Beyond Billables

If you don’t love what you do and are struggling to figure out your next step, today’s guest on Beyond Billables may be exactly the right person to listen to. John Poulsen is a seasoned attorney, an ex-managing partner and is … Read more John Poulsen on Being Happy, Energetic Leadership and Creating Mentally Healthy Workplaces

If you don’t love what you do and are struggling to figure out your next step, today’s guest on Beyond Billables may be exactly the right person to listen to. John Poulson is a seasoned attorney, an ex-managing partner and is currently the principal of People Passion Performance. He has deep, hands-on experience in creating and developing workplaces where people have a shared vision and purpose, are fully motivated, engaged and empowered.

In our conversation, we talked about how to create the kind of cultures and workplace structures that make people happy and productive. We also agreed on a call to action of sorts for those who are unhappy in the law profession: find something else. John’s energy and philosophy are infectious - this conversation isn’t to be missed.

Listen to the full episode to hear all of the above, plus all of this too:

• How to build mentally healthy workplaces
• The key to career longevity
• The value of building a non-hierarchical office
• Why you should prioritise people before clients
• What most professional service firms get wrong
• John’s advice to unhappy lawyers
• The difficulty of instilling change in institutional law firms
• Why firms need to refocus on people in the age of automation and AI
• What to do about high attrition rates
• How John dealt with pressure and intensity during his career
• How the expectations of the current generation of lawyers are playing out
• Ways in which technology is making solicitors’ jobs more difficult

Links:

LinkedIn

People Passion Performance

Masterchef

Do you feel unhappy in your current role but unsure if the situation is fixable or not? This week’s guest on Beyond Billables has been in exactly that same situation and shares her insights on how to navigate uncertain waters. Jessica Kinny is an ex-Dentons solicitor turned founder and principle of Kinny Legal.  

Jessica works with start-ups, high net worth individuals, SMEs, ASX-listed companies and not-for-profit organisations. She’s an experienced commercial litigator and business lawyer, and a recognised aged care and retirement law specialist.

In our chat, we talk about Jessica’s journey in the law, how she got to a place where she knew change was needed and how she approached the uncertainty of the unknown. Jessica’s very sharp and has a lot of wisdom to share, despite still being relatively early in her career - this one’s not to be missed.

Listen to the full episode to hear all of the above, plus things like:

• The genesis of Kinny Legal
• The biggest challenge Jessica’s faced as an entrepreneur
• The power of delegation
• How Jessica’s entrepreneurial path has given her more freedom
• How Jessica realised she didn’t want to be a partner
• How to face stepping into the unknown
• What prompted Jessica to start her own firm
• The ways in which new law firms are approaching attorney-client relationships
• The ways in which generational and technological tides are changing legal practice
• Kinny Legal’s approach to marketing
• Jessica’s go to exercise/de-stressing method

Links:

Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
Kinny Legal
Products
Explanation of what our products are: https://www.kinnylegal.com/about-our-online-products/

Interested in the revolutionary potential of artificial intelligence when applied to legal practice? Want to know how you can position yourself for the future? Today’s episode of Beyond Billables hits on both of these topics with the help of Zegal CEO, Daniel Walker. Daniel leads an incredibly talented group that makes up one of the fastest growing legal tech companies in the Asia Pacific region, as well as Europe.

As someone on the frontlines of technological disruption in the legal industry, we picked Daniel’s brain on issues like AI, machine learning, changing business dynamics and law firm structures, and the types of culture that will support lawyers of the future. Daniel is a sharp guy and well worthy of a listen.

Listen to the full episode to hear all of the above, plus things like:

• Daniel’s story of starting out in the law
• What Zegal does and why they have such a big team
• The challenge of pivoting into a new space
• Why Daniel left private practice
• Daniel’s advice for up-and-coming lawyers
• The work culture that Zegal is striving to build
• The state of AI in terms of the law
• How to make the legal tech space more attractive to top talent
• Why Zegal has rebranded three times
• The challenge in balancing the number of technologists and lawyers
• Why there will always be a huge requirement for legal knowledge
• The skills most highly valued in legal tech
• How Daniel unwinds and fights off stress
• The problem with the ‘get it done yesterday’ culture
• The value in unsexy or less-sexy businesses

Links:

LinkedIn

Zegal

In this week’s episode of Beyond Billables, we’re speaking with someone on the absolute frontline of changing legal industry dynamics. Timothy Corcoran is a keynote speaker, consultant, author and legal commentator. With deep experience spanning two decades as a corporate executive, he guides law firm and law department leaders through the profitable disruption of outdated business models.

 

In our conversation with Tim, we dive deep into everything he’s learned over his career in the law. We highlight some of the most important points about economic models, and the responsibility of legal management. We also offer advice to young lawyers and set the stage for future legal practice. Tim is full of wisdom and is well worth listening to!

 

Listen to the full episode to hear all of the above, plus things like:

 

• What the leaders of law firms need to recognise more often
• Tim’s background and work in the legal industry
• Why hiring for skill and not a short-term need is a good approach
• How Tim helps firms avoid regimented thinking
• Shifting economic models and why they scare some lawyers
• How many law firms have disincentives for collaboration (and the cost therein)
• The differences between US and Australian legal markets
• How technology is the way to implement change, not the change itself
• The often forgotten reason why law firms actually exist
• What Tim sees coming next on the commodification front
• The greatest resistance points to change in the legal sector
• The ‘work hoarding’ problem
• How moving from reactive to proactive is the future
• What excites Tim most about the future of legal work

Links:

LinkedIn

Personal site

Twitter

For anyone wavering on what to do after law school, know that your options may not be as limited as they seem. Today’s episode of Beyond Billables is a brilliant case study to that end. On the show, we speak with Kate Allman, an experienced multimedia journalist, travel writer and social media expert.

