Discovery remains “where cases are won and lost”. Given the physical and technological changes in how discovery is undertaken, ensuring that your team’s processes – particularly in complex litigation – are designed and managed in suitable ways is essential. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with LK special counsel Allie Umoff about her background in litigation, how and why discovery remains crucial for optimal client service delivery, the ways in which...

Small law firms that not only understand what their idiosyncratic low-hanging fruit is but are also adept at reaching for it will be much better placed to craft business operations in ways that make sense for the practitioner. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back C Legal & Co principal Claire Styles, a former winner of the Sole Practitioner of the Year category at the Australian Law Awards, to discuss what it means to grasp the low-hanging...

In the current climate, having a plan in place to develop, maintain and protect the intellectual property of a business is becoming increasingly important. Here, we unpack not just how best to do it but also how and why corporate counsel can get excited about such duties. In this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Procreate head of legal Sarah Standen about her interest in intellectual property, her experience in a greenfield in-house role and why...

Dunedin Airport in New Zealand recently placed a cap of three minutes to hug and farewell loved ones in the airport’s drop-off zone in order to ensure safety and efficient traffic flow. Here, we unpack what common law precedent tells us about the imposition of such rules in public settings. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Dr Mark Giancaspro, a senior law lecturer at the University of Adelaide and barrister and solicitor in South Australia, to...

Arbitration is the “mechanism of choice for many transactions”, with a growing appetite for this approach in Australia. However, if clauses are not properly drafted, the benefits of arbitration can be lost, argues one BigLaw partner. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Corrs Chambers Westgarth head of arbitration Nastasja Suhadolnik about her journey and interest in arbitration, the increasing embrace of arbitration in Australia, how and why poorly...

Having recently completed the first year of her law degree, Cassidy Pole’s passion for the rule of law has only intensified. Here, she reflects on what the journey has taught her and what others coming through the ranks can glean from her experience. In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Australian National University (ANU) law student Cassidy Pole about what attracted her to the law in the first place, why she chose to move down to Canberra to study at...

The potential implementation of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) in Australia could bring about wholesale benefits across the country, but would also have significant implications for law reform. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Clyde & Co partner Liam Hennessy about his work as a digital economy practitioner, the recently released RBA and Treasury paper exploring the suggested introduction of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) in...

As a singer and songwriter, senior legal counsel Roderick Smith appreciates that performing on stage allows a musician to cast a spell on an audience and transport them emotionally. He tries, he says, to bring that same energy to the workplace and draw the best out of people so that the law department can best support the business. In this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Novartis senior legal counsel in ANZ Roderick Smith about his journey and work...

The floated changes to Australia’s franchising laws, for which the consultation period is still open, could have material impacts on the viability of some franchising models in Australia, argues one BigLaw partner. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Dentons partner Robyn Chatwood about her background and interest in franchising law, the proposed changes to Australia’s franchising laws and why such changes are in motion, how and why this space sees...

In this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with Smokeball, we unpack where small law firms are at with their use and understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) and the importance of better utilising emerging technology to, among other things, save time. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Smokeball chief executive Hunter Steele about his passion for uplifting small law firms, the pace of change with AI relative to other market developments over the years,...

A BigLaw firm recently ran an experiment at the South by Southwest Sydney event, in which it tested whether artificial intelligence was capable of besting a senior associate in a mock trial. The end result offers pertinent lessons – not just for lawyers’ use of emerging tech but also for advocates and clients alike. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Lander & Rogers senior associate and innovation manager Jeanette Merjane and digital economy...

A new report from a global law firm shows a decline in the number of new class actions across the country. This, one partner reflects, could constitute a “normalisation” of such litigation following the flurry of activity seen after the Hayne royal commission and other market factors. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by King & Wood Mallesons partner Eleanor Atkins to discuss her longtime interest in litigation, her firm’s annual report, The...

In a decade, consulting model firm Keypoint Law has established itself as a national mid-tier, with 80 partner-level lawyers in six capital cities – but one of its biggest challenges moving forward, its CEO says, is that around half of the law firm partners across the country have never heard of it. Becoming better known and having its model better understood, he says, will see the emerging firm become an even bigger player in Australia.  In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host...

