Episode 51 – Luke Furness on What it Means to be a Leader and an Advocate for Change
Podcast (the-happy-family-lawyer-podcast): Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Are you looking for some inspiration, positivity and laughter? The following episode of the Happy Lawyer Happy Life podcast delivers all three! My guest in this episode is a young lawyer who’s already making a name for himself. I’m delighted to be speaking with the Luke Furness, a corporate and tax lawyer with Clayton Utz, diversity leader and the CEO of Out for Australia. In a relatively short time Luke has built up an impressive resume and emerged as a voice for progressive change in the legal and business cultures of Australia.
With degrees from the University of Queensland and the University of Sydney, Luke has followed a somewhat typical trajectory in his law career thus far, but when it comes to his work with Out for Australia his career is anything but typical. Leading an organisation that seeks to support and mentor aspiring LGBTIQ professionals as they navigate their way through the early stages of their career is Luke’s passion project, and one he’s taken on with bravery and skill. In our conversation, we spoke often of Out for Australia, discussed strategies for remaining happy in the legal profession and how he recharges after a long week.
In this episode we also talk about…
- What Luke would be doing if he hadn’t decided to go to law school
- The value for legal professionals in practising (or starting to practise) artistic endeavours
- The benefits of exchange programmes to broaden the mind and produce life enhancing changes
- Taking time to meditate, reflect or step back from your work life to ensure it’s what you truly want
- Sitting down and figuring out what really makes you happy in life, and then structuring your life in a way that incorporates that
- People in the closet might be surprised at how indifferent or even supportive older people may be to LGBTIQ individuals
- Out for Australia, what it is, how it works, Luke’s relationship to the organisation and why it’s so important for him
- How diversity and the bottom line of a business can be mutually beneficial
- Luke’s happiness challenge!
Happy Lawyer Happy Life
Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre. A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.
