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The Billable Hour Isn't the Problem. Our Relationship with It Is.
Opinion
Finance & PricingInnovation & Technology

The Billable Hour Isn't the Problem. Our Relationship with It Is.

The legal profession's periodic campaigns against the billable hour tend to generate more heat than insight. The real question isn't whether time-based billing is philosophically defensible — it's whether law firms and their clients are having the right conversations about value, risk, and fairness.

5 May 2026
Shadows and Substance: The AML/CTF Tranche 2 Expansion and the Legal Gatekeeper
Spotlight
Innovation & TechnologyRegulation & CompliancePolitics & Policy

Shadows and Substance: The AML/CTF Tranche 2 Expansion and the Legal Gatekeeper

For years, the Australian legal profession has occupied a unique position regarding anti-money laundering regulations. The arrival of "Tranche 2" will fundamentally change the business of law.

5 May 2026
The Worth of Wisdom: Transitioning to Value-Based Pricing
Opinion
Finance & PricingInnovation & TechnologyBoutique & NewLaw

The Worth of Wisdom: Transitioning to Value-Based Pricing

The billable hour has long been the standard for the Australian legal profession, but it is increasingly seen as a relic of an inefficient era. Boutique firms are leading the move toward more sophisticated pricing models.

5 May 2026
Beyond the Clerk: The Rise of the Decentralised Australian Chambers
The Agenda
Innovation & TechnologyAIBarristers

Beyond the Clerk: The Rise of the Decentralised Australian Chambers

The traditional "clerk" has been the gatekeeper of the Australian bar for a century. But as self-employed practitioners embrace tools like Lovable and automated practice management, the necessity of the middleman is being questioned.

5 May 2026