Research shows that, in recent years, there has been a huge uptick in the number of women professionals leaving their roles in the face of myriad employer shortcomings, both to address idiosyncratic needs and in light of certain unconscious biases. Legal employers, among others, must address such concerns better if they are to retain top female talent.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back freelance general counsel Anna Lozynski to discuss how and why she’s always valued flexible working arrangements for herself, observations of broader take-up of such arrangements by other women lawyers, what the Great Break-up is and why it is significant for women professionals, and the ways in which businesses may be failing their female employees.

Lozynski also delves into the sociocultural and vocational structures that make it difficult for women (and men) to break free of traditional expectations and norms, what female professionals are choosing to do if they leave their employers and why, the influence of family planning, the practical steps that employers must take moving forward to better address staff needs, and why employees need to know their worth.

Here, an IP lawyer who produced a film that qualified for nomination at the Oscars, discusses her longtime passion for cinema, balancing her filmmaking with working as a sole practitioner, and how storytelling helps with arguments in the law.

Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Slater Intellectual Property Lawyers principal Anny Slater about how she ended up in IP law, how she came to love film early on in life, the first film that sparked her passion, her film The Ball and its subsequent success, and why she produces short films.

Slater also delves into her filmmaking process and how she manages it against her day job, how and why filmmaking helps her be a better lawyer, the complementary skills and insights from filmmaking to IP law and vice versa, the importance of storytelling in becoming a better practitioner, using the law to tell stories, and the need for creative outlets for practitioners.

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!

Nikolina Tully runs Australia’s first all-pink law firm (with an all-pink café attached to the firm’s premises). Here, she discusses her strategy and motivation behind such colour-based branding – including to provide hope for clients.

In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Tully Law founder and legal practice director Nikolina Tully about her early years in the legal profession, how and when she decided to launch her own firm in the personal injury space, initially opting against all-pink branding but eventually deciding to lean into what she truly wanted for her business.

Tully explains the psychology behind her colour-based branding and why it is so beneficial for clients, why she attached an all-pink café to the firm’s premises, how she has brought the entire business along for the ride in embracing pink as a theme, the importance of thinking outside the box with one’s law firm branding (particularly in a crowded market like personal injury), and her broader guidance to aspiring or existing firm owners about setting one’s self and one’s business apart from the competition.

Both personally and professionally, there is much that a firm owner will learn in the first 12 months of operating a legal practice. Here, we unpack some of the headline lessons, surprises, and tricks that one award-nominated practitioner has gleaned.

In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes M de Mestre Lawyers founder Mary-Ann de Mestre to discuss what the past 12 months since the inception of her firm have been like, whether she has been able to hold true to her founding mission, demystifying what the first year is like, the non-negotiable things that new firm owners must know, and how overwhelming it can be to start one’s own practice.

De Mestre also delves into what has surprised her in the first year, the extent to which she has had to be more of a businessperson than a lawyer, navigating the idea of rebuilding the plane as it is falling out of the sky, tinkering with the broader strategy, and the most important practical steps to take.

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 2008, Ecuador enshrined the rights of nature in its constitution. But where is such jurisprudential thinking at in Australia? Here, property and commercial lawyer Mieke Elzer discusses the idea of nature’s rights at law, particularly in the wake of the successful Sharma appeal.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Attwood Marshall lawyer Mieke Elzer about the myriad forms of environmental law and how the earth law stream emerges from it, what is meant by ecological jurisprudence and where we’re at with such legal considerations, the notion that the natural environment – from trees to oceans – can or should have legal standing, and where Australia sits in relation to global counterparts on such questions.

Elzer also delves into the likelihood or otherwise that the natural environment can or will be recognised in Australian law, increasing litigation being seen or to be seen in this space, what it would take for a test case to emerge on the legal standing of the natural environment, bringing the judiciary along for the journey in shifting mindsets, and how all legal practitioners can be more environmentally conscious in their daily operations – both for the community and for themselves.

According to Maria Jockel, immigration law is a “complex, highly regulated area of law, which is totally and utterly underappreciated” regarding its significance for nation-building in Australia. In the face of the government’s recent moves in this space, work for immigration lawyers will continue to be complex but also stimulating, she says.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with BDO global and national immigration law leader Maria Jockel about her personal story of growing up in displaced persons camps, how and why she came to work in immigration law, the importance of “nation-building”, what the federal government’s 10-year strategy for immigration law looks like, and what it means for lawyers in this space.

