A new podcast from a Ballarat law firm is hoping to bridge the gap between 'legalese' and the general public, with free advice in an accessible medium.
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Law on Lydiard's principal Paul Cott said after becoming a fan of podcasts himself, he realised there was a lack of content focused on getting regular people "from point A to point B" on legal matters.
Everything from unfair dismissals and employment contracts, to wills and building defects, have spurred the 15-minute episodes of the new podcast Lydiard Law.
Having worked as a lawyer for around 13 years, he said it was clear some clients now turn to Google first with their legal problems, but the information they needed wasn't always accessible or accurate.
"When a layperson who doesn't have a law degree is having an issue, they might be asking, 'How do I deal with it?' Mr Cott said.
"But they might not always want to go to a lawyer, or sometimes can't go. So it's about bridging that gap."
A lot of the time employees get a employment contract, and they don't read it. Later on down the track they've got an issue, that's when they read it, and it's a bit late.
- Ballarat lawyer Paul Cott
The interest in podcasts continues to climb in Australia, with Roy Morgan research noting in July this year that audiences of the medium are up 70 per cent in last four years.
Podcasts are now being downloaded at least once a month by over 1.6 million Australians.
"It's about the most common issues people have questions on," Mr Cott said.
"For example a lot of people hark back to the olden days, when anyone could make a claim (on a will). But the law changed significantly in 2015 ... so it's about practical, easy to understand legal information."
Podcasts about the legal system aren't rare, but primarily cater to those in the profession, or those with a targeted interest in justice.
A recent podcast production by the Supreme Court of Victoria, Gertie's Law, looks to demystify the court process and shed light on on complex and misunderstood elements, such as juries and criminal trials.
It runs parallel with a push to make the court system more accessible to the public, highlighted by recent live streams of sentencing and appeal decisions in the case of George Pell.
Producer Chris Ashmore said the medium was perfect "to provide content to an audience that would find it difficult to find".
"Most people who seek a podcast do so for education and learning," he said.
"It's a convenient way to consume information if you're busy."