My guest in this week’s episode of The Happy Lawyer Happy Life Podcast is someone who’s showing us that a rich variety of experiences really can lead to happiness. His name is Matthew Hickey, and not only is he a successful Brisbane-based barrister, but he’s also lived a double-life as a thriving musician!

As an operatic singer, Matthew enjoyed a life that most of us can only dream of – touring the world, playing sell-out gigs and even recording in the famous Abbey Road studio. But a growing disenchantment with the music industry plus a serious health setback forced Matthew to reconsider, eventually bringing him into the legal industry.

I really enjoyed this interview. Matthew is so kind, warm and passionate. He’s super smart and clear about where he’s going, and I’m thrilled to be sharing his inspirational story with you.

Here are just a few of the things we get into in this episode:

Matthew’s operatic background and how it led him to a career in law

The psychological pressures that are put on undergraduate law students

Why a variety of experiences is vital in becoming a well-rounded professional in the legal industry

Matthew’s take on the reality versus the dream in his music career

How Matthew’s unhappy experiences drove him to seek the path that was right for him

Why believing in your abilities and backing yourself creates those defining moments in your career

The steps Matthew went through to being able to identify which areas of law suited his personality the best

The problem with being inauthentic and the impact it can have on happiness

Matthew’s advice for younger practitioners in the legal industry

Matthew’s drive to being a better person at the end of each day

 

HAPPY LAWYER HAPPY LIFE

Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre.  A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.   

My guest in this week’s episode of The Happy Lawyer Happy Life Podcast is someone who’s used perspective and community to maintain happiness across her life, while balancing a busy career and family. Rebecca Pezzutti is a Senior Associate at Bell Dixon Butler Lawyers based in Hervey Bay, as well as being the President of Fraser Coast District Law Association.

Having moved to Armidale in New South Wales to work at a legal clinic, Rebecca is definitely a city-girl gone country. Talking to her about her experiences in regional law was fascinating for me, as it made me consider the similarities and differences between our different types of work.

I really got a lot out of this conversation. Rebecca’s positive, go-with-the-flow attitude was super refreshing, and her insights offered a great perspective for me on life, law and, most importantly, happiness.

Here are a few of the things we get really into in this episode:

The best things about working in the community sector… and the frustrations that come with it  

The changes in family law over the past few years

Rebecca on how the relationship with the client is different in regional law

How Rebecca balances family life with her career

Why regional law is often more suitable for experienced lawyers rather than recent graduates  

What Rebecca learns about living in the moment from her kids!

The unique challenges that come with working in regional law

The duty that senior associates have in helping the next generation of lawyers

Rebecca’s role as President of Fraser Coast District Law Association, and what she’s learned from it

Why mentoring is such an important aspect of the legal industry

Keeping perspective and maintaining a balance in order to achieve a sense of happiness

Rebecca’s Happiness Challenge!

HAPPY LAWYER HAPPY LIFE

Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre.  A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.   

Welcome to The Happy Lawyer Happy Life podcast, and this episode is something of a first for me as I’m interviewing the dynamic mother-daughter duo, Gabrielle and Beate McManus.

In 1975 Beate McManus was one of the first women in Victoria to start a law firm. 42 years later she is handing over the reigns to her daughter, Gabrielle.  There are not too many mother and daughter duo’s I have come across in the law so when I first met Gabrielle and heard a little of her mother’s story, I knew we all needed to hear more!

Both working as Principal Lawyers at McManus & Co, Gabrielle and Beate have worked together and separately to achieve amazing things in the legal industry. 

Having set up her firm in 1975 at just 24 years old, Beate has headed the practice for more than 40 years.  Over this past year Gabrielle has taken over the reigns as they say.  Gabrielle has big shoes to fill but is already focused on how she can continue her mother’s legacy and take McManus and Co into the next 40 years of business.   In this conversation, Beate and Gabrielle share with me stories, advice and a heap of wisdom about life in the law and of course happiness!

We get into all of that plus lots more, including… 

Gabrielle and Beate on having purpose outside of their careers to drive their happiness forward

The importance that humour plays at McManus & Co Lawyers

How the legal industry has changed and improved over the years

What keeps Gabrielle and Beate content in the legal industry

Gabrielle on what it is that gets her through the toughest days in law

The role that professionalism plays in the day-to-day running of a law firm

Raising children alongside having a successful legal career

Gabrielle and Beate’s career highlights

Tips and advice for lawyers from all walks of life

The shift towards virtual law firms and the impact it has on lawyers everywhere

Double the Happiness Challenge this week as Gabrielle and Beate both offer tips on what you can do to improve your happiness!

HAPPY LAWYER HAPPY LIFE

Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre.  A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.   

My guest in this week’s episode of the Happy Lawyer Happy Life podcast is someone whose independent, tenacious attitude has seen her create a unique path for herself at the age of just 25. Freya Gardon started working with me at Brisbane Family Law Centre straight from school nearly eight years ago, and in that time I’ve seen her develop into a fiercely passionate and highly-skilled solicitor.    

