James d'Apice

⚒️ What do you do?

I'm in “partnership disputes” & advise business owners when they find they can’t get along. 

I use an online video project called “Coffee and a Case Note” to market my practice, where I summarise a piece of complex commercial litigation in an approachable manner. It's meant to break down barriers & increase everyone’s knowledge. 

🏆 What is your proudest professional achievement?

I think it is not a single moment, or single peak. I am more proud of the way I live my life, including my profession life, “day in, day out” consistently with my values.

E.g.: when I joined the law (and even now) it was not customary for a lawyer of any gender to identify as an intersectional feminist and to talk about dismantling the patriarchy, or Australia’s shameful treatment of First Nations people. I am proud when I find the courage to shed some light on these issues. 😊

⌛ There are now 25 hours in a day! How do you spend your extra hour?

Reading all of the books 📚.

I stopped reading when I became a lawyer! (Or sleeping, of course… 💤)

🚀 If you weren't a lawyer, what would you do?

I would do something equally fun!
Either working with food & drink – like a beer brewer, or a butcher.

Or engaging with culture – like making music, being a historian or academic, or being a journalist.

Oh, and I can’t forget that other great job: lottery winner! 🤩

😋 Your favourite food haunt (bonus points if it's off the beaten track!)

I like to think I have a pretty broad, eclectic palate, but my favourite food is probably peanut butter toast eaten on my back balcony with a strong cup of coffee. Bliss!

For food haunts, I toss up between two.

In Sydney there is a restaurant called Fix that is essentially a refined bistro. It has the best wine and my favourite restaurant food on earth. 🤤

And there is a spot in a food court in Sydney’s Sussex Street called Happy Chef – part of a chain – which serves what I would choose for my last meal: a beef, tripe, tendon and wonton soup.
Bliss again! 😍

Noted: This interview has been edited for clarity & length.