While many begin their legal careers straight out of high school, Melissa Rowlands emphasises that it’s never too late to enter the profession and pursue your passion – even if that journey comes with steep challenges and bold leaps of faith. In a recent episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Grace Robbie speaks with Melissa Rowlands, a family law paralegal completing her juris doctor, about what drove her to leave a comfortable communications role to pursue law later in life, the fear and excitement of jumping into the deep end of a completely new career, and the biggest challenge she faces: juggling motherhood, work, and study all at once. Rowlands opens up about the mindset shift she had to make, realising she can’t give 100 per cent to every part of her life, describes the loneliness of studying law later in life and the lack of university support for mature students, calls for programs that help build social connections, and stresses that it’s never too late to pursue a career in law and chase those goals.
In this special episode of LawTech Talks, produced in partnership with Law In Order, we reflect on how far litigation support services have come in the last quarter century, what has been learnt in that time, and addressing current challenges and trends amid the ongoing tech transformation. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Law In Order sales director Lisa Whitehead to discuss what litigation support technology looked like at the turn of the century, the biggest pain points being faced by legal teams at that time, changing client expectations, what today’s litigation landscape looks like, and how inextricable such tools and services are to litigators. Lisa also delves into how well litigation teams are doing when it comes to meaningfully utilising such tools, what teams are most in need of right now, the extent to which teams can be proactive, the biggest hurdles facing litigators at present, overcoming a sense of overwhelm, and the biggest opportunities for litigators as we move forward. To learn more about Law in Order, click here.
Litigation, like all other areas of legal practice, continues to undergo substantive environmental and technological change. Here, we unpack how best to ride those waves of change, and correspondingly, better manage evolving client expectations and regulatory scrutiny alike. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Buchanan Rees Dispute Lawyers co-founder and principal Luke Buchanan about his belief in law being at the core of our society and making meaningful contributions, the increased regulatory focus on corporate activity, challenges presented to litigators, evolving client expectations, and lessons he’s learnt over his years as a litigator. Buchanan also delves into the nature of settlement agreements and whether they might shift over time, best practice in reaching a settlement agreement, hurdles to overcome, understanding that clients want any dispute to be resolved in totality, adapting to technological change, the increasing cost of litigation, and how his views on what constitutes best practice for litigators have evolved over the years. 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au
For Irene Chrisopoulidis, having tunnel vision helps her stay the course with long-term objectives, rather than getting sidetracked. Here, she unpacks why this approach is so critical, and the ways she successfully employs it. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Chrisopoulidis & Associates principal Irene Chrisopoulidis about how and why she applies tunnel vision in both her professional and personal lives, how it applies to her work as a family lawyer, what success means to her, being able to compartmentalise, and why tunnel vision is actually good. Chrisopoulidis also delves into the need for certain experience under one’s belt to be able to make decisions to be concerted about staying true to a particular vision, being clear in your purpose, keeping the train on the tracks with tunnel vision, the practical ways to ensure that she doesn’t lose sight of the long-term vision, how taking time out from work helps her stay focused, and what other lawyers can learn from her experience.