Now Freya’s setting her sights on a Psychology degree, and is combining her passions together to forge out a lifestyle that makes her happy and fulfilled. Her determination and eclectic skill-sets mean that she’s able to continue working in law while following new interests elsewhere. Listen to the episode to find out how!

In this conversation, we get really into…

The value that comes with a variety of different experiences

The hardest parts about being a clerk and what you can gain from overcoming those challenges

Freya’s tips on how to juggle studies and work

Opening your mind to different ways to problem-solve

Freya’s struggles dealing with bereavement, and pushing on with her career and studies

Freya’s tips for people just starting out in the legal industry

How psychology combines Freya’s passions and skills

Coming up with a solution for Freya to work remotely while studying her psychology degree

The steps Freya’s put in place to make sure she works efficiently from home

How focusing on health and exercise helped Freya to control her stress

Freya’s Happiness Challenge!

HAPPY LAWYER HAPPY LIFE

Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre.  A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.   

My guest in this week’s episode of The Happy Lawyer Happy Life podcast is showing us all that anything is possible if you just believe in yourself.  Laura Chong started her legal career in a fairly traditional way – undertaking summer clerkships before landing a Judge’s Associate role in the Court of Appeal of Qld. However, a few years into her law career, Laura soon realised that her passions had fallen by the wayside and she was fast becoming an unhappy lawyer.

So one summer holiday Laura decided to launch an online fashion business, ‘400 Co’.  Fast forward a few years and this lawyer is now running a successful boutique fashion label including bricks and mortar stores all the while still consulting as a construction lawyer each day!

I loved this interview – Laura is intelligent, determined, creative and lots of fun. Her positive attitude is contagious as was her enthusiasm for new ideas – her catchphrase (you will hear!) is ‘just do it’!

We get into loads of great stuff in this episode, including…

What Laura is doing now she is not ‘just a lawyer’

Laura’s tips on being a Judge’s Associate

The parts of the legal industry that contribute to Laura’s happiness and purpose in life

How Laura found the time to set up her side-business while pursuing a legal career

Laura’s tips on following your passion

The unhappiness in Laura’s career that drove her to making a change

Laura’s transition from her online boutique to a physical store

Why making time for your passion is central to happiness

The ups and downs of starting a fashion label

Laura’s advice to young lawyers on taking the right steps to doing what you really want

What the future holds for Laura

Laura’s biggest learnings in business, law and life

Laura’s Happiness Challenge!

HAPPY LAWYER HAPPY LIFE

Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre.  A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.   

My guest in this week’s episode of The Happy Lawyer Happy Life podcast is a Brisbane Silk who’s experienced some extraordinarily difficult decisions in his career, and has had to stand by them. Stephen Keim came into the public eye when he represented Mohamed Haneef in 2007, and for a period he was a regular figure in the media. From there, he went on to be named ‘The Australian’s, Australian of the Year’ in 2007, and in 2009 he was awarded a Human Rights Medal by the Australian Human Rights Commission.  

But that’s just one instance of courage in his long and brilliant career. Stephen is someone who strongly believes in following the right direction and making a positive impact. In my conversation with him, he shared his story and offered plenty of inspirational advice for lawyers at all stages of their careers.

We get into loads of great stuff in this episode, including…

What Stephen would be doing if he weren’t a lawyer

Getting joy from the actual process of applying law and order to the chaos of the legal industry

The joys of being at the bar and what keeps Stephen passionate about his work

The ups and downs of being a barrister

Making decisions around family, time and work

The methodology of dealing with the media and the pressures that come with that

Stephen’s pro-bono work and the positive enjoyment he gets from doing that

Connection with purpose in law land and how it results in happiness

Stephen’s advice to young lawyers on taking the right steps to doing what you really want

Stephen’s Happiness Challenge!

 

 

 

HAPPY LAWYER HAPPY LIFE

Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre.  A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.   

Hello and welcome to The Happy Lawyer Happy Life podcast where in this week’s show I’m interviewing one of the great influences and mentors of my career, Jennifer McArdle. Jennifer is a Brisbane-based barrister who specialises in family law. Her work has seen her transition through a number of different areas in the legal industry, including working initially as a commercial solicitor at Hemming & Hart Solicitors before working with Legal Aid Queensland for many years as a senior manager and specialist Independent Children’s Lawyer. She’s also a member and former president of the Family Law Practitioners Association Qld Ltd.

Since going to the Bar Jennifer has taken a few more innovative steps with her career to ensure happiness and balance for her and her family.  Living in Northern NSW but working mostly out of Qld, Jennifer has been  innovative with her work practices to create a life that offers some of the best of both worlds.

Jennifer is a fierce and determined professional who is able to offer great wisdom and advice for lawyers at any stage in their career, but particularly for those just starting out and looking to find their own way.

