In Conversation: Tegan Boorman

Hi! I'm the founder of Social Law Co., a law firm that specialises in social media related legal issues. I'm also the host of The Social Law Co. Podcast, where I discuss similar issues, and I'm an elected Councillor on the Guiding Council of The Australian Influencer Marketing Council (AiMCO). In 2021, I won the Thought Leader of the Year Award and was a top 10 finalist for the Innovator of the Year Award and the Excellence Award in the Lawyers Weekly Women In Law Awards for my work within the social media and influencer marketing space.

SL: Hello, Tegan! Tell us about Social Law Co. What platforms or people do you work with most?

TB: I often provide advice to brands using social media to advertise and sell their goods or services, creatives and influencers, social media managers, web developers, app creators, SEO advisors, lead generation advisors, online course creators, talent managers, event managers, online marketplace providers, business coaches and other professional service providers. My clients operate across a number of different platforms, so I provide advice relevant to their issues.

SL: What do you love most about your job? And what was the journey you had to take to get to where you are now?

TB: I love that my work often involves drafting creative and bespoke commercial agreements. My clients are creative and forward thinking entrepreneurs, and with that comes the need to create unique commercial agreements for their use. The use of social media can result in significant growth of a business in a very short period of time. I love being a part of their journey as they navigate that growth. After graduating with my Law Degree, I then studied for a Masters Degree in Public Relations and worked in a number of law firms and in an in-house role for a big 4 professional services firm. I have now been practising as a Lawyer for 14 years. In each role, I learnt unique skills that I often draw on when undertaking my current work. I studied for the Public Relations Masters Degree as I had a real interest in the communications industry and found it to be a real creative outlet for me. I now get to use skills from both degrees in my work on a daily basis.

SL: What are the most challenging aspects of the workplace, for you?

TB: I work in a fast evolving space with many moving parts. Law reform, changing platform terms and conditions, the introduction of new platforms, multi-jurisdictional issues and fast evolving trends and practices can create numerous challenges on a daily basis.

My work often requires me to consider and advise on privacy, consumer, intellectual property, media, corporate and commercial legal issues. I work mostly with businesses operating heavily in the online / digital space, and who heavily utilise social media in some way. The most common services that I provide are advice and drafting services for the creation of influencer / brand ambassador agreements, advertising agreements, affiliate agreements, content creator agreements, creative service agreements, digital advertising management agreements, entertainment industry managerial agreements, event management agreements, online terms and conditions, privacy policies, professional services agreements, social media competition terms and conditions, sponsorship agreements, structuring and restructuring agreements, website development agreements, as well as trade mark application filing and management services.

SL: What about fashion. How do you see fashion and your industry integrating in the future?

TB: I think the professional services industry in general is a huge opportunity for fashion brands, particularly those offering pieces that can be worn both in a smart casual and in a corporate setting. There's a great opportunity for these brands to align with certain professionals for a mutual benefit.

SL: There's the common conception that we are our career. What's your stance on this?

TB: Speaking from my own personal experience, whilst my career is a significant part of my life, so too is my family, my friends, my interests outside of my career and my belief in the real need to work towards achieving a balance that aligns with your own values. At various stages of my life, things have been out of alignment, and I have had to reassess the situation and make changes. I think the right balance looks different for everyone based on their own personal circumstances and values.

SL: What are some of the things that are most important to you?

TB: Achieving a work / life balance which aligns with my own values is very important to me. It's important to me that I am passionate about the work that I do and that I enjoy it most days. It is also however very important to me to be a very active and present member of my family. I have set my life up as best I can to achieve both of those things to a degree which aligns with my values.

SL: What's on the horizon for you, now the world is reopening?

TB: This year we are travelling a lot more than in recent years. We're taking the girls away for more long weekends and we're continuing to work remotely where possible, which actually suits our business model and our lifestyles perfectly.

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