The former NSW Law Society president on her run for Federal Parliament

Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network

Lawyers are privileged to have a voice, Joanne van der Plaat says, and therefore have a duty to roll up their sleeves and listen to those whose voices don’t get heard. Having recently served as president of the Law Society of NSW, she is now turning her sights to the federal seat of Eden-Monaro, having been preselected by the Liberal Party to contest the next election. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with the Law Society of NSW’s immediate past president, Joanne van der Plaat, about her legal career to date, why issues pertaining to regional practitioners and business issues are so critically important, the big takeaways from her time as president of a major legal member association, and lessons she’s learnt about the state of play for NSW-based lawyers. Ms van der Plaat also reflects on how she came to nominate for preselection for Eden-Monaro (a federal electorate close to Canberra), why she’s standing for the Liberal Party, what she hopes to bring both to her community and the Parliament if elected, why lawyers are well placed to address ongoing community concerns, how and why she’s a better lawyer for having served others, and why other lawyers should better utilise their unique skill sets for community service. If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, X and LinkedIn. 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 [e-mail] for more insights!