Jockel also details the state of affairs for corporate compliance with immigration matters and what practitioners need to know, practical steps to be taken with regard to being across the myriad of legislation, policy and flagged changes, the need to be “brave-hearted”, and what excites her about the future experience of immigration lawyers in Australia.

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 week's The Lawyers Weekly Show, we take a look at the typical law school education offered by Australian universities and its perceived pitfalls in the eyes of a recent graduate. http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au

This week on The Lawyers Weekly podcast, we take an in-depth look at medical cannabis regulation in Australia. Our host, Stefanie Garber, is joined by Dr Teresa Nicoletti, a partner at Piper Alderman and medical cannabis advocate. The Federal parliament recently took the first step towards creating a medical marijuana scheme, passing an act allowing for cannabis to be cultivated and manufactured by licensed producers. The new system could help thousands of chronically ill patients access innovative new treatments, Dr Nicoletti explains. Currently, many of these patients are forced underground to access their treatment, putting their health at risk and exposing them to criminal charges. The new Act is a first step to creating a national scheme where patients could access cannabis medication legally and safely. Yet Australia is still a long way from creating a fully functioning framework and a host of challenges remain. All this and more coming up on this episode of The Lawyers Weekly podcast. http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au

When working in a large law department in a big Australian company, ensuring that the legal team’s work remains aligned with business objectives requires optimal collaboration and communication. Here, three general counsel from Tabcorp reflect on their work and how they work together to achieve such ends.

In this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Tabcorp group general counsel Ivana Kovacevic, general counsel of technology procurement, data, and privacy Fiona Tyas, and general counsel of M&A, treasury, and corporate services Tom Boyd to discuss the foremost challenges being faced by large law departments as 2024 gets into full swing, the road maker’s dilemma, data analysis and other required legal transformation projects.

The conversation also fleshes out prioritising cyber concerns, how market factors can influence a company’s movements and performance, identifying and working towards strategic priorities, best practice approaches for achieving such priorities, aligning business and legal strategies, bringing the broader law department along for the ride, effective leadership of emerging counsel in the new normal, and lessons learnt since the start of the year when it comes to keeping a “laser focus” on the end goal.

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!

The adverse consequences on one’s holistic health from being overly sedentary are well established. In the modern working world, where lawyers are tethered to devices and the separation between home and work is blurred, being physically active is more essential than ever before.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by TEDx speaker, personal trainer, fitness presenter and author Lizzie Williamson about how a lack of physical activity during the day can have deleterious consequences for professional services workers, how social media can exacerbate how one is feeling, and why it can be so difficult for lawyers to get up and move during the working day.

Williamson also delves into the flow-on consequences for lawyers who are overly sedentary, overcoming a lack of motivation, the impact of negative motivation on one’s psyche, the roadblocks in the way of good practices, tips to get started on a more active journey, how leaders can encourage small steps for their teams, overcoming perfectionism, and realising what kind of day lawyers want to have.

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!

There are so many amazingly successful women in the finance industry, but only a small number have a strong brand and online presence in this traditionally male-dominated industry. 
 
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we want to help more women raise their profile and showcase the incredible professionals in this space.
 
In this episode, partnered by Mortgage Choice (part of the REA Group), we’re picking the brain of its executive manager, corporate communications, events & franchise marketing, Sally Chadwick, to find out:

• How to build a brand presence. 
• The benefits of having a strong brand presence.
• Top tips to help you get started today.

And much more!

Helen Tung – a barrister, space lawyer, and College of Law lecturer in international arbitration – is brimming with excitement about the myriad vocational pathways currently available in space law. For practitioners of all stripes (particularly women lawyers, for whom there are no barriers to entry), space law is a rich, stimulating and rewarding emerging field, she says.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, and in conjunction with International Women’s Day, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Ms Tung about how and why she got into space law, the issues, challenges and emerging trends she is seeing in this field, and how lawyers across the board can transition to work in this space, regardless of their expertise and backgrounds.

Ms Tung also delves into why she is so passionate about seeing more women practitioners involved in space law and how the traditional barriers to entry aren’t as apparent in this field, how she informs next-generation lawyers about space law, and her predictions for how the emerging field of space law will evolve in years to come.