In this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with Mitimes, we unpack the internal levers that help ensure talent retention in the current climate and how technology can better support firms. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Mitimes chief executive Kirsten Rillo, Insource founder Jenn Little, and Superhero Marketing Club founder Hayley Osborne about what we’re seeing in the market on the recruitment front and what can be learnt from such trends, the extent to which wellness influences lawyers’ decision to leave their employers, how well firm leaders are managing with talent retention at present, and why technology has a significant role to play. The guests also discuss the key questions that law firms and leaders need to be asking when it comes to improving the worker experience and thus retention rates, including through use of technology, what individual lawyers most want to see from their employers, the practical ways to better utilise technology, what optimal time management and investment of time looks like on such fronts, and whether they are optimistic that firm leaders will recognise the nexus between proper utilisation of new technologies and talent retention. To learn more about MiTimes, 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, 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au
There is much that Craig Green – who has been a partner-level lawyer for over 40 years – has learnt from his vocational journey, including that practitioners should always be fully engaged in their clients’ transactions, give 100 per cent, and the need for substantive communication. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Green Mortgage Lawyers managing director Craig Green about his journey in the legal profession and experience as a firm head, setting up a new specialist banking firm in mid-2024, what he finds so motivating about being in the mortgages and diversified banking space, and the headline challenges facing practitioners in this space. Green also delves into the pace of change of the years lawyers like himself have had to grapple with, evolving client expectations in mortgages and banking, training and managing offshore staff, opportunities for lawyers in mortgages and banking, lessons he’s learnt along the way, and what excites him about his continued, storied journey in the 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au
While many law students may hesitate to approach experienced professionals, Kurt Cheng encourages them to take that step, emphasising that the right guidance can accelerate both career development and personal growth. Speaking on a recent episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Grace Robbie speaks with Kurt Cheng, a law graduate at Ashurst and a global ambassador at UTS, where he shares what drives his passion for early-career mentoring, emphasises why it is crucial never to overlook the value anyone can bring to your journey, and explains why meaningful mentoring extends far beyond a one-off coffee catch-up – it’s a relationship that requires time and genuine effort to nurture. Cheng also reflects on how empowering and transformative a mentor can be for both personal and professional growth, highlights the importance of choosing a mentor whose journey aligns with your own career path, offers practical strategies for law students looking to connect with the right people, and reflects on his own role as a mentor – highlighting just how rewarding and transformative these relationships can be.
In this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with Cybertify, we unpack why legal practices are increasingly such attractive targets for cyber criminals, the ways they get past defences, and what firms can do to ensure that the “doors are locked”. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with William Welch, the principal solutions architect for the legal sector and AI security at Cybertify, about who the company is and the work he does, why the risks inherent with cyber security are so much more prominent for Australian law firms at present, why every business is a potential target, the need for “locked doors”, why law firm owners aren’t fully across the dangers, and the lessons and takeaways from recent breaches in the legal space. Welch also delves into what BigLaw practices need to be doing right now, ensuring systems are talking to each other properly and having the right point people, what SMEs must be doing at present, the questions those smaller firms need to be asking, overcoming concerns about being time-poor, understanding the changing landscape, and how best Cybertify can help. To learn more about Cybertify, click here.
There is much that BigLaw partner Martina Storgato has learnt about cultivating one’s place in the legal profession – chief among those lessons is that, when building a network and one’s reputation, it is better to view others as colleagues, not the competition. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Mills Oakley partner Martina Storgato about her work in family law, how she’s managed that practice area while also having a family of her own, at what stage of her career she realised the importance of building a network and reputation, whether she has a guiding principle for doing so, and taking a nuanced approach to generating business in idiosyncratic practice areas. Storgato also delves into whether the advent of AI and other emerging technologies supports the idea of being nuanced in one’s approach to clientele and business generation, the biggest lessons she’s learnt about building and maintaining a good network and professional reputation, the questions lawyers should be asking of themselves in such a building process, remaining a good leader, and her broader guidance to lawyers coming through the ranks.
For many lawyers, being a practitioner can become the dominant part of one’s identity. Here, Christina Yi reflects on how a girls’ trip helped remind her to do the things that bring joy and fulfillment, so that one can ultimately better be of service to clients. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Allegra Family Lawyers legal practitioner director Christina Yi about the “urgency” involved with family law and the flow-on impacts for lawyers in this space, how being a lawyer can shape how others perceive you, how lawyering can become part of your identity, and what this means for one, both personally and professionally. Yi also discusses a recent holiday she took to revitalise and relax, the positive impact the trip had on her, why she’ll be making more time for future getaways, the warning signs lawyers should look out for when it comes to having lawyering become too big a part of one’s identity, and what excites her about the new parameters she’s set up for herself as a practitioner. 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!