A 2015 graduate from UNSW with a double degree in journalism and law, Kate has also completed TV and radio presenting courses at the Australian Film Television and Radio School in 2017. She’s someone uniquely positioned between the law, media and fast-changing technology.

In our conversation, we really keyed in on why you don’t need to follow the herd to be successful. We traced Kate’s trajectory out of university, the challenges she’s faced and the shifting terrain of the legal industry as a whole.

Listen to the full episode to hear all of the above, plus things like:

• How Kate combined divergent interests into a stable job
• The benefits of being selectively stubborn
• Kate’s top book recommendation
• The pros and cons of double degrees
• How Kate jump-started her career while still at university
• The keys to differentiating yourself in increasingly noisy online spaces
• How to improve your skills as a writer and find your authentic voice
• Why Kate spent the night in a prison in Rio De Janeiro
• The biggest issues facing the legal profession right now
• How legal industry disruption has finally started
• How to overcome procrastination
• Life hacks road tested by Kate

Links:

LinkedIn
Law Society of NSW
Twitter

Today, we’re highlighting yet another innovative, new legal startup that’s paving the way for a smart and more flexible future. On this episode of Beyond Billables, we talk with Connor James and Anne Wardell – the brain trust of new law … Read more Legal Technology Entrepreneurship, Developing a Healthy Business Culture and Embracing the New Wave of Legal Practice

Today, we’re highlighting yet another innovative, new legal startup that’s paving the way for a smart and more flexible future. On this episode of Beyond Billables, we talk with Connor James and Anne Wardell – the brain trust of new law firm, Compliance Quarter.

Connor is a solicitor with extensive in-house legal and management experience. He’s the principal of Compliance Quarter (and Law Quarter), and is managing director of Permitz Group.

Anne is also a solicitor at Law Quarter and regulatory specialist at Compliance Quarter, as well as being a teaching adjunct and casual academic at UTS Law Faculty.

Between the two of them, there’s an incredible amount of legal expertise, life experience and business acumen to be learned from. Our conversation traced both of their paths to Compliance Quarter, dug into their respective philosophies on legal practice, got their takes on where the industry is headed and detailed what makes Compliance Quarter different.

 

Listen to the full episode to hear all of the above, plus…

• The tangible value of technical skills for lawyers
• How Compliance Quarter is aiming to reduce client costs
• How to use technology in a professional services environment
• Anne’s advice for those at a career crossroads
• Why telling people directly what you think is a good and a bad thing
• The danger in not thinking clearly about your motivation for a law degree
• The pros and pros of distributed teams
• What James looks for in prospective employees
• Where the legal industry is going in the future
• How Google home has been trained to answer basic legal questions

 

Links:

Connor – LinkedIn
Anne – LinkedIn
Anne – Twitter
Compliance Quarter
Faculty of Law – UTS

Do you feel stuck, disillusioned or otherwise uninspired in your current position? The good news is that in today’s legal landscape, there are more ways than ever to approach a career and find something that suits you better. In the latest chapter of Beyond Billables’ quest to find people who’ve successfully transitioned careers we spoke to Melissa Lyon.

Melissa is a solicitor-turned business development consultant and associate principal at NewLaw firm Hive Legal. Melissa has weathered a few storms in her legal career and has ultimately maneuvered herself into a sweet spot. She currently focuses her energy on clients’ needs, including delivering the best outcomes for them and continually improving the way that legal services are delivered.

Melissa has a lot of wisdom to share, and in our conversation, we dug deep into flexible work practices, her core business philosophy and her approach to organisational culture, and we speculated about what future law firms might look like.

Listen to the full episode to hear all of the above, plus all of this too:

• What a law firm should be like
• The impetus for Melissa’s shift into business development
• The challenges that Hive has faced with their varied approach
• Melissa’s early life and how it shaped her career
• What a healthy work culture looks like
• The value of progressive thought around work flexibility
• Why flexibility is a cultural issue, not a gender-based one
• Why Melissa doesn’t believe in the ‘work-life juggle’
• Why the ‘why’ is more important than the ‘what’ or the ‘how’
• What a good business development manager looks like
• What’s different about Hive Legal
• How lawyers can foster an entrepreneurial mindset
• The benefits of not using timesheets

Links:

Hive Legal
LinkedIn

If you’re one of the many lawyers who finds themselves in a funk, disillusioned or unhappy in their work, then this is an episode that’s not to be missed. In this instalment of the Beyond Billables podcast, we spoke with Legalite founder and principal lawyer, Marianne Marchesi, about courage, perspective and forward-thinking in the legal industry.

Marianne’s experience at large law firms right through to a boutique firm has exposed her to a wide range of clients in various industries – including food and hospitality, fitness, retail, entertainment, pharmacy and real estate.

Marianne is a shining example of how, with a little persistence, you can carve out a niche for yourself within the law. Our chat traced her career, struggles, entrepreneurial journey, lessons to her younger self, and how she thinks about marketing and living the good life.

Listen to the full episode to hear all of the above, plus all of this too:

• Why Marianne left the law for a year
• How to summon the courage to launch your own firm
• How Legalite does things differently
• How Legalite keeps their overheads low
• The challenges of being a lawyer and running a business
• The future of new law models
• How Legalite views marketing from a different perspective
• Why people struggle to get their heads around new law firms
• How Marianne approaches work-life integration
• What transcendental meditation has meant to Marianne
• The future of Legalite

 

Links:

Legalite
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook