Remarkable Regional Business

Bonnie Phillips & Stefan Manche, Coulter Legal (Part Two)


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Remarkable Regional Business – Episode 41 (Part Two) 

Guests: Bonnie Phillips & Stefan Manche

Business Name: Coulter Legal

Website: https://www.coulterlegal.com.au/

They rebuilt their whole office and the interesting part was not the design. It was why they refused to follow the open plan trend.

In Part Two of this episode of Remarkable Regional Business, Caleb Maxwell continues the conversation with Bonnie Phillips and Stefan Manche from Coulter Legal. The discussion shifts inside the business to explore how leadership works, how the firm approaches workplace design, and how modern law firms are rethinking the client experience.

Bonnie and Stefan explain how the director group shares responsibility while still maintaining client work, why their new office design prioritises focus and confidentiality, and how changes to pricing and intake processes are helping reduce stress for clients.

Topics Covered

/ Leadership structure and shared responsibility

How the four directors divide portfolios, manage governance, and make strategic decisions without becoming overwhelmed by operational detail.

/ Balancing leadership and client work

Why maintaining client involvement helps leaders stay connected to the realities of the business.

/ Designing a workplace that supports better work

Why Coulter Legal chose private offices over full open plan, and how their new Geelong headquarters was shaped through staff input.

/ Modern client experience

How relationship first intake and value based pricing reduce client stress and provide greater certainty.

/ What makes a great lawyer

Why rapport, empathy, and the ability to ask better questions often matter more than technical expertise.

/ Personal brand and community connection

How lawyers are encouraged to develop their own professional brand while staying deeply connected to the regional communities they serve.

This is Part Two of the conversation with Bonnie Phillips and Stefan Manche from Coulter Legal.

If you have not listened to Part One yet, start there to hear the full story of how the firm grew to where it is today.

// Links

https://www.coulterlegal.com.au/

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Remarkable Regional BusinessBy Hebron Films