Kate Wellington: 'Asking questions can be an art form'

The new WA Law Soc CEO shares what she thinks is the organisation's most valuable contribution

Kate Wellington: 'Asking questions can be an art form'

Last November, Kate Wellington was announced as the successor to outgoing WA Law Society CEO David Price. As she officially takes on the role this week, Wellington tells Australasian Lawyer why she accepted the role, her vision for the Law Society, and why the organisation’s mutual insurance scheme is “world class”.

What drew you to fill the vacancy of WA Law Society CEO?

This role ticked all the boxes for me. My professional experience spans law, public policy, advocacy, member services, professional standards, legal education and governance. As CEO of the Law Society, I will have the opportunity to lead a well-respected organisation across each of these areas.  

What’s an important skill you learned as a lawyer that you think will help you in this role?

Asking questions can be an art form. When I was a junior lawyer, and was interviewing witnesses for the first time, I asked a more experienced colleague for advice. She told me to just keep asking questions until I didn’t have any left. “Don’t make assumptions”, she said, “don’t feel silly, don’t be deterred, just keep asking, until you understand”. This lesson has served me well in all aspects of my professional life. 

As CEO, what Law Society initiative/project are you most eager to get involved with or champion?

I’ll be spending my first month in the role promoting the Law Society’s state election campaign, as we move toward election day on 8 March. The election also marks the end of an era with the retirement of our longstanding Attorney-General. I’m looking forward to working with the new Attorney to ensure the legal profession has a strong voice in the next phase of planning for the justice system in WA.   

What’s your vision for the organisation, and how do you plan to work with the rest of the leadership on achieving that?

I’m lucky to have inherited a stable and well-governed organisation from my predecessor, allowing me to focus on the question: “What next?”. While I need to have a good look under the bonnet and gather feedback from members, staff and stakeholders, I’m keen to see the Law Society focus on what it really means to be a thriving lawyer. This includes working to support diverse career pathways, healthy workplace cultures, supportive communities, integrity and ethics, and deep expertise.

As a lawyer, you’re part of something bigger than yourself. It’s not just a job. I want to capture that notion to drive the next phase of our value proposition for members. 

What’s the biggest challenge you expect to have to overcome in the role?

Budget. In small-to-medium sized membership organisations, it’s always budget. There are so many exciting things we could do for our members, important issues to pursue and new initiatives to explore. Sustainable budget growth and a laser focus on our priorities will be critical for success. 

What in your opinion has been the WA Law Society’s most important contribution to the Australian legal profession?

It might not be the most exciting member benefit, but the Law Society’s mutual insurance scheme is world class. In other jurisdictions, the rising cost and poor availability of professional indemnity insurance is squeezing lawyers – particularly small firms and sole practitioners – to breaking point. The Law Society’s Law Mutual scheme sources appropriate, affordable insurance for practitioners who need it. This is a critical service, for both the profession and its clients.

What kind of legacy do you hope to leave as Law Society CEO?

Every CEO wants to leave an organisation in a better position than when they found it. For the Law Society, I believe this means continually improving our membership offering. Not every lawyer will use their membership in the same way, nor will they want the same kind of interaction with the Law Society, but ultimately I want to be able to offer a relevant, tangible, valuable benefit to every lawyer in WA.