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 Corporate Counsel Show, produced in partnership with Xakia, we explore newly released research detailing how legal teams with 10 or fewer staff manage digital solutions and how mature their use of technology is at this critical juncture.

Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Xakia founder and chief executive Jodie Baker about the need to examine how digitally mature small in-house legal teams are, given where the market is at, her key takeaways from the research conducted by Agile Market Intelligence, how staffing levels can influence a team’s level of digital maturity, as well as the impact of budgetary constraints.

Ms Baker also delves into the varying relationships small teams have with technology solutions such as business tools, digital signature, matter management, contract management, reporting and analytics, spend management, and artificial intelligence, where small teams are digitally mature, where they are not, and the potential reasons that small teams might not be adopting some technology as fast as others.

To learn more about Xakia, click here.

To read Xakia’s white paper, titled Legal Tech for Teams Under 10, 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!

As next-generation professionals enter the workforce at a time of monumental technological and professional change, lawyers coming through the ranks not only have an opportunity to think outside the box and be more creative in crafting a vocational path – but they arguably have a duty to do so.

In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Best Wilson Buckley Family Law graduate solicitor Natalia Hutchison to discuss how and why she became a family lawyer, what thinking big as an emerging practitioner means to her and why she thinks it is so important in the current climate for those coming through the ranks to embody, and how innovation feeds into such an attitude.

Ms Hutchison also reflects on her journey of travelling multiple hours per day from rural Queensland to get to work, how her perception of the profession has shifted over time, the issues and challenges standing in the way of new lawyers being able to think big, lessons she has learnt, practical ways to think outside the box, the need to be adaptable and flexible, overcoming reluctance or scepticism about one’s capacity to think big, catering to one’s wellness needs, and what excites her about the opportunities in front of next-generation lawyers.

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 Legalwise Seminars, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Legalwise Seminars managing director Jacquelyn Simon about what lawyers need to know about continuing professional development (CPD) and offers tips for them ahead of the looming deadline.

The pair discuss how the accumulation of one’s CPD points is something that sneaks up on practitioners each year, the need for lawyers to get the balance right in getting their points and navigating a turbulent market, the CPD rules that are commonly misunderstood in Australia, whether it is possible to accrue all points online or if in-person learning is needed, the core areas of CPD to be complied with, whether one can defer extra hours accrued to subsequent years, what lawyers want from their CPD at this point in time, and how Legalwise is looking to support practitioners of all stripes in the current climate.

To learn more about Legalwise Seminars, 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!

Here, reigning Banking and Finance Partner of the Year Stuart Cormack offers insights into what day-to-day operations look like for practitioners in this space, what he finds meaningful and stimulating about such work, and how best those coming through the ranks can succeed in B&F.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Gilbert + Tobin partner Stuart Cormack about his journey in law and how and why he became a banking and finance lawyer, the expertise one needs to become a practitioner in this space, the crossover with other firm practice areas, the current trends he is seeing in the market, and why he finds such work so meaningful.

Mr Cormack also details international opportunities that lawyers in this space can explore, what constitutes best practice for B&F lawyers in the face of market challenges and how best to engage with clients, the key traits that make a successful B&F lawyer, opportunities for those looking to exit private practice, and his advice to this coming through the ranks.

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!

This year, national law firm Carroll & O’Dea celebrates its 125th anniversary. Here, its managing partner reflects on the firm’s journey and where it sees itself moving forward.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Carroll & O’Dea managing partner Hanaan Indari about having spent her entire career at the one firm, how she rose to become its managing partner, the challenge of taking over the firm at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the firm’s approach to flexible working.

Indari also reflects on the firm’s history and how it got to be where it currently sits in the professional services marketplace, the longstanding traditional values that the firm looks to uphold, where the firm sees itself moving forward, playing to the firm’s strengths, its utilisation of new and emerging technology and taking innovative approaches, the big challenges for firms like Carroll & O’Dea that loom on the horizon, and what excites her about the firm’s next steps.

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 episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, brought to you from Lawyers Weekly’s sister brand, Cyber Daily, journalists Liam Garman, David Hollingworth, and Daniel Croft provide critical insights for business leaders on how to craft an investor and media relations strategy in the event of a breach.

The trio discuss the latest news before diving into how cyber breaches require all hands on deck to get a company back to business as usual, provide anonymised case studies of investor and media relations strategies that have allowed companies to take control of the narrative, and detail top tips for businesses to get on the front foot in the event of a breach.

