Paul Woods, CEO of Australian law firm Maddocks, believes the best way to mentor lawyers is to give them space to learn on their own—even if it means letting them struggle.
Woods, who also serves as a construction and projects partner at the firm, said his approach was shaped by his time working in London, where he was given significant responsibility early in his career. His philosophy now guides how he leads the firm’s legal teams.
From Melbourne to London—and back
Woods didn’t set out to specialize in construction law. He fell into it after qualifying at Deakins, Graham and James (now Norton Rose Fulbright), where he joined the firm’s construction team. In 2003, he moved to London to work at Masons, now Pinsent Masons.
At the time, large London firms were actively recruiting Australian lawyers. “They didn’t have enough lawyers to handle their workload, and we were seen as well‑educated, hardworking, and capable,” Woods said. The demand for talent gave him an opportunity to take on high‑stakes work.
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One of his clients was Rolls‑Royce, the turbine engine supplier. The experience was a turning point. “The transactions I worked on were typically three, four, five times larger than what I’d done in Australia,” he said. “It was sink or swim—once they saw you were capable, they put you on a client account and gave you enough supervision to feel supported, but also the freedom to manage things yourself.”
That balance—guidance without micromanagement—stuck with him. When he returned to Australia after two and a half years, he brought the approach with him. “I learned that sometimes the best supervision and mentoring is giving a lawyer freedom to do things and learn on their own without suffocating them,” he said. “That’s been my style since coming to Maddocks.”
What clients really want from their lawyers
Woods has spent enough time in boardrooms, mediations, and post‑trial meetings to know what clients value most: clarity under pressure. “What they want is calm, confident, pragmatic advice that’s simply communicated,” he said. “I’m going to be really trying to instill those qualities in all our lawyers.”
His focus on construction and infrastructure law stems from his belief that the sector is vital to Australia’s growth. “This country is expanding—we’ve got a booming population, and we need places for them to live, roads to drive on, bridges, new airports,” he said. As CEO, Woods wants to ensure the firm has a strong national team in the space.
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For Woods, the lesson from London wasn’t just about taking on bigger deals. It was about trusting lawyers to rise to the challenge—and knowing when to step back.
That trust, he said, is what helps them grow.
The construction industry’s role in shaping Australia’s future isn’t just about bricks and mortar. It’s about the legal frameworks that make those projects possible, and the lawyers who handle them. Woods’ leadership at the firm reflects that understanding: mentorship isn’t about holding hands, but about knowing when to let go.
