The power of connection in modern law // October 2025 The power of connection in modern law
by Phillipa Beck, Partner, Pinsent Masons Share this on LinkedIn, Twitter

When people think about the role of lawyers, they don’t usually think about connection. They think about contracts, courtrooms, or the fine print on a deal. But connection is at the very heart of what we do. At Pinsent Masons, whether we are helping clients to deliver the energy transition, advising clients on key infrastructure projects or mentoring the next generation of lawyers, we are constantly building bridges between people, industries, ideas and communities.


Connecting colleagues across the globe


Pinsent Masons is a multinational firm, with more than 4,000 people working in 29 offices across four continents. Our teams span London, Paris and Madrid through to Riyadh, Johannesburg, Beijing, Singapore and here in Melbourne. The breadth of our footprint means connection isn’t optional, it’s essential – especially when one of our fundamental aims is to make business work better for people.


Strong internal connections ensure that as an international firm, we operate in a manner that maximises the sharing of our skills, expertise and industry knowledge. Connections across our partnerships allow us to learn from each other and to bring the right teams to our clients across borders and practice groups. Connections with our business operations teams – spanning IT, finance, HR, marketing, learning and development, innovation and more – ensures that we are delivering seamlessly for clients.


And connections between senior and junior lawyers are vital. At 101 Collins, we designed our offices with open-plan working spaces and dual desk offices, so junior lawyers can sit alongside more senior lawyers. Sometimes the most effective mentoring happens not in formal sessions but by simply observing: how another lawyer engages with a client, manages competing priorities, or frames a difficult issue. These everyday connections quietly shape the next generation of legal leaders


Connection at the heart of client service


From our base at 101 Collins Street, we advise clients across Australia and the world. Two of our core focus areas are energy and infrastructure, sectors that are both global and rapidly transforming. Projects are now often managed by teams across multiple jurisdictions – connections across countries and disciplines allow us to bring global experience to provide the depth of expertise our clients require. To help us with this connection, we have expanded the legal services we provide over recent years to include teams that specialise in workplace relations, work health and safety, planning and environment, and media and technology.


One example is our work on renewable energy projects. The Federal Government has set an ambitious target of 82 percent renewable energy in the national electricity market by 2030. Achieving that target requires major wind, solar, storage and transmission projects across every state and territory. At Pinsent Masons, we connect the dots – helping international investors enter the Australian market, advising on funding and construction, resolving planning and environmental issues, and, when needed, handling disputes.


This work is global by nature. We collaborate with colleagues across Asia and beyond, ensuring clients benefit not only from local insight but also from international expertise. Increasingly, we are training ourselves in what we call “activator behaviour” – being proactive connectors, ensuring our clients know the full range of ways in which we can support their business goals.


Connection with community


Connection for us goes beyond colleagues and clients – it extends to the communities where we work. Lawyers have skills that can make a meaningful difference, and pro bono services are one of the most powerful ways we can connect.


A recent example is our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). This plan is about contributing to closing the gap between First Nations people and the wider community – in areas such as life expectancy, economic participation and career opportunities. Our RAP focuses on supporting

young First Nations people through culturally appropriate educational programs, while also providing pro bono legal advice to help First Nations communities participate in Australia’s renewable energy transition.


This work is not abstract. It means partnering with organisations such as the Waalitj Foundation, Koya Aboriginal Corporation and the First Nations Clean Energy Network. One of the most rewarding aspects has been seeing younger colleagues drive the RAP with passion and purpose.


Community connection also happens in smaller, more immediate ways. For example, our Melbourne office is partnering with Eat Up Australia, hosting volunteering sessions where our people help provide lunches for school children who might otherwise go without. These moments of connection remind us that impact can be practical, local and deeply human.


Connection as the future of law


All of this – our multinational reach, our client work, our community partnerships – demonstrates that connection is not just a theme for us, but core to what we do.


At 101 Collins Street, that role feels especially resonant. This building is itself a community of connectors – businesses that trade in ideas, finance, design, technology and more. Being part of that ecosystem reinforces our own belief that connection is what drives progress.


When I look across our firm – our colleagues around the globe, our clients across industries, and the communities we serve – connection is the common thread. It sharpens our advice, enriches our culture, supports our people and ensures that we are contributing positively to the world around us. Connection sits at the centre of how we work today and will be only more critical as we go forward.


Pinsent Masons

Level 46, 101 Collins

pinsentmasons.com

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