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 new boutique firm owner, Stefani Janson appreciates being able to define her vocational legacy while enjoying the rollercoaster of being a business owner. Part of her early success is down to having found and nurtured a tribe that is helping her flourish.

In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Hestia Law principal Stefani Janson about her personal and professional motivations, her initial reflections on being a firm owner and its challenges, how prepared one can be to launch a new legal practice, her self-awareness and how that has aided her development with the new firm.

Ms Janson also details her views on the need for a personal board of directors and where this idea came from for her, the importance of finding one’s tribe in law and leaning into that, the questions one needs to ask in building such a network and how diverse it can or should be, examining that board’s utility and need for refreshing (if applicable), how high a priority having such a board should be for small-firm owners, and why she is a better lawyer and person for having such support in her professional 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!

NSW Chief Justice Andrew Bell recently said that judges and magistrates need further support, or the Australian court system will risk judicial crisis. For these two senior criminal law practitioners, the comments ring true, with processes in the state’s courts needing to be urgently bolstered for the sake of practitioners, clients, and the community alike

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Taylor Rose consulting principals Angela Cooney and Trudie Cameron (national practice director and practice director at Armstrong Legal, respectively) to discuss what’s happening on the ground in state courts and the “crazy workloads” being dealt with, how and why the situation has become so unmanageable, the exhaustion being felt by advocates, and whether the advent of virtual hearings has helped or hindered in addressing such backlogs.

The trio also reflect on the impact of such issues on practitioners, those on the bench, clients and the broader community, what solutions are urgently needed and from whom, reactive strategies that can be implemented by individuals, basic courtesies that lawyers can extend during matters to make things go more smoothly, and how best advocates can be looking after themselves during such difficult times.

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 LawTech Talks, produced in partnership with Thomson Reuters, host Jerome Doraisamy and Thomson Geer chief executive partner Adrian Tembel flesh out the cultural, structural, and hierarchical changes needed in firms and in-house teams to future-proof businesses for the modern marketplace.

The pair reflect on the rate of change in professional services firms, how big a priority tech and innovation must be for national law firms like Mr Tembel’s, the need to have a longer-term perspective on what change is required and how best to implement it, and what changes he is making within his firm and why.

They also discuss the key questions that business leaders must be asking in retaining top talent and ensuring optimal utilisation of technology into the future, avoiding looking for “quick wins” with innovation, how taking a longer-term approach feeds into a business’s talent retention strategy, keeping one’s finger on the pulse regarding market shifts, and how Mr Tembel intends to continually drive his firm and its broader strategy forward.

To learn more about Thomson Reuters and its work in this space, 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!

From the perspective of senior in-house lawyer Shiara Mutukisna, governance is “now more important than it’s ever been”. To this end, ensuring best practice approaches both within the law department and in its work with cross-business functions and external stakeholders must be a top priority this year – particularly because “uncertainty is the new normal”.

In this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with BeiGene senior director and senior legal counsel in APAC Shiara Mutukisna about being inspired to become a lawyer while watching her barrister grandfather in Sri Lanka, retaining one’s motivation to serve the community and do good work, macro trends impacting upon the healthcare space, and headline challenges pertaining to governance in the new year.

Ms Mutukisna also delves into how to put in place the right structures to build trust across a business, the right questions to ask of one’s law department, evolving the in-house lawyer from being a “naysayer”, practical steps she has taken within her team to get on the front foot with good governance, collaborating with external providers, balancing firefighting needs against proactive governance strategies, and instilling the importance of good governance in those coming through the ranks.

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 faced significant health issues in recent years, award-nominated young lawyer Melissa Arndell has learnt how critical it is to slow down, take stock, live one’s values, and believe in one’s abilities as a professional.

In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Bourke Legal associate Melissa Arndell to discuss what took her and her family out to regional NSW, taking her practice inland, what the personal injury market is like out in the regions, navigating her practice area while also being close to the community, whether there are substantive opportunities for emerging practitioners who move inland.

Ms Arndell also reflects on having experienced significant health issues in recent years, the flow-on consequences (both physically and personally) from such experiences, building resilience to manage tricky times, her motivation for her chosen practice area, practical ways to live one’s values, managing the juggle between work and family, compartmentalising pressure, and being true to one’s self as an emerging practitioner.