In this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with Commonwealth Private, we unpack the myriad benefits of private banking for legal professionals, given their idiosyncratic personal, professional, and financial needs. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Commonwealth Private national head of professional services Cassandra Crawford about the work that Commonwealth Private does for clients, the headline financial challenges that senior lawyers face, whether engaging a private banker is more important than ever before, and the most common questions that senior lawyers ask of private banking. Crawford also delves into the extent to which legal professionals are financially educated, how they can better ensure holistic financial security and wellness for themselves and their families, whether complacency needs to be overcome, the questions that lawyers should be asking of themselves, the practical steps to take, and overcoming hurdles getting in the way of looking after one’s self. To learn more about Commonwealth Private, click here.
Amid the roar of gunfire and the loss of friends to war, this law student refused to be defined by his past. Instead, he transformed trauma into purpose, forging a remarkable journey from survival to the pursuit of justice. Speaking on a recent episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Grace Robbie speaks with Alfred Brownell, a law student at the University of Queensland, who shares his remarkable journey of growing up in a war-torn country where the sound of gunfire was part of daily life, opens up about the lasting impact of those traumas, reflects on how these experiences have shaped the person he is today, and reveals how, after being unable to pursue medical school, he found inspiration to begin working alongside his father in environmental advocacy. Brownell also reflects on his family’s remarkable legal legacy, speaks about his father’s story of having to flee the country after government authorities targeted him for his environmental work, recounts his own experience of starting a new life in Australia along with the significant challenges that came with it, explains how the hardships he faced has helped him build meaningful new connections in Australia, and emphasises why it is so important to never give up on studying law, no matter the obstacles that stand in the way.
Mel Storey is one of Australia’s most prominent online legal personalities. Here, she reflects on why she recently left her general counsel role to focus on other projects at this stage of her vocational journey, and why it’s OK for legal practice to not be one’s forever job. In this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back former general counsel Mel Storey – a keynote speaker, podcast host, and “corporate big sis” – to discuss her various roles as a legal practitioner, how and why she got to a point where she felt she had to chase other passion projects, and the thought process that goes into making such a decision. Storey also delves into the identity that comes with being a practising lawyer, navigating the change in her day-to-day from being reactive to now being able to be proactive, why it’s okay to consider that law may not be the forever job, the steps to take ensure vocational satisfaction, and what she’s excited about moving forward about her own journey. 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!
In this special episode of LawTech Talks, produced in partnership with InfoTrack, we explore the looming changes to the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regime, the practical implications for lawyers, and how best to leverage technology amid such a changing landscape. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with InfoTrack Chief Operating Officer Lee Bailie about why the AML/CTF changes represent such a shift for professionals like lawyers, how prepared law firms are for these changes, what’s keeping firms up at night regarding the changes, and the role of businesses like InfoTrack in ensuring firms are prepared for the new regime. Bailie also discusses the practical steps to take, and important questions to ask, in ensuring that one’s firm is ready, being proactive rather than reactive in anticipation of the changes, the opportunities for firms to grasp, evolving client expectations as they pertain to regulation, and how InfoTrack can support with automating onerous AML/CTF obligations. To learn more about InfoTrack, click here.
Amid myriad professional and technological changes, practitioners need to change how they service clients – for this litigator, there is much to look forward to in being proactive about offering broader, more holistic advice to clients, rather than reacting to traditional needs. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers partner Melissa Care about her work in disputes and litigation, how she’s adjusted to her recent promotion to partner, why lawyers need to be thinking more about transitioning from simply being service providers to decision-makers and business advisers, and why this is necessary. Care also delves into whether private practice lawyers need to think of themselves as external in-house lawyers, how one’s sense of service can be retained in this transition, the challenges inherent with the transition, how lawyers can get started, the need to upskill, fitting such a transition into one’s schedule, whether we risk losing the traditional understanding of what it means to be a lawyer, and how her own journey is reshaping her view of herself as a litigator. 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!
