Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network

Recent Episodes

1. 'Happy people don't sue'

   Jul 31, 2026

   Danny King, principal at Danny King Legal, discusses the rise in employment disputes across Australia and how businesses can prevent them through culture, communication, and care. The episode explores common dispute triggers—relationship breakdowns, miscommunication, and feelings of being unheard—and argues that "happy people don't sue." King covers practical approaches to performance management, termination, documentation, and employee benefits as tools for reducing legal risk while building sustainable workplace culture.

2. Why mooting could be the biggest advantage in your legal career

   Jul 29, 2026

   Mark Ellis, Executive Director of the International Bar Association, discusses the transformative value of moot court competitions, particularly the IBA ICC Moot, which has grown from 12 teams in 2000 to 80 teams from over 45 countries. The episode explores how mooting develops critical legal skills—oral advocacy, research, and listening—while providing students with real-world experience in international law and humanitarian law in The Hague. Ellis emphasizes mooting's lasting impact on legal careers and its role in building the next generation of globally-minded lawyers.

3. What the legal aid funding changes mean for family lawyers

   Jul 24, 2026

   Heyda Shikara, founder and director of the Justice Network, discusses the implications of recent legal aid funding cuts on family law practice in Australia. The conversation focuses on reduced funding for Independent Children's Lawyers (ICLs) at final hearings, the historical purpose and effectiveness of ICLs in protecting children's interests, and the anticipated consequences for access to justice. Shikara outlines practical adaptations family lawyers must make and advocates for increased government funding for legal aid services.

4. The lawyers behind some of Australia's biggest music stars

   Jul 22, 2026

   Rob Glass and Julian Hewitt, founding partners of Hewitt Glass, a specialist entertainment, music, and media law firm, discuss their unconventional paths into entertainment law—both stemming from early passion for music—and how their practice advises major Australian artists. They explore the evolution of music industry practice, the shift from traditional gatekeepers to data-driven discovery, and the expanding role of entertainment lawyers as strategic advisors managing complex career trajectories across recordings, touring, publishing, and endorsements.

5. Budget backlash – has Australia lost its political middle ground?

   Jul 17, 2026

   Dr. Marcus Thompson, retired Major General, joins Phil Tarrant on Contested Ground to discuss Australia's recent federal budget and its impact on social cohesion and political polarization. The conversation examines whether Australia is moving away from its traditional political center toward greater extremism, explores the divisive nature of recent budget measures affecting property investment and housing affordability, and considers implications for national unity and leadership.

6. Unpacking psychological injury claims against employers

   Jul 15, 2026

   Jeremy Roche, founder of Gain Lawyers and 2026 Partner of the Year Award winner in personal injury, discusses the rising trend of psychological injury claims against employers in Australia. The episode explores why workers delay lodging these claims, misconceptions surrounding psychological injuries, systemic differences across states, and the complexities of managing psychological claims compared to physical injuries. Roche advocates for early intervention, proper management of claims, and adherence to psychosocial codes to improve outcomes for injured workers.

7. The graduate law jobs crisis: Fact or fear?

   Jul 13, 2026

   Sai Mutakma, a paralegal at Gilbert and Tobin currently seconded to the Attorney General's Department, discusses the reality behind fears about AI and legal tech disrupting junior lawyer roles. Despite headlines suggesting a crisis in graduate legal employment, Mutakma argues that law students have more opportunities than ever, with AI creating demand for new skill sets and expanding career paths beyond traditional big law. The conversation covers how universities, law firms, and students themselves must adapt to technological change while maintaining the human skills that remain central to legal practice.

8. The growing legal access crisis in regional and remote Australia

   Jul 10, 2026

   Ronan McSweeney, President of the Law Society of New South Wales, and Danielle Ford, President of the Central West Regional Law Society and director solicitor at Cheney Sothers Lawyers, discuss the critical access to justice crisis in regional and remote Australia. The episode examines infrastructure gaps in regional courts, including inadequate audiovisual link (AVL) facilities and physical courtroom limitations, and explores how underinvestment undermines public confidence in the justice system. Both speakers advocate for a long-term, publicly available justice infrastructure strategy and highlight the compounding effects of courthouse closures on regional communities and legal practice sustainability.

9. What personal injury clients most value

   Jul 8, 2026

   Garbas Kolakosian, Deputy Managing Partner of Gerrard Maloof and Partners (GMP), discusses what personal injury clients value most and how life-changing incidents shape advocacy, trust, and justice. The episode explores the day-to-day realities of personal injury law, client resilience, the importance of early case strategy, and how firms like GMP balance empathy with commercial viability while serving injured claimants on a no-win-no-fee basis.

10. Privacy concerns for Tranche 2 entities

    Jul 7, 2026

    Simone Herbert Lowe, founder of Law and Cyber, discusses privacy obligations now facing Tranche 2 AML/CTF reporting entities like law firms, accounting firms, and real estate agencies as of 1 July 2024. Despite having no turnover threshold previously, these entities must now comply with the Australian Privacy Principles regardless of size. The conversation covers practical compliance steps, the recent $5.8M penalty in ACL v OAIC, and the concept of 'reasonable steps' under APP 11, emphasizing that privacy and AML/CTF due diligence should be integrated rather than treated separately.