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!

The passage of “Right to Disconnect” laws in Australia will be the latest addition to the ongoing discourse around the ways in which professional services workers, including lawyers, should undertake their duties. Here, we check in on the state of affairs and why being “deliberate” is so important.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Hall & Wilcox partner Fay Calderone to discuss what’s happening on the ground with regard to the debate around working arrangements for lawyers, the intersection between legal compliance, safety and flexibility, why workplaces must be “deliberate” about how they are leading and managing staff and their idiosyncratic needs, and the likelihood of court proceedings around workplace relations increasing in the near future.

Ms Calderone also reflects on the pertinent lessons learnt for business leaders coming into the new year, whether firms are implementing a “wait-and-see” approach to top-down approaches, the reasonableness of wanting staff back in the office, the need for more organic and empathetic approaches, where such staff management sits in the triage of urgent responsibilities for law firm partners, and how employees can be navigating such conversations with their employers.

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!

Some lawyers feel that in-office collaboration will be best for team collegiality and productivity, while others want to lean more heavily into using technology and work-from-home arrangements to best serve clients and businesses. Striking the right balance between competing interests is a challenge that leaders in law firms and in-house teams will likely be grappling with for some time.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Mills Oakley partner Dalvin Chien about the quandary of getting lawyers back to the office (or not), the advantages of using new and emerging technologies to work in more modern ways, the broad benefits of working face to face with one’s colleagues, whether the law facilitates or prohibits such ways of working, and how leaders in law can be informing themselves about what might work best for their teams’ idiosyncratic needs.

Mr Chien also discusses an informal survey he conducted recently to gauge market sentiment about what legal work can or should be done remotely versus in the office, and the impacts of the location of the undertaking of such work, as well as his real-life experiences, observations and practical tips about what constitutes the right balance.

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 the current climate, effective management of the holistic wellness of litigation teams is going to be paramount – doing so will require encouragement of organic community, as well as drawing lessons from unexpected places, such as team sports.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back award-winning litigator Matthew Littlejohn to discuss moving from Darwin (where he practised as a barrister) to Melbourne to manage the litigation team in Victoria’s Office of the General Counsel, what teams like his do and the challenges facing such teams in the current climate, balancing proactive and reactive issues, and interpreting lessons from different Australian jurisdictions in practising law.

Mr Littlejohn also delves into the role and duties of litigation team leaders in 2024, the ever-increasing importance of managing staff wellbeing and why this is so pertinent in litigation, safeguarding against social isolation when staff are working from home, encouraging staff collaboration and communication and why it needs to be organic, his foray into competitive rugby with the Melbourne Chargers and how it helps him be a better person and lawyer, leadership lessons he’s taken from the rugby field, and what other litigation team leaders can learn from the experience of rugby players.

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!

To deliver effective legal services, lawyers need to be able to recognise and respond to their clients’ trauma and take a more informed view of their clients’ broader experiences. Here, we unpack how this can be done and why it is so essential.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Legal Aid NSW manager Jennifer Chen and lived experience advocate Rachel Thomas about what trauma-informed lawyering is, the introduction of a toolkit from the federal Attorney-General’s Department and what it hopes to achieve, and the emergence of such an approach to legal services domestically and abroad.

The trio also discuss the impact that a trauma-informed approach from a lawyer can have on clients in need, why it is so important (from a client perspective) for a lawyer to be trauma-informed, the potential consequences (for clients and court processes) if lawyers are not adequately trauma-informed, adhering to one’s duties to clients and the court, overcoming scepticism about such an approach, and how best lawyers can better educate themselves on new ways of delivering legal services.

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 so-called “Mr Big” undercover police operations have resulted in convictions in some of Australia’s most notorious cases, such as the Daniel Morcombe murder, the admissibility of confessions elicited during such operations and the reliability of those statements may demand further scrutiny.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with RMIT University College of Business and Law lecturer Dr Lisanne Adam and University of Sydney senior psychology lecturer Dr Celine Van Golde about what defines a “Mr Big” operation, how and why they are used, their recent research into the use and reliability of such operations, and the practical issues that these operations can present.

