Episode 13: Trials & Triumphs of Building a Professional Services Firm

Sarah Rey co-founded Justitia in 2005, an award-winning, innovative legal practice specialising in employment, discrimination, labour relations and governance advice. In her 30 years as a lawyer, Sarah and her team have worked in many sectors partnering with clients to create workplaces where people can thrive, and develop alternative strategies to managing misconduct, conflict, and poor leadership. Her firm advises on policies and contracts, child safety/reportable conduct, workplace investigations, mediations and the defence of legal claims. Sarah is the recipient of several recent awards including Mentor of the Year (Lawyers Weekly), and for Leadership (University of Melbourne Arts Faculty). She is again a recommended lawyer in peer reviewed Doyle’s Guide, and is named in “Best Lawyers” in the categories of Employment Benefits Law and Labour and Employment Law.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Service-Oriented Culture: Sarah Rey stressed the importance of cultivating a service-oriented culture in professional services, focusing on transparency, client relationships, and adaptability.
• Talent Attraction and Retention: The conversation explored challenges in attracting and keeping top talent, emphasizing the role of a strong company culture beyond competitive salaries.
• Business Growth Challenges: Sarah shared experiences dealing with growth challenges, like sudden staff surpluses and transitioning to a solo leadership role, highlighting adaptability and strategic decision-making.
• Leadership Transition: The podcast discussed leadership role transitions, emphasizing shifting responsibilities and recognizing team members' strengths for a smooth transition.
• Strategic Scaling: Sarah discussed scaling a professional services firm strategically, mentioning niche expertise identification, raising the firm's profile, and determining the ideal size for justifiable infrastructure investments.

Links:

https://justitia.com.au/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-rey-workplace-advisor/