Recent allegations of workplace bullying in parliamentary offices are a stark reminder that, in high-pressure professional environments, “bullying cannot be normalised or excused, and the wellbeing of staff must remain a priority”, says one senior human rights and discrimination lawyer. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Elevate Consulting Partners founder Prabha Nandagopal, who was the senior legal adviser to the Respect@Work inquiry, about the...

In this special episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, produced in partnership with The College of Law, we reflect on how the new Right to Disconnect laws can and will facilitate mindset and communication shifts in professional services workplaces and why those in law should see these laws as a “moment for potential growth”. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Florence Thum, a lecturer and assistant director in NSW for PLT at The College of Law, about her reflections on the advent and passage of...

A few months ago, Joseph Catanzariti AM turned 65 and thus had to retire from his position as vice president of the Fair Work Commission. His search for work in the months since, he says, has been more fraught than anticipated. Here, he reflects on the biases against senior lawyers who are willing and able to undertake full-time work, the wellness impacts of such ageism, and how he has looked to adapt following his tenure at the nation’s workplace tribunal. In this episode of The Lawyers...

Job-sharing in law is not common. However, for the co-general counsel of Wesley Mission Queensland, working in tandem brings myriad personal and professional benefits. In this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with the co-general counsel of Wesley Mission Queensland, Tala Prowd and Helena Kolenbet, about how their job-sharing arrangement came to be, why such an arrangement makes so much sense for them both (personally and professionally, the operational...

Global law firm Bird & Bird is celebrating 10 years in operation in Australia. To mark that occasion, the firm’s Australian head and managing partner spoke with Lawyers Weekly about the decade that has been, what the future holds, and where the firm sees opportunities Down Under and offers advice to aspiring managing partners. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Bird & Bird Australian head and managing partner Shane Barber about his journey...

The School of Law and Society at the University of the Sunshine Coast recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Here, its dean, Professor Jay Sanderson, reflects on the decade that has been, what’s coming in the future, and how to overcome the issues and trends facing current students and, ultimately, the legal education environment. In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Professor Jay Sanderson, dean of law at the University of the Sunshine Coast, about...

Jane Bowes cannot recall a time when she was ever as happy and motivated to go to work as she is right now. However, to get to this place, she has overcome hardship and trauma, found success through failure, and learnt – over the course of her vocational journey – that being a “rough diamond” is one of her biggest strengths. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Bowes Legal principal and director Jane Bowes about her unconventional entry into the...

Having fallen pregnant shortly after starting her law firm, Melanie Vairawanathan understands not only how imperative it is for law firms to accommodate the idiosyncratic needs of employees but also how essential it is to do so in ways that minimise costs and optimise the quality of legal services. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Melmark Law founder Melanie Vairawanathan about breaking away from the mould of traditional gender roles, the...

Research shows that, in recent years, there has been a huge uptick in the number of women professionals leaving their roles in the face of myriad employer shortcomings, both to address idiosyncratic needs and in light of certain unconscious biases. Legal employers, among others, must address such concerns better if they are to retain top female talent. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back freelance general counsel Anna Lozynski to discuss how and...

Here, an IP lawyer who produced a film that qualified for nomination at the Oscars, discusses her longtime passion for cinema, balancing her filmmaking with working as a sole practitioner, and how storytelling helps with arguments in the law. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Slater Intellectual Property Lawyers principal Anny Slater about how she ended up in IP law, how she came to love film early on in life, the first film that sparked her passion, her film The Ball and its subsequent...

In this special edition of The Corporate Counsel Show, produced in collaboration with Lawyers on Demand, A Consilio Company, we examine the rising significance of self-hosted AI solutions in the legal sector and how they compare to traditional “closed” AI service providers. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Consilio senior prototyping engineer Mitchell Scott about the rise of self-hosted AI models in legal technology, exploring the advantages and disadvantages of this new approach. Scott...