Smarter Lawcast with Hall & Wilcox

Seun Idowu and Sewar Mitanis discuss the connectionbetween names, cultural identity and professional experience. They explore the realities of having a name that is often mispronounced, the impact of assumptions in the workplace, and how experiences of bias and belonging canshape how individuals show up at work.

Fay Calderone is joined by Jessica Luker and Nicholas Beech to discuss the growing focus on psychosocial hazards in the workplace and what it means for employers. They explore what psychosocial risks are, how regulators are enforcingcompliance and what organisations should be thinking about when identifying, assessing and managing these risks.

Fay Calderone is joined by Rosemary Roach and Piers Mitchem to discuss the legal and practical challenges organisations face when navigating restructures and redundancies. They explore what makes a redundancy genuinely compliant under the Fair Work Act, where employers commonly get it wrong and the practical steps organisations can take to reduce legal risk while leading workplace change with transparency and compassion.

Seun Idowu and Sonia Sawant discuss the role names play inrecognising identity and fostering respect in the legal profession. They explore name fatigue, the pressure to anglicise and how greater awareness and confidence, particularly among the next generation, are driving more inclusive practices.

Suzie Leask, Alison Baker and Eden Winokur discuss Australia’s privacy landscape, to celebrate Privacy Awareness Week 2026, which has a theme of ‘Trust is built here’. With businesses holding more data than ever before, organisations should focus on transparency, consent and security when it comes to customers’ personal information. They also highlight how the Australian Information Commissioner is now focusing as much on enforcement as dispute resolution.

Seun Idowu and Sumith Perera discuss what’s in a name and why it matters, including the cultural significance of names, the impact of mispronunciation and how getting names right can foster inclusion, respect and belonging in the workplace.

Lauren Separovich and James Shiel continue their discussion on how artificial intelligence is impacting legal professional privilege, comparing developments in Australia and the United Kingdom. They examine differences and similarities in judicial language, the evolving distinction between open and closed AI, emerging procedural responses and the practical risks facing litigators, including disclosure, governance and the use of AI in legal workflows.

Lauren Separovich and James Shiel discuss how artificialintelligence is impacting legal professional privilege, with a focus on how the issue is being approached in both Australia and the United Kingdom. They explore key similarities and differences in legal frameworks, significant UpperTribunal commentary from the UK, emerging Australian judicial consideration, and the risks associated with using public AI tools when handling confidentialinformation.

Laura Hanrahan and McLane Edinger discuss what happens when an informal will application is unsuccessful and how estates are dealt with in those circumstances. They explore the potential outcomes, including the role of earlier wills, intestacy and partial intestacy, and the risks of beneficiaries when a will fails.

Catie Moore and Lauren Separovich discuss how Australian courts and regulators are responding to the growing use of AI in legal practice and what it means for legal professional privilege. They explore recent Family Court decisions, emerging judicial commentary, and key developments, including the Victorian Law Reform Commissions’ report on the use of AI in courts and tribunals. The episode also highlights the risks of using generative AI tools and the current approach to maintaining confidentiality when engaging with AI.

⁠⁠Erin Brown⁠⁠ and Emma Woolley discuss the role of the family office in succession planning, including trends in family governance, how families can prevent future conflict and why documenting values and preparing the next generation is key to preserving wealth and purpose across generations.

⁠Erin Brown⁠ and Jacqui Barrett discuss the transition of directly held businesses and why it is vital to plan for the transition of your business, whether to ensure a smooth transfer of wealth and control to the next generation or to avoid an unexpected business partner in case of an unplanned death or total and permanent disability. Putting in place planning tools, such as buy sell deeds and shareholder agreements can help ensure continuity and stability.