ADHD and Neurodivergence in the Workplace: A Medicolegal Panel Disussion

ADHD and Neurodivergence in the Workplace: A Medicolegal Panel Disussion

Most workplace issues do not start as legal problems. They start as friction, fatigue, missed cues, and someone quietly thinking, I’m trying my best here and it still isn’t working. This conversation looks at how ADHD and neurodiversity can sit underneath those moments, and what employers can do early, before it becomes formal, adversarial or avoidable damage. I’m joined by Vanessa from mlcoa [https://www.mlcoa.com.au/], psychiatrist Dr Tim MacDonald, and Andrew Rich, partner at Gadens [https://www.gadens.com/], to talk about what ADHD can look like at work and why more organisations are seeking clearer guidance on diagnosis, support, and reasonable adjustments. We explore ADHD as more than a label, including the strengths and challenges that can come with it, and why the right environment can change everything. Vanessa shares what she is seeing from employers, and Dr Tim brings the clinical lens on attention, stress, and performance. Andrew then steps through the legal landscape, including how the Disability Discrimination Act and Fair Work Act approach reasonable adjustments and why you do not always need a formal diagnosis to start doing something sensible. We also talk about practical, low-drama ways to support neurodiverse employees, and how listening, role clarity, and small adjustments can prevent issues escalating into formal disputes. CHAPTER MARKERS 00:00 ADHD in the Workplace Panel 00:18 Why ADHD Awareness Is Rising 01:12 mlcoa Concierge Support Service 01:45 ADHD Clinical View and Neurodiversity 03:25 Employment Law Perspective on ADHD 04:08 ADHD Stigma at Work 07:28 ADHD Diagnosis vs Reasonable Adjustments 15:21 Flexible Work and Managing Workload 20:00 Privacy and Disclosure of ADHD 21:44 Psychosocial Hazards and WHS Duties 24:48 Getting Ahead of Workplace Conflict 28:23 Performance Management and Mediation 32:23 Strengths of ADHD at Work 35:05 Key Takeaways and Disclaimer Guest Links: Dr Tim MacDonald: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-tim-macdonald-4470ba92/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-tim-macdonald-4470ba92/] Vanessa Daniel: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-d-b002496b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-d-b002496b/] Andrew Rich: LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/andrew-rich-50a84a5a [https://au.linkedin.com/in/andrew-rich-50a84a5a] Gadens: https://www.gadens.com/ [https://www.gadens.com/] More From Damien: Website [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/website] | LinkedIn [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/linkedin] | YouTube [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/youtube] WORK WITH ME: Book a Mediation or a 15-minute Discovery call with Damien: https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking [https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking] Email: damien@evolveresolve.com [damien@evolveresolve.com] #mlcoa #adhd #mediation #coaching #legal #lawyer #evolveresolve Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is general information only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. ©2026 mlcoa | Law, Medicine & Everything in Between. Mentioned in this episode: mlcoa [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/mlcoa]

ADHD Diagnosis & Treatment with Psychiatrist Dr Tim MacDonald and mlcoa's Vanessa Daniel

ADHD is everywhere in the conversation right now, but there is still a lot of confusion about what it is, what it is not, and what good support actually looks like. I’m joined by Dr Tim MacDonald, a psychiatrist with deep academic and clinical experience, and Vanessa Daniel, National Customer and Legal Manager at mlcoa. Together we explore their collaboration, Law, Medicine and Everything in Between, and why bridging the medical and workplace worlds matters more than ever. Dr Tim talks through how ADHD is diagnosed in practice, why more people are presenting for assessment, and the common misconceptions that show up in the current ADHD moment. We discuss the overlap with other conditions, the role of social media in shaping self diagnosis, and why medication is not a simple shortcut. If you have ever wondered why ADHD can be missed until adulthood, or why the clinical picture is rarely straightforward, this part of the conversation will give you a clearer frame. Vanessa brings the medicolegal lens, including why ADHD assessments in workplace and legal contexts need more than a questionnaire and a quick label. We also touch on non pharmaceutical supports, the reality of managing ADHD in a high distraction world, and what this means for employers and professionals trying to do the right thing. This episode sets up the next instalment with Andrew Rich from Gadens, where we move into the practical workplace obligations and privacy issues that follow. Guest Links: Dr Tim MacDonald: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-tim-macdonald-4470ba92/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-tim-macdonald-4470ba92/] Vanessa Daniel: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-d-b002496b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-d-b002496b/] More From Damien: Website [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/website] | LinkedIn [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/linkedin] | YouTube [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/youtube] WORK WITH ME: Book a Mediation or a 15-minute Discovery call with Damien: https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking [https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking] Website: https://www.evolveresolve.com/ [https://www.evolveresolve.com/] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot [http://linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot] YouTube: @evolveresolve [https://www.youtube.com/@evolveresolve] Email: damien@evolveresolve.com [damien@evolveresolve.com] Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is general information only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. ©2026 mlcoa | Law, Medicine & Everything in Between. Mentioned in this episode: mlcoa [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/mlcoa]

