Women in Sport coverage

So I have been talking about the vicious cycle facing women in sports - the media show what the fans call for, the fans call for more of what is being given to them by the Club, the Club keeps giving the fans what the media will broadcast.  Throw into all of this sponsorship money based on air time, salaries based on 'pro-rata' hours of what the blokes get paid and we are looking at a very small pool of money and broadcasting opportunity for women in sport.

I was excited to attend the Brisbane Heat WBBL launch last week and hear that Channel 10 are broadcasting women's games in prime time.  A massive decision that I truly believe will pay off.  We only have to look at the games from the weekend to see how much fun it is to watch them play.

I was a bit disappointed to see what stories were mentioned in today's newspapers about women's sport from the weekend.  Here is what I found:

• Brisbane Times - has an article on the WBBL and the ratings for the weekend.  No mention of the Brisbane Heat WBBL game or how the players went (Dottin's six was amazing for anyone who missed it!).
• Brisbane Times - has an article on the men Brisbane Roar and their 4-0 win over Adelaide.  Not even one line about the women who one 3-2 (or the Youth who won 3-2).
• Sydney Morning Herald - article about Dottin and if she is the female Chris Gayle, and another about Sophie Molineux and her talent. 
• Sydney Morning Herald - article about Melbourne City FC women's team loosing their first match.  The first article about the game!!!!
• Courier-Mail - after clicking on a few headings, I found an article on the side bar about the Brisbane Women's game.  I think saying Roar fell asleep is probably a bit harsh because the game went into a short lull, but hey everyone has different opinions.

Over the weekend we had four women's W-League matches and the start of the women's BBL series with six games. 

I know that there needs to be a transition into covering women's sport, so about this; every Monday there is a dedicated women in sport column touching on all of the games.  Would that work?  It would get the coverage going.  Hopefully the women's AFL league will really see an increase of coverage, particularly in Monday sport's coverage!!

WLAQ 38th Annual Awards Dinner

October is always a crazy time for events and for me in general (birthday month!).  This year was no exception with a lot of my spare time taken up with organising the WLAQ 38th Annual Awards Dinner.  It was held on Friday night with a record attendance of 240 members of the legal profession and friends.

I love organising events, it is the fun part of any task and it kind of comes naturally to me (I put it down to my job during high school at Bundy Bowl & Leisure with organising functions and parties).  This year we had Caroline Overington as our guest speaker.  She was previously with Women's Weekly and is now back at the Australia and for me to attempt to summarise her and her achievements in this paragraph would surely undermine the significance she has had on Australian journalism and for women in that field.

Andre Cois Photography 

T
his Awards Dinner was even more special for me as I was able to deliver my President's Address.  We held our Women at the Bar event in early September 2016, but I wanted more than ever to make an impact with my address, excite those in the room and give some ideas for future consideration.  The feedback following my address has given me many 'pinch me' moments and I would specifically like to acknowledge Roger Derrington QC who, in his role as Editor of Queensland Reports, published my address and gave an excellent review of the Awards Dinner.  To read a copy of my address, please visit this link.

As I read over it, I am even more excited about what we can do in years to come.  It is all about keeping the discussion going and providing solutions to the barriers facing women in the legal profession.

Women's Agenda 4th Leadership Awards

I cannot contain my excitement and I am still shaking!  Yesterday I attended at the Women's Agenda 4th Leadership Awards in Sydney.

I have been an avid reader of the publication since it first started and always loved the work of Angela Priestly and Georgina Dent.  When it was announced that Angela had purchased Women's Agenda this year I was immediately filled with a high level of admiration for her.  A working mother following her dreams and just doing it!

I was nominated as an Emergent Leader in the Legal Sector by my firm, and still remember the call when I was told that I made finalist.  I went into that mode I so often mentor young lawyers about, almost feeling like an imposter when I saw the four other finalists who included a Partner at my firm and someone I very much look up to, Paula Robinson along with General Counsel and Senior VP at Brookfield Property, Claire Bibby.

In my usual LawyerCas ways, I was tweeting all of the winners as they were announced, typing their category and having the hashtag ready so I just had to insert their names on announcement.  I will never forget sitting there with my phone in my hand waiting for the winner to be announced in the Legal Sector category, when I heard my name.  I can never remember a moment in life when I have shook so much with excitement.  I was also terrified about walking on stage because I was only in my second week of walking following the whole broken leg and was wearing heels (as directed by my rehab team!), but the stairs to the stage were looking a bit much.  Angela, oh Angela, so grateful for her assistance on to the stage.  I was still a bumbling mess and even mentioned my recent success about being able to wear heels again (I mean really Cas, so much substance shown!).  

I am so proud to be working alongside the women I spend most of my time with, and that I have the opportunity to progress the work done of those more senior, women like Claire and Paula.  They have done the hard yards so my time as a lawyer is easier.  Hopefully the work I do will make it easier still for the next generation.  The Award is a reminder to me that I need to keep going with my work.  If there is just a slimmer of opportunity that I can make a difference then I will be happy with leaving that legacy.  Massive thank you to Sucheta from Minters who came and supported me on the day and to everyone involved.  We can do this!

No I will not accept your LinkedIn dating request!

I love LinkedIn.  I think it is a great tool for continuing a professional relationship and it is now the online business card.  However, people are starting to use it like Facebook and for dating purposes.  I fear its purpose will become redundant.

My biggest bug bear about LinkedIn are the recruiters who look at my profile and then add me.  No message, just the standard LinkedIn "you are someone I trust".  Then I get a message saying, 'I saw you have career opportunities ticked and I wanted to discuss a role I want to offer you', or 'I have a role for you, let's chat'.  Well no, I don't have it checked because I'm not looking for opportunities and the role you have to offer me is an interview with five other candidates. 

A message to the young - this is not head hunting and is by no means complimentary.  Despite being Gen Y, I actually remember what recruitment was like before LinkedIn and what head hunting involved. 

To the men adding me on LinkedIn and then asking me for a wine after work, don't.  If I wanted to do online dating, I would use Tinder.

To the motivational speakers putting up quotes supposedly from Einstein, Emerson and Twain, don't. Use the message from those quotes and create your own message.  Build your personal brand.  

LinkedIn is such a resourceful tool which is under-utilised for it's required purpose.  When I first joined LinkedIn, I received referrals and recommendations for work.  One barrister had the brilliant practice of when he received a direct brief to email 3-5 lawyers who practiced in the necessary area and ask them to get back to him if they would like the work referred to them. 

Young professionals can use LinkedIn to build their practice and build your online profile.  You want that raise or promotion?  Well, set yourself apart from your colleague in the office next to you and use social media for that purpose!  An ability to build a practice at a young stage will be your most useful negotiating tool!

Picture available here

My tips, spend 20 minutes this week on updating your LinkedIn profile by:

- updating your photograph (no selfies, filtered photos or wedding pictures)

- updating your specialities and biography

- sending a message to a connection and make sure you continue the relationship

- reviewing the Groups you follow and see if you need a clean up

- searching for companies or influencers to follow (this helps you keep up on industry news and developments 

- having a look through the "people you may know" function to see if you can form new relationships. 

LinkedIn, if used correctly, is such a useful tool.  Have a reminder to review your overall profile every few months and make sure you keep in contact with your connections!