the legal ecosystem in Victoria and the fascinating people that make it tick.

In season 1: Lives in the Law, your host Michael Green speaks with guests from all corners of the legal world. Together they explore into what keeps them motivated, passionate and engaged; the challenges, frustrations and joys of their work, and how their Lives in the Law have shaped them.

Learn more at www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week, we revisit our 2021 conversation with Genevieve Collins, former Chief Executive Partner at law firm Lander & Rogers. Over the course of her 40-year career at Landers, Genevieve was a Practice Group Leader for 13 years, the first female Equity Partner and Chair of the Board. Genevieve is passionate about innovation in the law, and to that end, she led initiatives in law tech and wellness within the firm - both of which became incredibly important when COVID hit! 

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This episode we welcome HH Mag. Trieu Huynh from the Bendigo Magistrates Court. At the age of one, Trieu and his family came to Australia as refugees from Vietnam. From this brave yet humble beginning, Trieu gained a scholarship to a private secondary school and ultimately completed a double degree in law/science with honours in genetics. Trieu has remained passionate about the law through every stage of his career. From the OPP and VLA, to sitting as a Magistrate, particularly in the Assessment and Referral Court, a therapeutic court that supports people who are mentally ill, have an intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, autism spectrum disorder or a neurological impairment. It is an amazing journey from escaping Vietnam in the middle of the night, to a fulfilling Life in the Law in Australia, and we are thrilled to bring it to you.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week, we welcome Fleur Katsmartin, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at The Royal Melbourne Hospital. Throughout her law degree, articles and early legal roles, Fleur never felt like she was in the right place. In her words, it always seemed like she was “too much”. But Fleur found her legal sweet spot working in-house, specifically in purpose-driven organisations. This clarity led her to some very large and very dynamic roles. Fleur had just become General Counsel at Healthdirect Australia, the national virtual public health information service, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. And she now leads a team of lawyers at one of Australia’s largest public hospitals, where she describes herself as a Jane of all trades. It was a delight to welcome Fleur to the show and hear about her Life in the Law. 

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week we welcome recently retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria - The Hon. Elizabeth Hollingworth. Like so many of our guests, Liz is a high achiever from way back. At school and University she excelled academically, at sport and in leadership, which culminated in her receiving a Rhodes Scholarship to study a Bachelor of Civil Law, and row in the blue boat for Oxford. Interestingly, Liz did not feel particularly challenged or inspired by her commercial practice at the bar. It was when she came to the Supreme Court of Victoria that Liz found her true legal passion in the criminal division, presiding over many dynamic and high-profile cases. It was a privilege and a pleasure to hear Liz’s frank and fascinating insights and experiences from her Life in the Law. 

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week, we welcome County Court Judge Sara Hinchey. Sara has had a rich and dynamic career in the law. From her early days at the bar, working in huge cases and Junioring to iconic barristers, to her time as Victorian Coroner and Country Court Judge. 

A passion for travel and cooking almost drew Sarah away from a life in the law. Although the law won out in the end, she has worked hard to maintain a work-life balance that includes running cooking classes and bringing produce from her garden into the County Court! It’s a great conversation and a pleasure to welcome Sara to the show.

This week, we welcome Dr Carly Schrever, psychologist, lawyer and empirical researcher. Although Carly got her law degree, had wonderful articles at Allens and was associate to Justice David Habersberger, Carly always knew pure law would not be her path. Since 2015 her work has focussed specifically on judicial and lawyer wellbeing, conducting Australia’s first empirical and psychologically grounded research into the sources and nature of work-related stress among the Australian judiciary, publishing in peer-reviewed journals and textbooks and presenting around the globe. She is now a director at Human Ethos - a psychological consultancy directed to the wellbeing of judges and lawyers. It was an absolute pleasure to welcome Carly to the show and hear about her fascinating work.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This episode we welcome lawyer Michael Dolan. Michael’s life in the law has taken him from city firms to country practices, two separate stints at the Law Institute Victoria and a decade in the UK working in the mobile phone industry at a time when the link between phone towers and cancer was a major public concern. Today, Michael is special counsel - ethics at the LIV, a role he thinks may be his most satisfying as it brings together his decades of experience in law, the power and mobile phone industries and more broadly in communications.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This episode we welcome former Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass OBE. After completing her law degree at Monash, Deborah headed straight overseas to begin decades working in many interesting and varied roles - none of which were in the law! 

