Q&A: Roger Blow – “To be able make personal calls on how you work is a freedom you can only really get by having your own gig.”

In our Q&A, Cove Legal founder and practice director Roger Blow explains why he is cautious about his boutique firm growing; how he tries to be brutally honest if something goes wrong with a legal matter; and why participating in cycling and music makes his life a whole lot better.   First thing first, how […]

Lessons from NewLaw firms on handling the COVID-19 crisis

The agility of NewLaw firms has been clearly demonstrated during the COVID-19 crisis and presents lessons that traditional law firms would be wise to learn and implement, writes Catherine Brooks. With the COVID-19 outbreak and the requirement to work from home, law firms have been quickly forced to pivot and set up systems to try […]

As the world changes, workplace teams need to change with it

In a business world where well-functioning teams are considered crucial to competitiveness, the leaders of many law firms should ensure they better understand the evolution of teams and how they can increase productivity, writes Keegan Luiters. In 2013, accounting firm EY surveyed 821 executives from 14 countries, with 89 per cent of respondents agreeing that […]

Latest news – Law degree fees under fire; Lawyers of colour ‘undervalued’; Workers reflect amid pandemic

Law Council critical of fee hikes for law degrees Law Council of Australia President Pauline Wright has expressed disappointment over the recent announcement of rising fees for law degrees. “While the lower fees announced by the government for STEM subjects will be greatly appreciated – especially by those with inclination and talents in those fields […]

Q&A: Stipe Vuleta – “It’s hard not to be motivated to do the job when you put positive energy out there and everybody in the organisation gives it back 10-fold.”

In our Q&A, Chamberlains Law Firm managing director Stipe Vuleta outlines the pressures and rewards of being a younger business leader; he tells us how his firm takes a unique approach to recruitment and retention; and he explains why he views the debate between value-based and fixed-fee pricing as superficial. At 30, you are one […]

A better way – how to build a framework for the conscious law firm

In the third and final part of a series*, Dr Christian Duperouzel explains how law firms can develop a structure for creating a conscious law firm that enriches stakeholders and puts the focus on serving a higher purpose rather than simply making profits. So what might a conscious law firm look like? This section of […]

The times are a-changin’ with COVID-19 – and law firms show they can adapt

During the past few months, lawyers and their teams have been forced to make significant changes to the way they work on a day-to-day basis because of the COVID-19 crisis, but is this just a temporary hiatus in change resistance for the profession? Mark Andrews urges firms to think about change beyond the pandemic. Change […]

Latest news – Legal services cash coup; Revenue fall for US law firms; Pandemic helps work-life balance

Funding boost to aid frontline legal services The Australian Government’s additional $63.3 million injection of funds for frontline legal services to support people impacted by COVID-19 is greatly appreciated by the Law Council of Australia. The Government has earmarked $20 million for domestic violence, $29.8 million for tenancy disputes, insurance, credit and debt-related problems and […]

Q&A: Andrew Lacey – “There is no space for layers of management and what I would call ‘light-touch lawyering’.”

In our Q&A, McCabe Curwood managing principal Andrew Lacey outlines how his firm is preparing for the fight against COVID-19; the challenges it has faced following a merger just over two years ago; and why his staff no longer have to wear a suit and tie every day. How is McCabe Curwood responding to the […]

Is Covid-19 the mother of all disruptors for the legal profession?

In an effort to understand the long-term changes that the COVID-19 pandemic may have on the legal profession, Trish Carroll taps into the minds of final-year law students and also ponders what the fallout will mean for lawyers’ engagement with clients. Who would have thought Plato’s view in Republic in 375BC about “necessity being the […]