Beyond Billables

What a crazy last few weeks right? For most of us around the world our lives and work have been turned upside down. In these tough times it's clear that we need people who can lead to step up. Especially all of you in professional services, your clients need you now more than ever. While that might be hard when we feel a bit knocked down, that's ok you can lead by supporting as well. So in the show today I covered 10 ways to be a leader and a supporter in this time of crisis.

1. Use everything at your disposal

2. Be an ally to your clients

3. Have a clear plan

4. Be bold and brave

5. Take responsibility for your team

6. Work hard on the home front

7. Stay well

8. Do your bit for your country

9. Don't hoard resources

10. Get help if you are overwhelmed

In rare company is today's guest who makes her second appearance on the show! I recently caught up with Marianne to chat about the last two years at Legalite, how she has grown the firm so successfully, and what the future holds.

Marianne is the founder and principal lawyer of Legalite - a new kind of law firm that aims to simplify legal services. Since establishing the firm in 2017, Marianne has successfully led Legalite in becoming a market-leading firm in the business and franchising space.

In 2018, she was awarded Sole Practitioner of the Year at the Lawyer's Weekly Australian Law Awards, and more recently, she was named Partner of the Year (SME) in the 2019 Lawyer's Weekly Women in Law Awards.

Marianne's passion for delivering easy to understand advice and her strong focus on client relationships has made her a true standout in the industry. So much so, that for two years in a row, Legalite was named Australia's Best Law Firm in the NAB Professional Services Awards - an award judged entirely by clients.

In the next few shows I'll be focusing on 7 huge lessons I've learned this year plus drop some more awesome clips from recent guests. On today's show I chat about the lag time in dealing with stress and anxiety, there's a great clip from my recent interview with Dugald Hamilton on Cyber threats, and we wrap it all up with a huge lesson one of my clients gave me about sticking to my guns.

To read the entire blog - https://www.beyondbillables.com/blog/business-lessons-from-2019

This week on the show I had the pleasure of interviewing my friend, Dugald Hamilton. Dugald is the founder of 23Legal, a Litigation and Insolvency practice in Queensland which has experienced substantial growth over the last few years. Dugald not only has a great story about growing a successful practice but has a keen interest in technology and implementing real solutions in the way legal services are delivered. We chatted at length about the future of law, practical ways law firms can use technology, and what is coming down the road. Having spent some time working from Chicago last year, Dugald was able to share his views on the reality of flexible work and how he was able to maintain his practice while enjoying his time in the windy city! The most enjoyable part of the interview for me was hearing about his journey starting 23Legal, what he has had to overcome, and the lessons that are helping him shape his firm as it grows.

https://www.23legal.com.au/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/dugald-hamilton-8595b640/

Today on the show we welcomed the remarkable Cullen Haynes, finance specialist and mortgage broker extraordinaire. Cullen is part of the team at Legal Home Loans who specialise in helping Partners and Barristers with their lending needs. Cullen has a fascinating story that demonstrates the value of focusing on a niche, bringing huge amounts of value, and building a strong brand. As one of the most active people you will find on LinkedIn, Cullen has used video and content to swiftly build a personal and business brand to be proud of. An avid reader and runner, Cullen shares both his journey and what he has learned along the way in what is a very upbeat show. If you're thinking about how you stand out in your career and want a great example of another professional who has walked the talk in building a personal brand than this is an episode not to be missed. https://www.legalhomeloans.com.au/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cullen-p-haynes/

This week on the show I had the tremendous privilege of interviewing EJ Wise, Cyber Lawyer and founder of WiseLaw. EJ has a remarkable story that spans 25 years working in the legal industry with the Australian Federal and State Governments and in private practice specialising in cyber law, policy, advice, international humanitarian law, law of the sea and criminal law! EJ is an internationally recognized cyber law expert who is one of the very few people in Australia with real experience advising on all aspects of cyber. As well as her love for practice EJ has a real passion for education and is leading the way in bringing cyber threats and the effects on business into the main stream. EJ also served in the defence force and shared on her journey, her time at the Pentagon and what it was like advising on the use of technology in warfare and the role state actors are playing. If that might all sound too technical don't worry! EJ is one of the funniest, most engaging people I have had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know this year and this is a show with plenty of laughs as well as learning. https://www.wiselaw.com.au/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/wiselaw3/?originalSubdomain=au

Today on the show I had a great pleasure of welcoming Sacha Kirk, co-founder and CMO of Lawcadia.

In her role Sacha draws on over 15 years experience in marketing, brand strategy, innovation and professional consulting experience in Australia and the UK. Lawcadia is a legal technology company with a web-based platform in-house legal teams and their law firms can use to manage projects, matters and spend.

We had a great chat about how the business was started, how they have been able to grow internationally, and what the future holds. As a fast growing legal technology company who has made real inroads both in Australia and internationally I was inspired to hear how they backed themselves and have achieved great success.

On the Insight show today we cover quite some ground!

In part one I chat about carving out time to do more stuff you love and give some tips on small changes that can make a big difference. It is a struggle as a busy professional but super important to find even small chunks of time for your own pursuits to make sure you never feel like you are missing out.

Part two is a follow up from my recent interview with Michael Chesterman, Consultant at Helix Legal. Michael makes some great points on collaboration and investment.

And finally in part three I chat Facebook ads, why most firms completely misunderstand them, and how you can use them to grow your brand and footprint.

Today on the show I had the privilege of interviewing Wes Young, lawyer, proud father and Co-Founder of Legally Yours. Wes has a super interesting story which took him from journalism to law and shares his motivations for each step along the way. Wes has worked with some of the best known corporates and corporate personalities in Australia, and brings his experience to Legally Yours in what is a fast growth stage for the company. Wes has a particular passion for helping lawyers gain the personal freedom they need to live healthier and happier lives and we spoke in detail about how he feels this is achievable and the role technology can play.

To find out more check out

https://legallyyours.com.au/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesley-young-gaicd-47ba3251/