Big Law, New Law, and the Future of Law with Dr George Beaton

I sat down with Dr George Beaton, one of the sharpest minds on the future of the legal profession, to talk about what is changing and what is staying stubbornly the same. George has a rare mix of academic and commercial credibility, with a background in medicine, an MBA and PhD, senior fellow roles at the University of Melbourne’s business and law schools, and decades advising professional service firms through Beaton. He is also the author of books New Law, New Rules and Remaking Law, so he is not guessing at trends. He has been watching them form for years. We cover the difference between Big Law and what George calls New Law, without the hype. Big Law still runs on familiar settings like hierarchy, billable hours and the partnership model, and it remains highly profitable. New Law, on the other hand, is more agile, more tech enabled, often more project based and far more willing to rethink pricing and ownership structures. We talk about what is actually driving the shift, including client expectations, business model pressure and the growing influence of technology and AI. We also get practical about what this means for lawyers and leaders right now. George shares his view on the skills that will matter more as the market evolves, including judgment, relationships and broader life experience, not just technical competence. If you are curious about where the profession is heading and how to stay relevant without chasing every new trend, this conversation will give you a clear and grounded way to think about it. Guest Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgerbeaton/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgerbeaton/] Website: https://beatonglobal.com/ [https://beatonglobal.com/] More From Damien: Website [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/website] | LinkedIn [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/linkedin] | YouTube [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/youtube] WORK WITH ME: Book a Mediation or a 15-minute Discovery call with Damien: https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking [https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking] Website: https://www.evolveresolve.com/ [https://www.evolveresolve.com/] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot [http://linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot] YouTube: @evolveresolve [https://www.youtube.com/@evolveresolve] Email: damien@evolveresolve.com [damien@evolveresolve.com]

Conflict is Data, Benefit from it: Workplace Mediation with Tania Waters

Tania Waters is a conflict management specialist, accredited mediator, and conflict coach who has spent years in senior global roles across HR and legal services. She founded Taite in 2021 and now focuses exclusively on workplace mediation. In this conversation, we get practical about why mediation is still underused in workplaces and why bringing it in earlier, rather than after an investigation, can change the entire trajectory of a conflict. We talk about what investigations can unintentionally do to people’s positions and emotions, especially in the classic he-said-she-said scenarios where nobody feels seen at the end of the process. Tania explains why workplace mediation is not about proving who is right or wrong. It is about sense-making, hearing each other’s experience, and working out how to move forward without ending up in the same place again. We also discuss why some organisations prefer the label facilitated conversation, and the real advantage of an external mediator, not just skill, but independence and psychological safety for the people in the room. Finally, Tania shares a few ideas that will stick with you, including her view that conflict is data and that mediation can be a powerful leadership development tool. We also touch on the shift in expectations around psychosocial hazards, why law firms can still be surprisingly conflict-averse, and what sustainable change can look like when people actually have the conversation they have been avoiding. CHAPTER MARKERS 00:00 Tania Waters, Workplace Mediation Specialist 01:17 Why Mediation Is Underused in HR and How to Fix It 02:45 When to Investigate vs. When to Mediate Workplace Conflict 04:39 How Mediation Shifts Perspectives and Breaks Entrenched Conflict 05:23 Mediation Is Not About Right or Wrong, It's About Sense-Making 07:35 Facilitated Conversation vs. Mediation: Why Labels Matter 12:41 The Superpower of Independent External Mediators 14:20 Personality Clash Is a Myth: The Real Root Causes of Workplace Conflict 21:00 Conflict Is Data: Using Workplace Conflict as a Leadership Tool 21:25 Mediation for Leadership Development and the REWA Conference Talk 23:08 Tania's Business Philosophy: Quality Over Scale 24:04 Workplace Mediation Specialisation and Keeping Skills Sharp Guest Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taniawaters/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/taniawaters/] Taite Website: https://taite.com.au/ [https://taite.com.au/] More From Damien: Website [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/website] | LinkedIn [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/linkedin] | YouTube [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/youtube]

Avoidance Behaviour and Impostor Phenomenon in Professional Services with Michael Schiffner

Michael Schiffner has spent years helping professionals get better at business development, and this conversation gets to the heart of why that matters. As the founder of Collective Intelligence and former National Business Development Coach at KPMG, Michael brings a practical and refreshing perspective to an area many lawyers still resist. We talk about why BD is such a pain point in professional services, why so many people confuse it with selling, and how that misunderstanding gets in the way of building strong, long term client relationships. A big part of the discussion focuses on what actually drives growth. Michael explains that effective business development is not about being pushy or performative. It is about trust, generosity, consistency, and staying front of mind. We also explore the research behind The Activator Advantage and the three behaviours that sit at the centre of it: commit, connect, and create. One of the more useful parts of the conversation is Michael’s challenge to the idea that only extroverted rainmakers succeed. He makes a compelling case that introverts can be highly effective in BD when they lean into their own strengths. We also spend time on the internal barriers that make BD harder than it needs to be. Fear of rejection, perfectionism, and competing commitments all show up in this conversation, along with the stories professionals tell themselves about why they are not naturally good at this part of the job. Michael shares how his coaching work, including his wisdom circles, helps people work through those patterns and build habits that are realistic and sustainable. If business development has ever felt awkward or unnatural, there is a lot in this conversation that will shift the way you think about it. CHAPTER MARKERS 00:00 Michael Schiffner and the BD Problem 01:25 Why Professional Services Firms Struggle with BD 02:26 Business Development Versus Selling 05:49 Why Introverts Can Succeed in BD 09:10 The Activator Advantage 09:45 Commit, Connect, Create 14:00 Fear, Perfectionism, and Mindset Blocks 17:22 Wisdom Circles and Coaching 20:29 Hidden Barriers to Action 22:01 Why BD Is a Long Game Guest Links: LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelschiffner/ WEBSITE: https://collectiveintelligence.au/ More From Damien: Website [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/website] | LinkedIn [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/linkedin] | YouTube [https://the-resolution-room.captivate.fm/youtube] WORK WITH ME: Book a Mediation or a 15-minute Discovery call with Damien: https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking [https://www.evolveresolve.com/booking] Website: https://www.evolveresolve.com/ [https://www.evolveresolve.com/] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot [http://linkedin.com/in/damien-van-brunschot] YouTube: @evolveresolve [https://www.youtube.com/@evolveresolve] Email: damien@evolveresolve.com [damien@evolveresolve.com]