She worked in the financial services sector in Europe, was Senior Director of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission and became Deputy Chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission in the UK. Deborah returned to Australia and became the Victorian Ombudsman in 2014, and over her 10 years in the role, led many significant investigations & reform efforts, including, of course, the unprecedented issues the COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

From everyone at Lives in the Law, and all the staff at Greens List Barristers, we wish you a happy and safe Festive Season.

Today, we welcome Malcolm Speed, former lawyer and sports administrator. As a sports mad kid, Mal’s focus was primarily basketball and cricket with a bit of study on the side. But after some focus in the final years of high school, Mal found himself studying law at Melbourne University, with very little idea of what a career in the law could actually look like. After 25 successful years as a solicitor and at the bar, Mal took a risk and opened a consulting business in sports administration, back when many sporting bodies were semi-professional at best. Ultimately, the risk paid off and led to the roles that many listeners will know him for; CEO of the Australian Cricket Board and later the International Cricket Council. Mal’s is a unique life in the law, and it was a delight to hear about it in this conversation. 

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Today we welcome Vincent Shin to Lives in the Law. Vincent is Program Manager of the Youth Law Program at West Justice, and notably, he was the first School Lawyer in the country. Vincent came to Australia with his family when he was one. He grew up with a violent father, struggled through school due to his trauma and failed year 12. How Vincent overcame these enormous obstacles to qualify as a lawyer is an amazing tale. We are thrilled to welcome him to the show, to hear about this incredible journey and the impactful work he does now. 

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week, we welcome former Australian Government Solicitor Michael Kingston to the show. Michael has had a diverse and fascinating career. Beginning with articles at Mallesons, he went on to become a partner and spent over two decades there, primarily in commercial law. He also worked in London, Papua New Guinea, was the chief legal officer at ASIC and, most recently, the Australian Government Solicitor. It is a fantastic conversation and a pleasure to welcome Michael to the show. 

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week we welcome The Hon Marcia Neave AO. Marcia began her legal career as an academic and is known to generations of law students as both an exceptional teacher and the co-author of the seminal textbook, “Sackville and Neave, Australian Property Law”, now in its 12th edition. She was also the first academic to become a Supreme Court Justice in Victoria, sitting on the bench from 2006 to 2015. But Marcia is perhaps best known for her work in law reform; In the 1980s, she led the inquiry that resulted in the decriminalisation of prostitution in Victoria, later, she was the Foundation Chair of the Victorian Law Reform Commission, which amongst other things, recommended substantial changes to criminal laws and procedures dealing with sexual assault. She was a commissioner in the Royal Commission into Family Violence and currently sits on the Australian Law Reform Commission. It was an honor and a pleasure to welcome Marcia to the show. 

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week we revisit our wonderful conversation with barrister Michelle Britbart KC. Michelle practices primarily in common law, insurance law, public liability and personal injuries litigation, running trials in both the Supreme and County Courts. For many years Michelle grew her practice whilst also being a single mother to two young children. And on top of that, she managed to gain a Graduate Diploma of Genetic Counselling and a Masters in Health and Medical Law. 

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week we revisit our wonderful conversation with Her Honour Magistrate Abigail Burchill, former barrister and one of only two Indigenous magistrates in Victoria. Abigail is a proud Yorta Yorta Dja Dja Wurrung woman from a long line of academics and activists. At high school in Mooroopna, Abigail could not see a clear path to the law but her mother knew better and simply would not let her potential go to waste. From the president of Tawirri to the DPP, from the bar to the bench, Abigail's life in the law is fascinating and rich, and it was an honour to hear her story.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

With the AFL grand final a week away, today we revisit our 2021 conversation with AFL CEO Andrew Dillon. When he began at the AFL in 2000, Andrew was the first ever in-house legal counsel. The 20+ years since his legal training prepared him well for the enormous growth of the AFL and all that has entailed: unprecedented TV and internet deals, drug scandals, the introduction of the AFLW, navigating COVID and more.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week we revisit our 2022 conversation with Rob Hulls AM, former Deputy Premier and attorney-general of Victorian, and current director of the Centre for Innovative Justice at RMIT. As attorney-general, Rob introduced many significant and lasting changes to our Justice System, including the introduction of the Koori Court, Drug Court and Australia’s first Neighbourhood Justice Centre. Through all the ups and downs of a career in the law and politics, Rob has been guided by a simple philosophy; that the justice system can be a positive intervention in peoples’ lives.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Today we revisit our 2022 conversation with Emma Dunlevie, lawyer and principal at Russell Kennedy. Emma’s career is split between her work as a commercial lawyer and managing the pro-bono practice within the firm. 

