A coffee with Liz Loane, Jayva’s Senior Implementation Consultant

In this edition of our ‘coffee with’ series, we shine the spotlight on Liz Loane, who joined Jayva in 2024 as Senior Implementation Consultant in our growing APAC division. With over two decades of experience in legal software and practice, Liz plays a vital role in helping law firms implement and optimise their use of LEAP Legal Software – from data transfer to training to ongoing support.

Liz brings a unique perspective shaped by her background in conveyancing, legal experience and even time spent teaching. Her approach is all about empowering clients and colleagues alike, and she’s passionate about using technology to streamline processes.

Outside of work, Liz finds joy in the natural world – whether she’s bushwalking, bird-watching or gardening. Here, she shares her career highlights, professional values and what fuels her day (spoiler: it’s not coffee).

What’s your business/professional motto?

The motto ‘Together we’re stronger’ resonates deeply with me. I see real value and enjoy working with people and in teams where diverse perspectives, skillsets, and strengths and weaknesses come together in pursuit of common objectives.

Which individual has inspired you the most in your business life and in what way?

An earlier colleague, who’s now a partner in a UK law firm, inspired me with his unwavering ability to stick to a strict routine, and be very disciplined but informal at the same time. He was always interested in how people can help each other. He actively supported others and received support in return – a mutual give-and-take philosophy. This is the basis for any strong business relationships. His style resonated and I aspire to it.

What’s your proudest achievement in business?

I see myself as a person in a service industry offering quality support to clients, and I’m fortunate to have worked for great workplaces who follow this same ‘quality’ aim, including Jayva.

Having a career across a wide range of roles within various law firms in the UK and in Australia, comprising gaining my conveyancing licence in New South Wales, working as a conveyancer for one of the Magic Circle law firms, and as a Project Officer for the Office of the Registrar of Aboriginal Land Rights Act, I’m proud of being able to see things through different perspectives.

What do you think makes Jayva different?

In terms of similarities to my previous employers, Jayva is all about collaboration, learning and sharing, making a valuable contribution and empowering clients to work smarter thanks to technology. I’ve deliberately sought out employers with these principles.

What’s different about Jayva is its global structure, with team members situated all around the world, from Australia and New Zealand to America, England and Ireland. Jayva employs intelligent, proactive people who are dedicated and passionate about ensuring clients can get the most out of their legal technology – LEAP primarily.

Although being in disparate countries, which can sometimes make global operations slightly challenging at Jayva, we’re unified by our joint goal of getting law firms to use LEAP and integrated tools to the best of their ability. We enjoy working globally and are strengthened through working cooperatively with our team members abroad in every project.

What’s Jayva’s greatest asset?

At Jayva, we’re united towards the same objectives – of helping clients succeed through technology – and we share strong values such as collaboration, innovation, outcomes focused, honesty and transparency. As such, I think it’s having a purpose-driven team which is Jayva’s greatest asset.

How does Jayva benefit from the unique skillset you bring to the business?

Having worked as a conveyancer, I’ve sat on the client’s side, so I’m uniquely able to see things from their perspective which is hugely beneficial to Jayva and its clients alike.

I also originally qualified as a school teacher which has equipped me with useful training skills for my job at Jayva. Hopefully, I instil a passion for learning in our training delegates which is a sentiment I hold dear as I consider myself a lifelong learner too.

If you hadn’t gone down your chosen career path, what would you be doing instead?

The year after high school, I deferred an environmental science degree. I’m fascinated by natural history. In an alternative world, I’d probably go back, gain my degree and become a field naturalist studying any of our amazing Australian animals as well as ocean sunfish.

What item(s) do you always have with you?

Mostly working from home at the moment, my dog, Doris, is with me lots. She’s a Shih Tzu-Toy Poodle cross, extremely cute and mostly well behaved. I like to think I travel lightly, I aspire to minimalism but I’m more of a maximalist. While I always have something with me, it’s not the same thing every time.

At what time of day are you most creative or inspired?

I’m definitely a morning person as I prefer to wake up early,. even on holiday. I feel most creative in the quietness and lightness of mornings as opposed to the hustle and darkness of evenings.

When do you take your coffee break – morning, afternoon, evening? And where do you take it?

I drink tea, not coffee, and I try and take a break at 11am when I step outside, move away from my workstation and enjoy a cuppa relaxing in my garden, spotting a bird or two and throwing a ball for Doris for a few precious moments.

Espresso, americano, latte, cappuccino, macchiato, flat white, frappe – what’s your coffee of choice?

I drink English black tea made strong and milky.

Who would you most like to have a coffee with?

With my obsession for natural history, it would have to be Sir David Attenborough I’d most like to share a coffee with. I’d love to chat with him and hear about his most memorable field trips. He also reminds me of my grandad and other family members of his generation, being gracious, modest, humble, kind, curious and fun, so it would be an absolute honour to meet him.

How do you relax outside of work?

I appreciate getting out of the city and into the bush, being somewhere where I can’t see anything man-made. During the week, I go dog walking twice a day, especially in winter when it’s nicer in the middle of the day than it is at the end of the day. Gardening is another relatively new pastime. I spend many happy hours tending to my garden.

What’s the most inspirational book you’ve ever read?

Recently, I read Platypus Matters by Jack Ashby which I found stirring and uplifting. It’s a mix of Jack’s first-hand accounts in the field, together with references to various scientific papers about Australia's unique mammals and how our perceptions impact their future. It’s easy to read as it’s written in plain English and is funny as it’s packed with humorous anecdotes. Aside from its important message about conservation, there are interesting references to quirky research which I’m mesmerised by.

What’s your favourite film?

My favourite film is Garden State directed by Zach Braff. It’s an old movie, from 2004, and tells a heartwarming story about learning to feel and sit with emotions after a period of disassociation. It’s a sweet movie which presents a complex story in an identifiable light-hearted way. The soundtrack is great too.

Another coffee, anyone?

Why not share another coffee with our staff in our blogs about Lorna Rose, Olivia Johnson, Jude Smith, Leanne Pearson, Jacqui Bettio, Piet Bourke, Will Penrice, Joe Sclafani, Chris Nelson, Viona Retkowska, Rosa Pelaez-Vinuela and Susan Rodgers?