The Law Down Under Podcast

Chris Patterson

The Law Down Under Podcast with Barrister Chris Patterson, where we give you insights into the law in New Zealand and Australia, its application and future. Each episode features a new guest who will stimulate your interest in the law and give you a greater understanding of the legal issues that help shape our justice system. We thank you for tuning in and enjoy the podcast. read less
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Episodes

E26 Digitalising the Legal Industry - With Dominic Woolrych
Oct 2 2023
E26 Digitalising the Legal Industry - With Dominic Woolrych
Get comfortable and be ready to enter the captivating world where law meets tech innovation on today's electrifying episode of the Law Down Under Podcast. We are thrilled to be in the company of Dominic Woolrych, the visionary co-founder of Lawpath. Be prepared as we journey through the technological frontier of the legal profession. Dominic Woolrych is the founder of Lawpath, an online legal platform that's rewriting the rules of the game for small businesses in Australia.  He has also been blazing a trail as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Technology Sydney. Oh, and did we mention he's a director of the Australian Legal Technology Association? That's right, he's a triple-threat powerhouse in the legal tech arena. In 2022, Dom rightly took his spot as a finalist at the SmallBiz Week Young Hero Awards in the coveted Young Innovator category. He's not just any innovator; he's in a league of his own, as evidenced by his recognition as one of the Top 20 University of Technology Sydney Alumni. Today, we dive deep into Dom's inspiring mission—to transform and digitalize the legal industry. Together, we explore the thrilling landscape of regulatory change and its profound impact on small businesses. But that's not all; we embark on a journey through the heart of the AI revolution, a seismic shift that's just begun to shake the legal profession to its core. We attempt to unravel the limitless opportunities AI offers to the legal profession here Down Under. We won't stop there! Join us as we dissect the technological trends shaping the future of the legal profession. This episode is your passport to the legal tech frontier, where innovation knows no bounds. Sit back, stand up or do what you like but get ready to be inspired as we embark on this incredible episode with the trailblazing Dom Woolrych.
E25 Diversity, Equality and Inclusion: A Pasifika Perspective - With Dr Mele Vaitohi
Jun 18 2023
E25 Diversity, Equality and Inclusion: A Pasifika Perspective - With Dr Mele Vaitohi
On today’s episode of the Law Down Under Podcast, we are joined by Dr Mele Vaitohi, a leading legal scholar on Tongan constitutional law.  Mele has had an extensive career in law and Government, and is the Manager of New Zealand Parliament’s Parliamentary Law and Practice Team. She recently completed her PhD in Law at Otago University, where she focused on the effects of the 2010 constitutional reform in Tonga. In December 2022, Dr Vaitohi collaboratively published a groundbreaking research report on Improving Pasifika Legal Education in Aotearoa. We talk with Mele about the findings of the report, particularly the barriers affecting access to legal education for Pasifika students, as well as how schools, universities and the wider profession can improve the experience of Pasifika peoples.  We also briefly discuss the complex issue of intersectionality being the interconnected relationship of social categorisations (such as race and social-economic status) as applied to Pasifika as a group. I hope you enjoy this episode with Dr Mele Vaitohi. Suggested further reading: Brooks, Jeffrey S. and Theoharis, George (2018) "Whiteucation: Privilege, Power and Prejudice in School and Society". Routledge. (Link) Melville, Angela (2014) "Barriers to Entry into Law School: An Examination of Socio-Economic and Indigenous Disadvantage". Legal Education Review, Vol. 24 : Iss. 1 , Article 4. (Link) Pease, Bob (2022) "Undoing Privilege: Unearned Advantage and Systemic Injustice in an Unequal World". Bloomsbury Publishing. Rivera, Lauren A (2015) "Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs". Princeton University Press. (Link) Tharp, D. Scott (2021) "Decoding Privilege: Exploring White College Students' Views on Social Inequality". Routledge. (Link) Verkaik, Robert (2018) "Posh Boys (How English Public Schools Ruin Britain)". Oneworld.