From a case in the Tasmania Supreme Court during her articles, to a groundbreaking case that began with a disheveled man showing up unannounced at Russel Kennedy’s offices and the relatively new area of climate law, this is a wide ranging and fascinating conversation about Emma’s life in the law.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week, we revisit our 2022 conversation with Julian McMahon AC SC. Julian is a barrister at the Victorian Bar who came to international prominence representing Australians on death row. In the early 2000s, Julian defended Van Nguyen in Singapore and later Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, part of the infamous Bali 9, against drug charges that ultimately led to their deaths. He is highly regarded for having navigated long and complex trials in areas such as homicide, terrorism, corruption and fraud but despite all these accomplishments he insists luck has had a big part to play in his Life in the Law. 

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week we welcome barrister Debra Coombs to the show. Debra’s Life in the Law has seen her work in the private sector, the public sector and as a barrister - in two separate stints. She has worked for the Department of Labor, for the State Electricity Commission of Victoria and for Corrections Victoria and is now back at the Bar working in the very interesting and relevant area of elder law. It was a pleasure to welcome Debra to the show.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week, we welcome Sara Kowal, Director of Eleos Justice at Monash Law. Sara believes her role is one of the best positions going in the law. She relishes working with incredible people who share her mission to end the death penalty - be it human rights defenders from around the globe or the impressive students in her anti-death penalty clinic at Monash Law.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week we welcome entertainment lawyer Bryce Menzies. You name an Australian film and Bryce most likely worked on it; Muriel’s Wedding, Romper Stomper, Proof, Ned Kelly, The Great Gatsby, The Babadook and The Dry - to name a few. From coordinating 100,000 people at an anti-uranium rally in the 70’s, to bringing together multiple parties on major movie contracts, Bryce says the fundamentals are the same, and it all comes back to organising. Bryce has had a unique and wonderful Life in the Law and it was a pleasure to welcome him to the podcast.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week on Lives in the Law, we speak with Peter Bartlett, one of Australia’s leading media and communications lawyers. This year, Peter celebrates 50 years of partnership at Minter Ellison, one of Australia’s largest law firms. Peter’s practice focuses mainly on defamation law, and he has been involved in many high-profile and fascinating cases, including the highly publicised and extraordinary case against former Australian soldier Ben Roberts-Smith. It is a fascinating conversation, and a pleasure to welcome Peter to the show.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week we welcome Lizzie O’Shea, principal lawyer at Maurice Blackburn, advocate and author. Lizzie is an internationally renowned expert on digital privacy rights and the intersection between technology, privacy and the law. She has worked & studied internationally, including getting a Master’s from Columbia University and now specialises in class actions, recently leading the class action against tech giant Uber. It was a dynamic and fascinating conversation and a pleasure to welcome Lizzie to the show.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This episode we welcome Robert Miller to Lives in the Law. Robert was born in the Wimmera region, on a farm outside of Horsham in country Victoria. Through intelligence, curiosity and hard work Robert made his way to the United Nations in New York, became a senior law lecturer at Monash University, was one of the founders of The Springvale Legal Service, the Member for Prahran in the Victorian Parliament and spent over 30 years at the Bar. He also managed to play 69 games for the Melbourne Football Club under the legendary Norm Smith.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Today we welcome The Hon. Robert Redlich AM KC. Robert is known to many as the former head of IBAC, which we discuss in detail along with the many other fascinating chapters in his career, including the work that led to the formation of The National Crime Authority, his appointment to the Supreme Court of Victoria and his current role as a mediator. It was an honor and a delight to hear about Robert’s life in the law.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Today we welcome criminal lawyer Tania Wolff. Throughout her career Tania has enjoyed a wide variety of roles, both in and outside the law and her current portfolio continues that model; past president and ongoing director of the Law Institute of Victoria, director of First Step Legal, sessional member of the Mental Health Tribunal, treasurer and executive member of the Law Council of Australia and member of VCAT. It is a fascinating conversation and a pleasure to welcome Tania to the show.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week we welcome Mark Leibler AC. Mark is the senior partner at Arnold Bloch Leibler and one of the leading tax lawyers in the county. As well as his distinguished career in the law, Mark has made significant contributions to the cause of Reconciliation in Australia and as a leader in the Jewish Community. It is a wide ranging conversation and it was a pleasure to welcome Mark to the show to hear about his Life in the Law.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This episode we welcome former police officer and current CEO of Police Veterans Victoria, Dave McGowan. Over his decades on the force, from a young constable to Detective Sergeant, Dave experienced the extremes of human behaviour. As a member of the armed robbery squad he worked on a number of major cases as they progressed through the courts, working with solicitors, barristers and importantly shepherding witnesses through the process. And now as CEO of Police Veterans Victoria, Dave works to support the thousands of former officers affected by the work they did on “the job”, as it’s known.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This episode we are delighted to welcome The Hon Linda Dessau AC CVO. Linda has had enormous variety in her career; she began her law degree at the ripe old age of 16, had a successful practice at the bar, became a Magistrate working in the Children’s Court and Coroners Court; went on to serve as a Judge in the Family Court of Australia for 18 years; and of course became the first female Governor of Victoria. Along the way she also worked as Crown Council in Hong Kong and received a Churchill Fellowship! It was an honour and a delight to hear about her Life in the Law. 

