Doing Business “Our Way”
Pro bono (free) legal support for First Nations women entrepreneurs
Bringing First Nations values to the centre of employment law, human resources, governance, and strengthening social impact to drive business and community outcomes.
Violet Co Legal & Consulting, in partnership with Indigenous Business Australia (IBA), are delivering an initiative to boost legal and strategic support to women owned and led First Nations businesses.
The initiative will run from September 2023 - November 2023.
Free for First Nations women and sistergirl entrepreneurs, and their businesses, to participate
Two streams for participants – content tailored to start up stage and existing businesses
Group workshops online (run September 2023 - February 2024) in small groups
Individual legal advice and representation for 20 selected business
One on one strategy sessions
Optional camp with Aunty Leanne King Wollombi Cultural Experiences at Wollombi on 10 -12 November 2023
Download key documents here!
STEP 1: Registration form - for the program and choose your session dates.
STEP 2: New client form - for those who are wanting pro bono legal support - this allows us to set you up as a new client and open a legal file for you.
STEP 3: Register for workshop sessions November 2023 - February 2024
2024 dates
Summer weekend workshop: Legal topics & support for First Nations Women in Business
All modules from Doing Business Our Way will be covered.
Program in development and will be launched at the commencement of January.
Location: Violet Co, 233 Liverpool Street, Gadigal Land (Darlinghurst) NSW 2010 and online.
Saturday 20th & Sunday 21st January
Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th February
Topic 1: Why are we in business? What are our strengths and challenges? Networking
Module 1: “Our Business Stories”
12pm Wednesday 10th January (NEW)
4pm Wednesday 10th January (NEW)
Topic 2: Employment Law
Module 2A & 2B: Employment law essentials for business owners
12pm Thursday 11th January (NEW)
4pm Thursday 11th January (NEW)
1pm Wednesday 31 January
Module 3: Workshop “Doing employment law and human resources in your business your way - First Nations way”
1pm Monday 15th January (NEW)
5pm Monday 15th January (NEW)
1pm Monday 5th February
Topic 3: Governance, Certification, Strategy and Risk
Module 4: Business structuring, certification and social enterprise requirements
2.30pm Friday 12th January (NEW)
1pm Saturday 20th January
Module 5A & 5B: Governance, legislative requirements for business and compliance, purpose, risk and strategy
1pm Friday 19th January
3pm Friday 19th January
1pm Thursday 1st February
1pm Wednesday 7th February (NEW)
5pm Wednesday 7th February (NEW)
Topic 4: Social Impact and the realities of doing business as a First Nations woman
Module 6: Social impact
1pm Tuesday 23rd January
6pm Tuesday 23rd January
Module 7: Working with trauma to create change and a benefit for our communities and families
1-4pm Sunday 4th February
Module 8: Camp (optional at own cost)
TBC late March / early April 2024
Topic 5: Individual sessions and legal advice and representation
Ongoing - 12 February 2024
Who is this for?
Too often First Nations women and sistergirls in business are supported by lawyers who don’t “get it”.
This initiative is for any First Nations women entrepreneur at any and all stages of business. We will break group yarns and workshops into sessions for like-stage businesses (start up/small and existing/medium).
How will it run? What will happen?
We acknowledge that all of us have experiences to share and that First Nations women are our biggest source of support and intel. While Karen Iles is a lawyer, she is not the expert. We will blend the “legal” with the on the ground reality of being a First Nation woman in business to make sure that there aren’t cookie cutter legal solutions in your business. This is about doing law in business “our way”.
Sessions will be a combination of:
One on one conversations with Karen about legal and social impact issues
One on one legal advice, representation and support on a business issue for 20 selected businesses delivered remotely
Group learning yarns on zoom videoconference
Interactive workshops where we will do the doing on zoom videoconference
All individual and group sessions will be run on weekdays, weeknights and weekends so that no matter what your commitments, and timezone, you will have an option to participate. We will use zoom videoconferecing and telephone.
Who is running this?
Violet Co Legal and Consulting in partnership with Indigenous Business Australia.
Karen Iles is a Dharug Aboriginal woman with ancestoral ties to Gunanday (the MacDonald River) and Dyrubbin (the Hawkesbury River) in NSW.
Karen Iles will be leading all of the sessions and work with you to strengthen your business! Karen has a specific focus on employment law, workplace policies, governance, strategy/risk, social impact and trauma.
Email Karen for a chat.
Violet Co Legal & Consulting is a certified Indigenous business with Supply Nation and a certified social enterprise with Social Traders. The majority of our profit goes back to women and First Nations people in pro bono legal services and advocacy campaigns.
Coolamon (Jalaloo) and No.7 Boomerang (Wirlgi) Barbara Cox
Barbara has given permission for her artwork to be used for this program to support First Nations women entrepreneurs. It gives strength.
Barbara grew up and has spent most of her life in and around Louisa Downs Station. Barbara is the mother of six, grandmother of nineteen, and great grandmother of two. Barbara is an important Gooniyandi Elder of Yiyili and lives at Ganinya, one of the remote Outstations of Yiyili Community. Ganinya has always had a strong association with art and craft in her community. Barbara is also a long-standing Board Member of Yiyili Aboriginal Community School.
Barbara is one of Laarri Gallery’s most talented artists. Through her colourful and expressive work, she explores the flowers and bush tucker of her surroundings and maps her country through the seasons. Barbara is an inspiration to emerging artists at Laarri Gallery and since its inception in 1999, she has been a dedicated senior artist, involved in all aspects of the Gallery and Art development. Barbara has participated in three major art exhibitions. Her paintings and artefacts have sold widely to interstate buyers. Barbara travelled to Melbourne in 2009 to represent Laarri Art Centre and the Gooniyandi Artists.
