Energy and resources is, and will continue to be, an incredibly busy practice area. Here, a BigLaw partner reflects on what it’s like to work in this space, what the future might hold, and how those coming through can succeed.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Clayton Utz partner Susan Taylor about her journey as a lawyer and why she finds energy and resources to be such an exciting space to work in, why it intersects with so many other practice areas right now, and the current day-to-day experience of those working in this space.

Taylor also delves into how busy energy and resources work is, how such work will ramp up during the course of 2025 (regardless of the federal election outcome), what constitutes best practice when advising clients, the trends she’s anticipating in the coming months, why taking a holistic approach to such work is essential, what it means to be a good lawyer in this space, and her advice to those wanting to transition to energy and resources practices.

While things are improving, traditionally, professions like law have not catered well to a diversity of idiosyncratic personal needs. Here, one senior in-house counsel reflects on her experiences with neurodivergence and how she identified ways that she could flourish vocationally.

In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Procreate head of legal Sarah Standen about her work in intellectual property at a software company, why it is so important to talk about neurodivergence in law, her own experiences and diagnoses, and the stigma that is often attached to neurodivergence across the community.

Standen also reflects on how her diagnoses led her to identify the best pathway forward for her career-wise and how she could play to her strengths and interests, the thought process and practical steps she undertook, the questions one needs to ask of one’s self, and what excites her about her own journey moving forward.

For this BigLaw special counsel, it has been hugely encouraging to see the elevated investments and priority being placed on pro bono by Australia’s largest law firms, which is better positioning those businesses to create positive change nationwide.

In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Gadens special counsel in sustainability and social impact Shabnum Cassim about her background and interest in social justice and human rights, the emotionally draining nature of such legal work, her perception of the growing importance being placed on pro bono practices by large law firms, and why they are making such investments.

Cassim also touches on the continued trajectory of pro bono arms of law firms, balancing a firm’s business and social impact interests, having clients who are more socially focused, taking a more holistic approach as a lawyer in any area of law, the duties of team leaders in pro bono moving forward, and what excites her about pro bono offerings in Australia into the future.

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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!