Episode 62 - Ben McDermott

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Professor George Williams AO reflects on the experiences that inspired his legal career and shares his perspective on the future of the legal profession. He discusses the importance of education, the role of technology, including AI and social media, how the cost of living crisis is impacting students and why it's important to hone 'human skills' as a legal practitioner.

Send us Fan MailBen McDermott first picked up a guitar when he was seven years old and started playing publicly in his early teens. After studying music and the arts, he eventually pivoted to law. Now an associate at Hewitt Glass, who specialises in Intellectual Property and corporate and entertainment law, Ben reflects on his musical roots and the different worlds of music and law. 

Send us Fan MailAnna Brown has been involved in most milestones of the LGBTQI+ in Australia, from the apology for the Tasty nightclub raids to the successful Marriage Equality campaign. As the co-founder and CEO of Equality Australia, she talks to Just Chat about how her career led her to social justice, how the plebiscite affected the community, and why Australia should adopt a Bill of Rights.

Send us Fan MailSince Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the country has faced immense challenges to its democratic institutions. How can a country maintain the rule of law when its courts and legal professionals are targeted? In this special episode of Just Chat, guest host and president of the Law Society of NSW, Ronan MacSweeney, talks with two people who have been at the centre of the resilience of the Ukrainian legal system: the president of the Ukrainian Bar Association (UBA), Mykola Stetsenko, and the Director of the Institute of Human Rights of the UBA, Inna Liniova. 

Send us Fan MailEarly in his career, Eamon Waterford’s involvement in a street count of homeless people in Sydney’s west made him angry. Today, equity and fairness are at the heart of his role as CEO of the Committee for Sydney. In this episode of Just Chat, Waterford discusses infrastructure, investment and why we should be talking more about what Sydney does well.  

Send us Fan MailDescribing in-house legal counsel as the “Jack and Jill of all trades,” Ivana Kovacevic, multi-award-winning group general counsel and non-executive director, joins us to chat about the difference between private practice and in-house practice and she shares how in-house legal counsel are in a unique position to shape advice from the outset.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we sit down with human rights lawyer Anthony Levin for a deep dive into the experiences that forged his 20-year career at Legal Aid NSW. From his upbringing in Australia to the profound influence of his grandparents’ Holocaust survival stories, Anthony reflects on how these experiences shaped his perception of justice and his commitment to fighting for the marginalised and disadvantaged.

Send us Fan MailThe Hon. Justice Ian Harrison has presided over a number of high-profile cases including the trial of Chris Dawson, speaking to us shortly before his swearing out ceremony late last year, he reflects on his career spanning five decades. He chats about the role of technology in the legal process, scrutiny by the public and the media, and diversity in the profession. 

Send us Fan MailAs President of the Law Council of Australia, Juliana Warner has represented the legal profession on a series of important issues, during a period of great change. In this episode, she returns to the Law Society of NSW to discuss the looming impact of the new AML/CTF legislation, the work of solicitors in local communities and the unfinished business for the profession.

Send us Fan MailAfter the shooting of young Warlpiri-Luritja man Kumanjayi Walker by NT police officer Zachary Rolfe, investigative journalist Kate Wild spent some time in that community broken not only by that tragic event but by generations of continuous systemic violence. The result is Wild's new shattering book The Red House. She joined us in the studio to talk about her experience and how it connects with "everywhen", the Aboriginal concept that past, present and future are intertwined.