Disrupting Law 2017: The true recipe for fostering innovation

Last weekend, for two-and-a-half days, I participated in the brainchild of The Legal Forecast and QUT Starters; otherwise known as Disrupting Law. In its second year, the event enticed me with the promise of meeting new people; solving relevant, global legal issues and pushing myself beyond the confines of my tertiary education. I prepared myself for late nights, pressurised and panicked moments and the 'character-building' side of teamwork. What I experienced was so much more.

Myself, a peer and a representative of Herbert Smith Freehills, networking on opening night.

The event began on Friday night with our orientation, followed by networking and getting to know both our teammates and mentoring law firm (for my lucky team, it was Law Squared, an exemplar modern law firm). My team consisted of two law students, an engineer-turned-law student and our "techies" - an Engineering/Business and I.T./Business duo to whom I owe most of my weekend's entertainment. Though we worked efficiently to come up with an idea, pivoted more than once and had no problem expressing our varying opinions, what I loved about Disrupting Law went beyond the 'idea-and-execution' concept. Yes, disrupting an industry is something I value because I believe that change and sustainability work hand in hand. But there is something far more important than hard work, more important than knowledge, that innovation requires - and that is perspective.

My wonderful, diverse team and our mentors from Law Squared.

Though the most disruptive part of my experience was working with those from a different field of study to me, it was the most valuable and eye-opening. I believe it was the crux of our weekend's successes. Understanding that as little as I knew about information technology and computers was not a problem - because some of my teammates could not distinguish 'legislation' from 'precedent'. And while we came from such different worlds, it was our diversity that united our thinking. What one lacked, another provided. Where a single thought grew, three other, different minds enhanced it.

I will be competing in Disrupting Law 2018 and I urge any law, business, IT, engineering or HR student to do the same. Aside from working under pressure and in a real-life business environment, the team-building skills and the relationships you will forge are what will truly #innov8 your experience.