You may recognize Georgia Athanasellis' voice before you recognize her face.
The University of Queensland lawyer is the voice of the Callover podcast, a Queensland Law Society initiative by young lawyers for young lawyers.
It gives the next generation a chance to listen and be heard. Led by the Future Leaders Committee (FLC) and dedicated to inspiring connected, capable and healthy lawyers, the callover is entering its third season with Georgia at the helm.
As part of the FLC committee and podcast, Georgia wants to give listeners the opportunity to connect, learn, and have their voices heard. And the upcoming FLC election is a chance for lawyers to do all of that.
Georgia with the FLC Committee in 2021.
She graduated in 2018 and has an impressive CV – she has clerked at the Supreme Court and the Fair Work Commission, has a degree from Allens and has worked part-time as a lawyer in a pro bono legal aid agency.
In all of these roles, she has found that practicing law is all about “the human relationships with clients and colleagues,” and that is especially true for her in 2020.
Advertising
Georgia kindly spent even more time chatting with Proctor about why the FLC is important and how much fun it is to work on The Callover.
What motivated you to join the FLC committee?
After a couple of years of working primarily from my bedroom during the pandemic, I was keen to get back involved with the profession. I hoped the FLC would be an opportunity to connect with lawyers from across Queensland and learn more about the different ways you can work as a lawyer. I also thought that through the FLC I could share these experiences with other young lawyers and hopefully support them on their journey.
What were some of the highlights?
As I had hoped, the FLC was a great opportunity to meet other Queensland lawyers and understand how the QLS works. I was also pleased to see the annual netball tournament and Young Lawyers' Ball returned with such enthusiasm. However, the highlight of my time at the FLC has to be The Callover.
The Young Lawyers’ Ball will take place again in 2023.
The Callover is one of FLC's success stories. What do you like about the podcast?
Advertising
It is an absolute gift to hear about an issue or problem, want to know more about it, and then have an expert answer your questions. That is what I love most about The Callover. It has also been a privilege to meet extraordinary people who contribute to the profession and the community through their work in the legal field. I have had the privilege of meeting practitioners who are at a relatively early stage in their careers, through to some of the leading lights of the profession, including current and former Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges.
I've also learned how to prepare and conduct interviews that involve explaining topics and entertaining listeners (not just getting information from clients), which is both fun and challenging. It's not something I've done before, and while I still have a lot to learn about the art of interviewing, I've really enjoyed developing this skill.
It's entertaining and educational. Can you think of any standout episodes?
That's a difficult question because every episode is special to me, not least because I learned something different from each guest.
Still, it was an honor to be able to interview Margaret McMurdo for International Women's Day. When I suggested her as a possible guest, I don't think we had even released an episode yet, so I expected QLS to tell me to lower my expectations for someone who isn't such a giant of the industry. When they called me a week later to tell me she had agreed to be on the podcast, I was both excited and scared. I needn't have been, because Her Excellency was such an engaging and compelling speaker that she made my job as an interviewer easy.
Margaret McMurdo
Another episode that springs to mind is my interview with Russell Marks. Due to renovations at QLS, we ended up recording the interview in the park opposite King George Square. Geoff, our wonderful producer, and I must have looked pretty odd sitting on a park bench with a laptop, a microphone and two headphones, but despite our unique set-up, Geoff managed to make it sound like we were in the studio. This episode was about journalism and law, and the chaos that morning certainly gave me an idea of what it might be like to be a journalist.
Advertising
The third season is just around the corner. How do you manage to juggle everything?
It can be challenging at times, but I'm lucky to have a great team working behind the scenes to help me. Other members of the FLC research the topic and guest and prepare draft questions. Then I familiarize myself with that material and do any research I feel I need to do so I'm ready for the interview. The team at QLS then produces the episode and makes it available to our listeners. I've already mentioned Geoff, who really is a wizard with his production skills. The Callover wouldn't be possible without the hard work of everyone involved.
Why would you encourage ECL to stand for election?
Being a member of the FLC has opened up opportunities that I could not have imagined before my nomination. I would encourage any ECLs who are looking to network with their peers and the profession in general to apply for a position on the FLC!
For more information about the 2023 FLC election, visit the website.
Keep an eye on QLS social media, website and Proctor for further FLC updates.
Advertising
