Meet Verity - Founder and CEO of Checklist Legal

We were so lucky to have the chance to pick the brain of someone like Verity White.  

Incredibly driven and dissatisfied to accept the status quo, Verity is the Founder and CEO of Checklist Legal - and cleverly uses legal design to make contracts easy, streamlined and dare we say fun? 

A commercial lawyer turned legal innovation expert with a passion for redesigning boring old legal documents, contracts, and processes to be easy to read, easy to use, and jargon-free and we are here for it! 

Oh and she’s recently published a fantastic book titled Create Contracts Clients Love that helps you to do just that!

What's the best piece of career advice you have ever received?

I received the best piece of advice as I was a lawyer trying to lead a business through a change. It was hard, complex, frustrating and confusing work and I didn't like some of the approaches they were taking. I thought it was risky. The advice my manager at the time gave me was 'This is exactly when they need you.'

This was my wake-up call to step up as a leader and provide impactful advice, strategies and help with decision making. 

It opened my eyes to how leading lawyers provide trusted advice. It's something that has stuck with me and I am trying to get better at applying more broadly.

Who inspires and motivates you in business?

Oh my gosh. SO MANY!

Brazen Hussies - The Australian documentary about women pushing for women's rights is incredible. It makes me feel so thankful for what they did (they had to chain themselves TO A BAR!!!) and also angry because I feel women are still undervalued.

Fionn Bowd - For standing up to bullies and doing it transparently so we all can learn from her example. 

Patricia Karvelas - for being amazing at her job in broadcasting, and just for being a general legend that Mariah Carey also loves!

Sheree Rubenstein - She is the kind of effortlessly calm and collected human who is so present and caring. Her One Roof community felt like a virtual home throughout Melbourne Lockdowns (episode 1 through 6!!). She is incredible and she's created a wonderful team and community around her

To be honest, the entire “Actually, I can” campaign with the  She Lion sweatshirts was inspiring to me! Kate making good things out of a bad situation was an example of how much your attitude can impact a situation. 

Where do turn for your advice in business?

I have worked to build a network of suppliers and advisors in the business, with whom I set up regular discussions and check-ins, they are especially useful when I have a day to day business issue. 

We often believe there is a silver bullet to business or personal issues... “If I could just X, then I will get EVERYTHING”... but it just isn't the case. Things constantly change.

So I have tried (but not always succeeded) to build relationships with different people with who I can talk through different issues, as well as seek a range of ideas on an issue to test it.

As I already mentioned, I love the One Roof community! I find it such a valuable, genuine and relaxed but informative community. I love crowdsourcing and testing within that encouraging space.

My patient partner Dean listens to me talk about contracts and systems and books and all the fun things in business very patiently as I sort my ideas out by talking them through. Having a great listener in your corner is essential! 

So, if your collective business experience was in a handbag, what pieces of advice would you carry with you everywhere?

When in doubt, zoom out 

This is one I use with my clients and myself often... we all get bogged down in details and I often have to remind myself to look for the big picture, what is the overarching mission or where are we trying to get to....

Find the fun!

A little bit like Mary Poppins and a spoonful of sugar, I do think there is an element of fun in everything we do in business... not to say everything has to be fun, but I think we can try to find ways to make our work and lives more playful (and less stress is always a good thing!)

You can't iterate on nothing

This is great advice from Denise Duffield Thomas in her book Chilpreneur, all about getting something out there.... launch your product, write that post, push the website live... you can always update or fix things later but you can't iterate on nothing.

And finally, what is actually in your She Lion bag? 

I have  The Futurist Tote as my everyday work laptop bag (it’s HUGE!),  The Innovator, with its very cool studs, is my trusty day to night companion, and I have a couple of very comfy and  locally made sweaters! 

In my bag you’ll always find:

• Laptop or Tablet with a mouse - I love working from cafes and co-working spaces. I find it helps get in a different mindset. Top Tip! Get yourself as many wireless mice as you need and stop mucking around with a little track pad. It’s a big time-saver having a portable mouse to use on the go.

• Silk scrunchie - I often cycle my way around Melbourne and tie my hair up and down during the day... I also sleep with my hair twizzled up in a silk scrunchie to keep the curls going (I'm a wash and style hair once a week kinda gal!)

• Checklist - Although I have lots of systems and digital planning tools, I love having a simple old fashioned checklist. I designed one I love to use and I also give it out to clients as a thank you gift.

• Coloured pens + sticky notes - I like colour coding things and writing down ideas and so pens are a must in the bag!

• Chocolate - I love snacking and the  Raw Integrity chocolate from Melbourne is the best. I had some of their minibars made up, especially for clients... but you have to do quality control right?!

We loved chatting with you Verity, thank you! 

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We highly recommend that you connect with this inspiring woman too. Her LinkedIn is here.