Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network

Reflecting on the biggest challenges facing SME firm owners in Western Australia, Nicola Watts says that leaders have to be consistently engaging with their staff to not only attract and retain top talent but also to better understand and appreciate evolving attitudes to career trajectory for those coming through the ranks. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with O'Sullivan Davies principal Nicola Watts on practising family law in different Australian jurisdictions and navigating the idiosyncrasies, the opportunities to tailor one's practice that emerge from such differences, the headline issues and challenges she's seeing for practitioners out west, and why these are so significant.

Ms Watts also reflects on hurdles being faced regarding talent attraction and retention, the need for shifting mindsets from business owners, engaging in regular conversations with staff about what changes are needed, practice-specific challenges she's anticipating in 2024, doing one's best to keep ahead of market trends, opportunities for business owners in the new year, and why firms cannot simply rely on their reputations amid changing vocational attitudes. 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 [email protected] for more insights!

In this special episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, produced in partnership with Axiom, we unpack the provider's recent research into the unsustainably onerous burdens placed upon general counsel, the flow-on consequences from such workloads, and what needs to change moving forward.

Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Axiom chief commercial officer David Pierce about the provider's recently conducted GC Survey and its concerning findings about the volume of work against the backdrop of lower budgets, hiring freezes and inadequate resourcing, the on-the-ground experience of general counsel in the current climate, whether the reputation of in-house roles as being better for work/life balance stacks up, and what Mr Pierce sees as being the most urgent issues to be addressed for law department leaders.

The pair also reflect on the sustainability of in-house roles in their current forms, flow-on consequences for law department leaders if urgent issues are not suitably addressed, the potential for self-fulfilling prophecies to come to fruition, efforts being made in-house to navigate issues faced, making life for those in-house easier, and Mr Pierce's optimism that such issues can be overcome.

To learn more about Axiom, 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 [email protected] for more insights!

Disenchanted with adversarial processes that she felt weren't serving clients, Anne-Marie Cade sought and discovered a new approach in parenting coordination. Speaking to Lawyers Weekly following a Churchill Fellowship on the subject (which saw her visit 16 global cities to explore such practices), she unpacks why parenting coordination is so essential in family law matters in Australia moving forward. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Ms Cade, an accredited mediator, lawyer, and parenting coordinator, about how she got a Churchill Fellowhip, what parenting coordination is and why she sees it as being so important, her global research into the implementation of such an approach in family law matters, what Australia can learn from overseas examples, and the receptiveness of Australian practitioners to parenting coordination. Ms Cade also reflects on the need for such an approach in the Australian market at present, what jurisdictions here should avoid from global counterparts, her predictions for the uptake of parenting coordination in Australia by year's end, challenges she foresees to its success and popularity as an approach, and what excites her about her work in this space moving forward.

Mariah Saad wears multiple professional hats: she is both a graduate trademark lawyer and founder of a loungewear fashion brand, LONELY IS MY HAPPY. Pursuing both pathways, she says, makes her a better and more rounded professional. In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with LegalVision graduate Mariah Saad about her work with the fast-growing NewLaw firm, her lifelong interest in fashion, how and why she founded LONELY IS MY HAPPY during the COVID-19 pandemic, and being deliberate with her marketing and branding about empowerment and confidence as it pertains to wearing loungewear. Ms Saad also reflects on wanting people to talk more about their mental health struggles and having her label champion such conversations, how law students and young lawyers have responded to her label, how her legal employer has embraced her work, how she manages her time and the juggle, what she has learnt in the course of being a business owner and young lawyer simultaneously, what advice she has for emerging legal professionals about broadening one's skill set, and why they should be unafraid to pursue their passions. 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 [email protected] for more insights!

In some pockets of the legal profession, the notion of wellbeing has arguably been embraced as a marketing tool for talent. With worldwide rates of psychological distress having been exacerbated in the wake of COVID-19, legal employers need to consider stripping things back to basics to ensure meaningful, substantive approaches to supporting staff. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with FCW managing principal Andrew Douglas and Wellceum founder and chief executive Desi Vlahos about the "significant damage being done to young people", the emerging realisation that responsibility for wellness doesn't fall just on an individual, the exacerbation of mental health issues in recent years, and the proactive and reactive steps that employers must take if they are to properly engage with this issue. The trio also reflect on regulatory action in prosecuting employers over psychosocial hazards, the need for employers to see themselves as having positive duties to manage staff wellness, where Australian workplaces currently sit relative to global counterparts, overcoming longstanding and ingrained practices in Australian legal workplaces, why firms may not be making as much progress on wellness as they are on matters such as artificial intelligence, and what constitutes good governance. 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 [email protected] for more insights!

