"Take your time to learn the organisation and the role", he says
In August, the WA Law Society announced that longstanding CEO David Price was capping off his historic 18-year term in the role. Since he commenced in the role in 2006, Price has steered the ship through the COVID-19 pandemic, worked alongside 16 WA Law Society presidents, and watched the organisation grow significantly under his leadership.
In this interview, Price tells Australasian Lawyer what he’ll miss most about being WA Law Society CEO, his one piece of advice to successor Kate Wellington, and what’s next for him (it’s not retirement).
What prompted your decision to step down after such a landmark tenure as CEO of the Law Society of Western Australia?
It felt right, I think the Law Society is in a very good place to hand over to a new CEO and give them the opportunity to work with a great team to take the organisation forward.
You’ve led the organisation for so long – what has been the most memorable part of your tenure?
I think it would have to be the journey since when I started in 2006 to where we are today. This has seen:
- a doubling of membership at the Law Society, with currently a 90% member retention rate and an 87% satisfaction rating
- introduction of free or low-fee ongoing continuing professional development training for our members now included in their membership fee - at no additional cost - plus enabling members of the legal profession to undertake their ongoing training live either online, or in person
- the Law Society’s 2010 purchase of it premises in St Georges Terrace and now owning a piece of prime real estate in the Perth CBD
- overseeing advocacy on a range of legal policy reforms was also a career highlight. This has included legal profession uniform law, which began in WA in 2022, and important initiatives around mental health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, bullying and sexual harassment and the advancement of women in the legal profession
- the introduction of the Law Society’s Professional Standards Scheme for the WA legal profession. We are now on our third Scheme
- the establishment of Law Access Limited, a legal service to help the community’s most vulnerable. Law Access is the charitable arm of the Law Society and provides an essential service to people who have been knocked back for all other legal assistance, by matching them with lawyers who volunteer their time
What has been the biggest challenge for you in this role?
There have been many, but I don’t think you can go past the COVID-19 pandemic. That brought some significant challenges to our entire community and the Law Society was not immune. However, it also brought opportunities, solutions and realisations which did not exist previously. The challenges of engaging almost 5,000 members in a meaningful and effective way required the Law Society, like many organisations, to alter or adapt our existing views and approaches in order to deliver its outcomes.
What will you miss the most about this role?
The people, the legal profession, the role. It has been a third of my life.
If you could give only one piece of advice to the next CEO, what would it be?
It is a very diverse and unique role, so take your time to learn the organisation and the role. It will be very rewarding if you do.
What hobbies are you planning to pick back up or try once you officially vacate the post?
I’m not intending to retire, I am going to try to put my 25+ years as a chief executive officer to good use and set up a small consultancy business, focusing on organisational development, governance and management support.