In this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, recorded at last week’s Australian Law Forum, we explore the day-to-day experience of working as a general counsel in a faith-based institution and what other law department leaders can learn from lawyers in such roles. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Seventh Day Adventist Church general counsel Igor Radonjić about how he came to be a “church lawyer” and why the role was appealing to him, what the day-to-day looks like, his own journey with faith, how his faith intersects with driving forward the purpose of a faith-based institution, and how his faith has evolved since starting in the role. Radonjić also delves into the biggest challenges and trends facing faith-based institutions right now, how law departments can better support them, what will constitute best practice for GCs like himself, and what other law department leaders can learn from the expertise of GCs in faith-based institutions. 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!
Here, two award-winning lawyers reflect on how they broke away from traditional legal vocational pathways to find success in ways that made sense to them – while noting that, for anyone seeking progression, it does not come easy. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Bowes Legal managing partner Jane Bowes and Nova Entertainment group general counsel Danielle Keyes about their early years as “baby lawyers” and how they met, how and why they each chose to explore non-traditional pathways and how they felt about it at the time, and having to redefine what it meant to succeed. Bowes and Keyes also reflect on the idiosyncratic challenges that face women in law, recalibrating expectations of what a lawyer can reasonably achieve when there are other life responsibilities, overcoming cultural expectations, being empathetic as leaders in law but also pragmatic, their guidance for lawyers coming through the ranks about how to forge one’s own pathway, and recognising that success is often, if not always, hard-fought. 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!
From cold calling to securing a paralegal role at a global law firm, this law student shares essential tips and strategies every aspiring lawyer should use to land a position and kickstart their legal career. Speaking on a recent episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Grace Robbie speaks with Victor Yan, a law student at UNSW and a paralegal at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (HSFK), shares his unconventional journey into the legal profession, opens up about how a simple cold email to HSFK led to him securing a paralegal role months later, and discusses the crucial importance of landing a paralegal position while still at university to gain the practical skills that academic study alone doesn’t provide. Yan also emphasises the importance of first- and second-year law students taking proactive steps to secure their first paralegal roles, highlights common mistakes he often sees during the application process, outlines five key steps students should follow on their journey to landing a paralegal position, stresses the vital need to prioritise self-care and wellbeing throughout this challenging period, and shares encouraging advice for law students about to embark on this exciting yet daunting new chapter.
In this special episode of LawTech Talks, produced in partnership with Mary Technology, we flesh out the importance of building efficient workflows to overcome the inherent, chaotic elements of taking on new client matters. Host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Mary Technology chief executive and co-founder Daniel Lord-Doyle to discuss who Mary Technology is and the problems it is solving for legal professionals, what fact chaos is and why it’s such a challenge, what it means to have efficient workflows, and how urgent a priority fact chaos is for lawyers across the spectrum. Lord-Doyle also delves into how the profession is responding to solutions to navigate fact chaos, the role of AI in overcoming such challenges, navigating trust barriers, unlocking new potential for lawyers to be more efficient moving forward, supporting rapid acceleration of efficiency, and the rewards that come with making an impact on practitioners’ operations.
With India looking to be the world’s third-largest economy by 2030, and with significant shifts occurring in its legal landscape and how it sees foreign investment, there are boundless opportunities not just for firms with an Australian presence but also for Australia-based practitioners. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Baker McKenzie’s Asia-Pacific investigations, compliance, and ethics group head Mini Menon vandePol, who also chair’s the global firm’s India practice, about how she utilises her name in the course of practice, her reflections on three decades with Bakers, what’s happening with the firm’s India practice, and how she is leading at a time of significant change for India. She also delves into the challenges that global firms like Bakers face in gaining stronger footholds in India, as well as the inherent opportunities, what such changes to the landscape mean for Australia and its practitioners, how Australians should view the evolving legal landscape in India, and why she’s so excited by such change. 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 editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!
Michael Brodie
One area of being kind, is increasing efficiency and thus reducing costs. I got the Amadio Solicitor's Certificate time down from around 30 to 40 minutes to less than one minute. "Do you realise if you don't pay your mortgage then you're fucked?".....done
Michael Brodie
Although recognised as a legal guru while still an articled clerk, I was instrumental in establishing the national secure toilet paper stockpile. If I'd nominated, the managing partner said, "I'd wipe away all the competition."