In the wake of substantial change to the landscape, practitioners are having to undergo shifts in their mindset and approach, including in the charging of costs to clients in a cost-of-living crisis. Such change is giving rise to a need for practitioners to revamp and expand their operations, argues one partner. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Norton Law Group partner Gabriella Pomare to discuss the evolution of the dispute resolution landscape for family lawyers in recent times and the challenges that have emerged as a result, shifting client expectations and demands, and the need to keep costs down. Ms Pomare also delves into various avenues of resolution, including family therapy and parenting coordination, balancing the need to retain clients versus keep one's business afloat (particularly against the backdrop of high inflation and the cost-of-living crisis), the need to explore new and better ways of operating and practising, knowing how and where to start on such a journey, staying relevant in 2024, and what such practitioners have to look forward to in the new year. 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 [email protected] for more insights!

One year ago, Jarrod Kenney founded his own law firm – while still working full-time in a separate role. Here, he reflects on the myriad challenges involved with starting a legal practice as a concurrent career, setting parameters defining a competitive edge, and what he's learnt both about himself and the experience of practitioners along the way. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Kenney Legal principal Jarrod Kenney to discuss the challenges of entering the legal profession while also working in a separate full-time career, having clear parameters of one's expectations of one's self and thus managing client expectations, navigating the myriad challenges of starting a new business while working elsewhere, and what he has learnt from that experience. Mr Kenney also delves into navigating conversations with clients about capacity, establishing a competitive difference given his different operating hours, staying on top of market changes and evolutions, and what his unique experience of starting a law firm while also working in another job has taught him about what constitutes success for boutique practitioners.

In this special episode, brought to you by Lawyers Weekly's sister brand, HR Leader, leadership expert and author Margot Faraci discusses the concept of "love leadership" and how harnessing this can help better leadership. Trust is a crucial aspect of this, she says, and those who incorporate it into practice can help to build better relationships with employees. Ms Faraci also discusses the power shift in the job market, with employees having more say in their working arrangements. She advocates for a more consultative leadership style that balances consultation with decisive decision making and empathy with results-driven performance. Another area delved into was psychological safety and its impact on performance. Ms Faraci suggests that leaders should focus on building a culture of psychological safety. By choosing capable team members and fostering trust within the team, leaders can drive sustainable performance. 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 [email protected] for more insights!

In this special episode, brought to you by Lawyers Weekly's sister brand, HR Leader, money and wellness coach Marc Bineham joins to give his expertise in the often-overlooked area of wellness: financial wellbeing. In the current economic climate, financial stress plays a key influence on workplace wellbeing. Interest rates, inflation, and a rising cost of living have taken their toll on the population, prompting the need for intervention. This stress doesn't just negatively affect the individual; it can translate into a staggering loss of productivity for organisations and the wider economy. Businesses can assist their employees by implementing financial wellness policies. Mr Bineham touches on the stigma surrounding money discussions and how people are more comfortable sharing personal life details than their financial status, a cultural trait that hinders open conversations about financial health. He advocates for a cultural shift, similar to campaigns encouraging open discussions about mental health, to normalise financial wellbeing discussions. 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 [email protected] for more insights!

Fiona Wong initially studied medical science but ultimately became a migration lawyer – and is now an award-winning practitioner in that space. Here, she discusses the state of affairs for practitioners in this space coming into the new year. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Gilton Valeo executive director and partner Fiona Wong (who won the migration category at the 2023 Partner of the Year Awards) about how and why she became a migration lawyer, what she finds so stimulating about this practice area, the state of affairs for practitioners in this space, and whether now is the most difficult it has ever been for such lawyers. Ms Wong also reflects on striking the right balance between proactivity and reactivity in how one interprets what's going on in the world and thus advising clients, evolving client demands and expectations, how lawyers in this space can keep their heads above water, what constitutes best practice for those working in this space, and her advice for those coming through the ranks in migration law. 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 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 [email protected] for more insights!