Here are just a few of the topics we touch upon in this episode:

What Jennifer would be doing if she weren’t a lawyer

Focusing on the good, learning from mistakes and letting go of negativity

The importance of preparation, in terms of both time and workload

Setting aside time for holidays, and taking them!

How Jennifer is able to maintain a successful career while working from home

Steps that Jennifer takes to remaining positive during difficult times

Jennifer’s love of food, travel and socialising

Jennifer’s tips for young people finding their own way in the legal industry

How to successfully transition into the bar

How to know when it’s time to move on from one position to another in your career

Jennifer’s career highlights

Jennifer’s Happiness Challenge!

 

 

 

HAPPY LAWYER HAPPY LIFE

Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre.  A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.   

My guest in this week’s episode of The Happy Lawyer Happy Life podcast is someone who’s not only reached great heights in the legal industry, but also made a real dent in the entrepreneurial world too. His name is Chris Hargreaves and he’s a self-professed ‘casual Senior Associate’ at McInnes Wilson. And besides being a husband and a father to three children, he also leads a double life as an online entrepreneur.

Over his rich and varied career, Chris has launched a number of online businesses, most of which are aimed specifically at lawyers. He’s also a bit of a content guru, prolifically publishing blogs and videos that tackle every aspect of law land, and he’s even written his own book, Look Before You Leap: A Guide for Aspiring Writers.

In this episode, we get into all that plus this stuff too…

Chris on being a ‘casual senior associate’, and what that means  

The importance of being approachable and affable in legal practice

The contrast between ‘pop-culture’ law and the real, day-to-day grind

The process of writing a book and the next step: finding a platform to sell it on

Why Chris writes and the fundamental value that all lawyers can draw from it

How to overcome the sometimes overwhelming technical aspects of creating an online body of content

The purpose and objective of online presence writing

Developing a content strategy and becoming aware of your target reader

How digital marketing can complement a legal career

Why young lawyers are feeling trapped and frustrated, and how you can overcome this

The value of self-awareness

The possibility of moving on from negative thinking  

Chris’ Happiness Challenge!

HAPPY LAWYER HAPPY LIFE

Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre.  A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.   

 

My guest in this week’s episode of The Happy Lawyer Happy Life podcast is a true inspiration for anyone looking to broaden their horizons and make a real difference in the world. His name is Pepe Clarke, and he’s got so many strings to his bow. Besides being a lawyer with 15 years’ experience, he’s also dedicated much of his life to environmental causes and is now Global Head of Policy at BirdLife International.

Pepe’s always been a passionate activist. He’s spoken on various media and published a number of papers on threats to the environment. Here, he shares his journey with me – the path that his career has taken, how he’s travelled the world and the hope that pushes him forward.

In this episode we really get into:

What brought Pepe to law in the first place

The positive impact that the legal industry can have on the environment

The influence that family and community have had on Pepe’s choices

The volunteering work that Pepe’s done and the opportunities that have come from that

How Pepe has managed to travel and work all around the world

The satisfaction that Pepe gets from working with people

The challenges that Pepe has faced in his career and how he’s overcome them

Finding the balance between passion and the day-to-day grind

The periods in Pepe’s life and career when he’s struggled with happiness

The importance in having a diversity of experiences in your career

The environmental differences people can make on an individual basis

Pepe’s theory of change and why it’s always shifting

The sure-fire way you lose an issue in activism and the legal industry

Pepe’s Happiness Challenge!

HAPPY LAWYER HAPPY LIFE

Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre.  A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.   

Welcome back to the Happy Lawyer Happy Life podcast, and this week I am really thrilled to have interviewed a great lawyer in Rachael Field. Rachael has so far enjoyed an amazing career in Law Land, having spent 20 years with the QUT Law faculty, before becoming a professor at Bond Law School. She’s also founder of the Australian Wellness Network for Law, president of the Women’s Legal Service and, in 2013, was even named Queensland Woman Lawyer of the Year.

Rachael’s also an incredible believer in the power of wellness and the fact that there’s a place for everyone in the legal industry. Here, Rachael shares with me her journey, wisdom and why she regards authenticity as being so important.

In this episode we really get into:

Research and teaching: Rachael’s two passions in life

The many options that exist in law that aren’t taught in law school

The Women’s Legal Service and Rachael’s role within the organisation

Where Rachael thinks the legal profession could be taken in the future

Why Rachael thinks we need to change legal education

Promoting psychological well being in young people making the transition from college to career

Rachael’s advice for any person considering pursuing a career in legal academia

Rachael having been involved in the writing of four books

Knowing who comes first when it comes to prioritising

The changes that Rachael would like to see in the legal industry  

The Wellness Network for Law  

The shocking number of law students experiencing psychological distress

Rachael’s Happiness Challenge

HAPPY LAWYER HAPPY LIFE

Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre.  A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.