Professor Michael Adams
Head of the University of New England (UNE) Law School, Professor Michael Adams, was the Academic Lawyer of the Year for 2020 in the Lawyers Weekly 20th Australian Law Awards. It's not surprising, given his commitment to mentoring and the education of the next-generation of legal professionals.
An internationally recognised specialist in corporate law, governance and securities markets regulation, Michael has been writing, teaching and presenting on these subjects for over 30 years.
He says he was blessed to have a great mentor himself - Emeritus Professor David Barker AM - who remains a dear friend. So, when Michael became an Associate Professor in 1997 he made a commitment to "go out of his way to help others". He took the responsibility even more seriously when he became a professor.
"I was the first in my family to attend university," Michael says. "I never thought I would ever become a full professor and certainly not the dean of a law school. I felt I had a responsibility to pay back, not just to support my students but also my junior colleagues, and it's something I feel very passionate about. We have a duty, I think, to pass on our knowledge and ideas; to share where the road bumps are so that others might avoid them, what career avenues are available and how to get the work-life balance right. And I also encourage my colleagues within the UNE Law School to mentor others.
"I have been involved in formal mentoring programs, including the mentoring of senior women in universities and mentoring through LinkedIn, but I have tended to prefer the more informal mentoring, where the mentee reaches out. You build fantastic relationships and mutual trust over time, which is lovely, and it's not a one-way street. I learn a lot from them, too."
However, Michael is the first to put caveats on his personal experience. "It's not necessarily a model for other people," he says. "I feel incredibly privileged to have had a wife of 32 years who has been a full-time Mum to our kids, which has enabled me to do a whole bunch of things that would have been incredibly challenging if I were running a household. I've been very lucky to have had that direct family support."
The sometimes-gendered nature of the legal profession has been brought into sharp focus now that Michael's own daughter is practising. Conceding that some female lawyers "get a bit of a rough trot", he is particularly keen to support their ambitions.
"The profession continues to be characterised by a certain pigheadedness and boys' club attitude, but there is also a lot of unconscious bias," Michael says. "Males and females, we need to call it out instantly when we observe inappropriate behaviour. By remaining silent we are endorsing that behaviour.
"I'm very conscious that I am a white Anglo-Saxon male from a background of privilege; that I haven't had the same experiences as some women. It breaks my heart to hear that people feel unsafe, but I hope I can be a part of creating environments and workplaces that are inclusive and respectful of women, and which provide equal opportunities for them."
There are parallels between this and Michael's area of specialty - corporate law. "Every corporation or business has a social responsibility," he says. "They need to consider how they can benefit society, whether that be through their sustainability or environmental measures; treatment of employees, shareholders and customers; or simply by being a good corporate citizen.
"Big companies like Apple have a value that is now higher than the GPD of Italy and numerous other developed countries. They have a lot of clout – they can change the world when it comes to things like climate change and industry practices. They need to lead by example and I do a lot of work helping directors come to conclusions on what is right or wrong.
"Corporate law enables us to chart a better way forward; to genuinely consult stakeholders when making decisions and to take responsibility for their welfare, beyond maximising profits. If staff and customers are happy, then we start to see some real benefits. Social responsibility actually makes for a better business model. It's a win-win.
"Laws and regulations are often seen as heavy and technical, but they equip people to improve the lives of others and, ultimately, can help to improve society."