A former partner at Johnson, Winter & Slattery, commercial law expert Adam Cooper has been General Counsel and Company Secretary at Flinders Ports Holdings in South Australia for over six years. As one of Lawcadia’s earliest users, he’s a proud advocate of legal innovation and was an obvious pick for our client spotlight of the month.
What do you love most about working in house?
The variety of the work that comes across my desk, the ability to manage my own (small) team which lends itself to a collegiate approach, the ability to have input at management level and the satisfaction of seeing projects through from the idea stage to completion.
What has been the highlight of your in-house career?
It’s hard to identify any one thing. Possibly being interviewed for Lawcadia’s client spotlight! I guess the things I always get a good feeling about are finding a solution to a complex problem and closing out a significant transaction.
The legal industry is in a period of unprecedented change. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing legal teams today?
The speed at which things happen – not just change, but everything. When I started in law the mail came twice a day. Now the emails come twice a minute, yet the responses people want and deserve haven’t changed. They must be considered, commercial and correct!
What advice can you offer legal teams keen to adopt new technology?
Go for it! That said, like any worthwhile project, get your needs analysis and scope right, choose the right solution and provider for you and build a good relationship with the provider.
All work and no play makes a dull lawyer. What do you love to do in your downtime?
We have a border collie who loves beach walks so that is a fun way to exercise and wind down a bit. I also enjoy growing vegetables in the backyard and visiting antique shops and art galleries.
