Leonie Green is passionate about helping lawyers master the business of law. Having worked as an employment lawyer for eight years and with a Masters in Workplace & Employment Lawyer,
Leonie is a skilled technical lawyer. She then joined the corporate world, working in industrial relations, management and human resources, before striking out to set up her own consulting firm, Conscious Workplace. Now Corvus Group Australia, the firm is a multi-disciplinary practice covering business law and human resources. It is a career that ideally positioned Leonie to lead the College of Law Victoria’s first Legal Practice Management Course as its course coordinator. Insights spoke to Leonie about what makes her passionate about the law and the practice of law, and the upcoming Legal Practice Management Course running from July to September 2018.
“I consult to a number of law firms in the areas of people development, management and leadership,” said Leonie. “Principal practitioners need to understand business fundamentals and work out how best to leverage their strengths and opportunities as lawyers. We don’t cover these skills at university and depending on the area of law we work in, may not cover them in the practice of law.”
The Legal Practice Management Course helps bridge this gap.
Mentoring to develop personal business plans
“It helps build competence in business fundamentals, giving Principal Practitioners the confidence to run their own practice or business, whether on their own, or with others.”
Leonie has considerable experience in executive education, including facilitation of the Executive Blueprint subject for UNSW’s Australian Graduate School of Management’s Executive MBA program.
As a course coordinator, Leonie will mentor and facilitate the full three days of the course.
“As a mentor for participants, I will assist and guide them in their learning, answering questions and ensuring they have what they need to experience the course and to develop their business plans.”
Highly practical and fast paced
“Participants will be taken through the process of developing a business plan, giving them the time and tools to consider all of the aspects of launching and running a sustainable legal practice. We will ensure participants have the opportunity to work on their business plans and work through their ideas with the experts in the room.”
In addition, compliance requirements of running a legal practice will be covered, such as trust accounting and insurance.
“We will cover the business basics including structure and planning, people management, self-management and leadership.”
To get the most out of the intensive course, participants are encouraged to read and prepare work in advance.
“The course is part of a flipped-classroom concept. This also enables participants to be prepared with their questions for those running each session and to start working on their business plan ahead of time,” said Leonie.
Specifically developed for principal practitioners
This approach is one Leonie feels will be invaluable to principal practitioners.
“As a principal practitioner, you are in charge of your own destiny. You need to be able to build and maintain your own business. Your personal business plan becomes a blueprint for doing so. It helps build your confidence and provides the clarity and guidance you need to build a successful and sustainable business.”
Leonie’s enthusiasm for both the law and helping lawyers is apparent.
“I love making the law accessible and user-friendly,” said Leonie. “I am still an employment law nerd at heart and have always been fascinated by how employment laws balance, or attempt to balance, the rights and responsibilities of both employers and employees.
“As a director of Corvus Group Australia I love running a multi-disciplinary business that is true to who I am, who we are as a team, how we want to work and what we value most. I love helping my team and my clients achieve their goals and feel connected to the work they do each day.”
Learn more about the College of Law Legal Practice Management Course in Victoria
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