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

From everyone at Lives in the Law and all the staff at Greens List Barristers we wish you a happy and safe Festive Season.

Today we are delighted to welcome The Hon. Phillip Priest, Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Phil has had a rich and storied life in the law. The depth and breadth of his experience is vast, and in this conversation he shares his valuable insights on the skills needed to be a good advocate and qualities of a good judge, the impact of social media on jury trials, and his personal response on finding out his former junior, Nicola Gobbo, was illegally sharing information with the police from privileged conferences with their client Tony Mokbel.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Today we bring you the second part of our conversation with The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG. In this episode we’ll hear about Michael’s appointment to the NSW Supreme Court as President of the Court of Appeal, his ascension to The High Court of Australia and his extensive work with the United Nations on issues such as human rights violations in Cambodia and North Korea and the AIDS epidemic.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Our guest for the next two episodes is The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG. Today, in Part 1 of our conversation we discuss Michael’s early years, schooling and university days, his work with the Council for Civil Liberties, extensive industrial relations work and becoming the inaugural Chair of the Australian Law Reform Commission.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Our guest today is HH Magistrate Noreen Toohey, lead magistrate of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre, an innovative court based on a community justice model. Noreen brings a wealth of experience to the role from her time at the OPP and as a magistrate in the suburbs of Melbourne and rural Victoria. It was a pleasure to have her on the show and wonderful to hear about her life in the law. 

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Today we welcome Forensic & Child Psychiatrist Dr Adam Deacon. Throughout his career Adam has worked in many areas of the justice system including with adult inmates in prison, youth in the juvenile justice system, writing psychiatric court reports for both defence and prosecution and currently at the Youth Forensic Specialist Service with Alfred Health. All this along with a thriving private practice! 

Adam brings a fascinating lens to Lives in the Law and it’s a pleasure to have him on the show.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Our guest this episode is The Hon Anthony North KC. Tony has been involved in some of the largest cases in Australian history as both a barrister and a judge, including the pilots strike in the late 1980’s, the Patricks waterfront dispute, the Tampa Affair and multiple native title cases. He is currently the chair of the Victorian Law Reform Commission, working on many fascinating projects, including the incredibly important work of Improving the Response of the Justice System to Sexual Offences.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

This week we welcome His Honour, Magistrate Rob Stary. Rob grew up in the western suburbs of Melbourne and has remained strongly connected to the area throughout his life and career. Rob is probably best known for his long and often highly publicised work as a criminal defence lawyer, having been engaged by the likes of Tony Mokbel and Carl Williams among many others. He became a Magistrate in 2021 beginning another interesting chapter in his long and dynamic life in the law.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast

Today we welcome Dan Meagher, Professor and Chair of Law at Deakin University. As we’ll hear, despite studying law and doing his articles, Dan initially tried fairly hard to avoid a life in the law, until he found academia or perhaps more accurately until it found him. Dan specialises in constitutional law; lecturing, studying and publishing in the topic all over the world, and in the lead up to this year’s referendum, it is  truly enlightening to hear his insights on the proposed Voice to Parliament.

www.greenslist.com.au/podcast