In the same episode, she discussed the personal and professional considerations that individuals must evaluate when the opportunity to relocate and work overseas arises, drawing from her own experiences.

One of Franklin’s key pieces of advice was for lawyers to approach any relocation discussion with a strong understanding of their professional value – and “ensure that they’re going to be looked after [during the] move”.

She explained that this is important to remember throughout the process, as “often people feel that the opportunity is provided to them and then they can’t ask for more things”, whether that be additional support, relocation benefits, or salary adjustments.

Relocating to a new country entails more than legal responsibilities, with Franklin emphasising the importance of understanding the cultural nuances and broader context of the environment in which you will be working.

“Make sure you try and understand the cultural differences before you go or find out from colleagues the differences so that you can then tailor your advice and your conversations to suit the different cultures,” she said.

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Reflecting on her own journey and challenges, Franklin advised lawyers relocating overseas to take sufficient time off to manage the transition effectively.

“Take the time off to move. I only had a week throughout the whole process. I found it extremely stressful and was exhausted by the time I got over here, which wasn’t great to start a new role, a new role fresh,” she said.

For those relocating with a partner or family, Franklin recommends clearly deciding “who’s going to take the lead and delegate responsibilities” accordingly.

For lawyers making the move on their own, she emphasised the importance of ensuring that “you’ve got the support somewhere, whether that’s through family or friends or through a third party, because it is a huge move”.

When it comes to working in international legal teams, Franklin believes that Australian lawyers hold a unique advantage and bring several strengths.

“[Australian lawyers] are more advanced. I believe from a legal point of view, a lot of the terms are not plain English, whereas in Australia, they’re all plain English terms, or we’re moving to more plain English, simple terms,” she said.

“A lot of our laws and regulations are more progressive because they’re based on European or similar to European laws, which tend to be of a higher standard, which the US eventually or the Canadians eventually adopt.”

For in-house lawyers contemplating an overseas move, Franklin advised proactively communicating your interest to senior leadership and taking initiative, as this can open doors to valuable international career opportunities.

“If you’re interested, it’s about raising your hand and flagging that you are interested to your managers because if an opportunity comes up, they won’t otherwise think about it,” she said.

“Often, it may be cheaper to transfer you than to hire someone locally because you already have the knowledge of the business if you’ve been with them for a significant amount of time.”