Western Australian Barrister and Solicitor Twistie Venning’s illustrious career began with service in the Australian Defence Force as a Medic, followed by roles in emergency services, mining health and safety, and community corrections. Called to the Bar in 2016,Twistie’s passion for advocacy led him to work in private practice and for the Legal Aid Commission of WA before establishing Bona Fide Law in Bunbury. Alongside Office Manager, Mollie Venning, Twistie’s dedication to helping people has made their practice a cornerstone of the Southwest community.
We recently spoke with Twistie about the philosophy behind Bona Fide Law, his advice on legal tech, and why his team love Smokeball!
Tell us a little bit about why you founded Bona Fide Law. What is your “why”?
We wanted to provide a service to clients which was friendly, down-to-earth and that spoke to them in a way that is understandable. The law is often confusing and complicated, and people just want straightforward answers to their questions and how to move forwards in a way that is most beneficial to them. We also wanted to practice law our way, which is how we would want to be treated if we were the client.
What do you find are the most rewarding and challenging aspects about the work you do in criminal and family law?
It is great to see matters being finalised in a timely manner often with the best outcome for the parties achieved. By providing good and sensible legal advice, it helps to avoid unnecessary legal costs and wasting resources such as extended prison terms or costly family court proceedings. We have a great relationship with local Police and lawyers, which can help to get a more favourable outcome for our clients. A lot of family and criminal matters can be challenging, particularly when there is sensitive materials or particularly vulnerable clients and victims. We meet these challenges by treating all parties with humanity and respect but also acknowledging the issues at hand.
Tell us about a moment when you felt you truly made a difference in a client's life?
We had a client that was going to be deported back to his country of origin due to a charge which had arisen out of a misunderstanding. Due to our good negotiation skills and high level of experience we were able to get the charged dismissed in its entirety which allowed him to stay in the country. He was granted permanent residency within a week of the charge being dismissed.
What do you think the most common challenge is in the legal profession now? Is there is an underlying theme?
We feel as though there are a couple of challenges, firstly technology and secondly resourcing of Courts, Government and other agencies. With technology, artificial intelligence is a positive disruptor to traditional legal work, however with that comes the challenge of identifying how it can be utilised in an accurate and reliable manner.
Regarding resourcing both the family and criminal legal systems are woefully under-resourced which results in lengthy delays and inefficient processes. These all negatively impact the client and often result insignificantly increased legal costs. Governments are often short sighted in how they resource the criminal system, for
example under-resourcing of Official Visits within the prison system. This often leads to accused people spending more time in custody than they would otherwise need to, because they cannot not meet with their lawyer. This then results in an overall increase in cost based on having to accommodate in custody for lengthier periods.
How has using technology such as Smokeball changed the way you practice law? What benefits have you experienced in your day-to-day work?
Smokeball has been a “breath of fresh air”. Our old practice management system was outdated, unreliable, expensive and often caused computer shutdowns and disruptions. Smokeball has simplified our Calendar usage, better automation in precedents and provides a customisable dashboard which is beneficial to each team member.
Some may have reservations about the learning curve involved in using new technology. Do you have any advice for lawyers looking to make the most of technology like Smokeball in their firms?
Just do it. It will make your life easier in the long term, especially if you set up your precedents correctly in the first instance. Smokeball has excellent online resources and being Australian based, the support we have had has been exceptional. We had some trepidation in moving over from our previous PMS, however since doing so, we haven’t looked back. We have also been able to customise and standardise our email templates, so all employees are sending clients consistent information.
What are you looking forward to in the next year, both personally and / or professionally?
We are looking forward to expanding our firm and continuing to provide excellent service to our clients whilst also expanding our brand. We are confident that Smokeball will be able to assist us in achieving our objectives, particularly in utilising the lead generation tools.
What is the best way for us to connect with you online?
Learn more about Bona Fide Law on their website www.bonafidelaw.com.au.
