Our Principal, Tully Carmady, and Solicitor, Bec Harms, recently travelled to Auckland, Tāmaki Makaurau, to represent Williams + Hughes at the Meritas Australia & New Zealand Regional Meeting, hosted by Martelli McKegg. Over several days, members from across the region came together to share ideas, strengthen relationships and discuss the issues shaping the profession. 

The conversations kept returning to a few questions: 

• As lawyers, how can we deliver value to our clients in an ever-changing world? 

• What do we bring to the table that is above and beyond? 

• How do we use tools well, while still showing clients the human value we bring? 

Here are the main themes we took away. 

Using the tools well, not just using them for everything 

Views on the role of AI and other technology in legal practice ranged widely. Some members embrace new tools enthusiastically, while others are more cautious. The most useful discussions focused on the appropriate use of technology, rather than using it for everything simply because it is available. 

The central message was that AI does not do everything. It can take on some work, particularly at the lower level, but that makes the skills that sit above it more valuable. Critical thinking, sound judgement, a proactive attitude and the ability to think outside the box will matter more in the years ahead. 

This has implications for how lawyers develop. As routine tasks are increasingly handled by technology, there is perhaps less room for the merely adequate at the junior end of the profession. The lawyers who stand out will bring more than the task in front of them. 

The human value we bring 

The question of what we bring beyond the tools is one our clients are asking too. Technology can produce information quickly. Clients still look to their lawyers for judgement, context, commercial understanding and a trusted relationship, and the ability to tell them what matters for their business and what to do next. That is the value we aim to deliver, and the tools are there to support it. 

A changing culture 

The discussion sessions and Q&A box were among the highlights of the meeting. There was real value in hearing how other firms are handling supervision, training and the changing culture of the profession. 

One theme was the changing workplace culture around “the grind”. Firms are increasingly focusing on the quality of work rather than simply the number of hours spent producing it. The profession is recognising that balance matters and that clients are best served by lawyers who are delivering their best work. 

Why Meritas matters 

Meritas gives our clients practical benefits. Within Australia, each State and Territory has its own quirks. The Meritas network makes it easy for us to work with a firm in another state, just as they can obtain Western Australian advice through us.  

More broadly, Meritas allows our clients to access cross-jurisdictional expertise throughout Australia and the world while remaining with their existing legal team at Williams + Hughes, which understands their organisation’s background, needs and priorities. 

Meetings like the one in Auckland are what build those relationships within Meritas. Spending time in-person with other lawyers grows a network of trusted individuals who can have informal, non-committal conversations about the matters they are dealing with. It is a little like working in a very large law firm, while retaining our independence and unique firm culture. 

These meetings also take us out of our own bubble. Hearing what is happening across the industry keeps us up to date and stops any of us from becoming insular in our own practice. 

What this means for our clients 

The profession will keep changing, and we intend to keep changing with it. We will use technology where it helps our clients, while always delivering the critical thinking, expertise and relationships that are at the heart of good legal advice. 

To discuss how Williams + Hughes, together with the Meritas network, can assist with your matter in Western Australia or further afield, please contact our team. 

Thank you 

Our thanks to Martelli McKegg for their warm hospitality and for hosting such a well-run meeting, and to the speakers, sponsors and fellow members whose insights and contributions made it so worthwhile.