Adam and Van Golde also delve into some of the moral and ethical considerations from such operations, the fact that the High Court allowed for use of such methods in 2007, whether “Mr Big” operations are increasingly being used and why police might look to undertake such operations, the challenges or consequences that arise from these operations, the idea that the legal system may “prey on the vulnerable”, how criminal lawyers feel about the use of “Mr Big”, what legislative or regulatory improvements might be needed, and ensuring societal faith in our system.

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 Leo Cussen Centre for Law, we explore the rapidly evolving professional services landscape and how today’s students, grads and juniors can bolster their arsenals to succeed in the future.

Host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Flinders Law School dean Tania Leiman and Leo Cussen Mentor and Justice Lab convenor, Bianca Paterson to discuss the importance of new skills in the post-pandemic market, the headline trends for emerging practitioners to be on top of, the place of tech and innovation in the legal profession, using one’s legal qualifications in a diverse range of vocational avenues, and what education institutions like Leo Cussen are doing to ensure tomorrow’s lawyers are fit for purpose.

The trio also discuss empowering emerging practitioners to craft their own career pathways, needed mindset shifts, the myriad challenges that younger professionals are currently grappling with (including the cost of living), what it means to thrive in the modern world, what those coming through the ranks can be demanding from education providers, and what the next generation has to look forward to.

To learn more about Leo Cussen, click here. To learn more about Leo Cussen’s collaboration with Flinders University, 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!

Coming into 2024, award-nominated GC Teresa Allan is motivated to ensure optimal levels of resilience and connection across her law department. Doing so, she submits, will put the team in the best possible position to succeed in the current climate.

In this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Capgemini vice-president, general counsel and ethics and compliance officer Teresa Allan about the importance of exploring how to set up one’s law department to succeed in the new year, various personal setbacks she experienced in 2023, the lessons she learnt from trying times, why having transparent conversations with one’s team is as important as ever, and the need for resilience and reconnection.

Ms Allan also delves into the holistic hurdles that might be getting in the way of optimal resilience and positive reconnection within one’s law department, how to navigate sustainability issues and balance team management against constant firefighting, segmenting team members to undertake proactive or reactive tasks, tackling the projects that a department can reasonably manage, what her definition for success in 2024 is, and what motivates her to achieve it.

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, X (formerly 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!

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) recent decision to hold the cash rate at 4.35 per cent will have significant implications for investors.

In this episode of The Smart Property Investment Show, host Phil Tarrant chats with Finni Mortgages CEO Paul Glossop about why the RBA’s latest interest rate decision comes at a turning point in the nation’s financial landscape.

The duo discuss how lowering inflation and stabilising cash rates could lead to a “trust jail” for investors whose banks refuse to reprice in line with rate reductions.

The episode also reveals the far-reaching consequences of the current government policy, which may disincentivise investment in the long term.

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 Settify, we explore the circumstances that have led to an increase in family separations and inquiries to practitioners and how best those professionals can ensure optimal client service delivery moving forward.

Host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Settify global chief executive Paul Psaltis to discuss the seasonal nature of increased separations and subsequent inquiries and how the current climate is perpetuating such a spike, the implications for the market and practitioners alike, the existence of a “perfect storm” in this practice area (including more acrimonious separations), and the need to find new and more creative ways to engage as a practitioner.

The pair also reflect on the questions that lawyers in this space should be asking of themselves and their practices, undergoing a mindset and practical shift in one’s daily operations, overcoming key hurdles that impede business development, making necessary investments in one’s practice, and the opportunities that can and will flow from the utilisation of the right technologies and platforms.

To learn more about Settify, click here.

Next week, the Reserve Bank of Australia will make its first cash rate decision for the year. With inflation dropping, there is much that legal professionals looking to purchase property or expand their existing portfolios need to be across – particularly to avoid missing out.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Legal Home Loans director of sales Cullen Haynes and lending manager Rachael Massoud to discuss the current state of affairs in the market, how lawyers can interpret the recent lowering of inflation, the likelihood that the Reserve Bank will keep the cash rate as is to start the new year, and how lenders are reacting to next week’s RBA decision.

The trio also discuss the incoming fixed-rate expiry cliff and how to ensure you are prepared, why getting pre-approval in place sooner rather than later will be critical for lawyers in the coming months, the serviceability factors that lawyers should be across, and the myriad benefits afforded to lawyers and legal businesses both through Legal Home Loans and when it comes to borrowing capacity (regardless of the size of one’s property portfolio).

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!