Joel Barolsky is Managing Director of Barolsky Advisors Pty Ltd, Principal of Edge International, Senior Fellow of the University of Melbourne and monthly opinion writer for the Australian Financial Review Legal Affairs section.

For a period of 16 years, Joel was a Principal at Beaton Research & Consulting, Australia’s leading provider of management consultancy services to professional service firms. Prior to Beaton, Joel was on faculty at the Melbourne Business School and the Wits Business School in Johannesburg. His career commenced with IBM Australia.

In 2011, Joel established Barolsky Advisors, a boutique firm focused on providing strategic advice and facilitation services to professional firms. In 2018, the firm created and launched a successful iOS app, Price High or Low.

Joel’s teaching roles at the University of Melbourne include delivery of an intensive subject on the Melbourne Law Masters program called ‘Management for Professionals’. He recently became Co-Director of Studies for Melbourne Law School's new Specialist Certificate in Legal Leadership program. Melbourne Law School is currently ranked #5 in the world.

Joel is internationally recognised as an outstanding advisor, facilitator and educator to professional service firms, practice teams and client relationship partners. He is a noted expert in the fields of strategy, market positioning, client focus, culture, governance, organisation design, partner remuneration, succession and capability development. He is renowned for big-picture thinking and creative problem-solving. His facilitation style is often described as engaging, passionate, sensitive and outcome-focused. Joel has been a speaker at numerous industry conferences and is frequently quoted in the professional service's press.

Joel has advised over 100 of Australia and New Zealand’s leading law, accounting and business advisory firms. Over 70% of his client are repeat clients or come directly from referrals from existing clients.

At Beaton, Joel led the firm’s pro bono program. One of these projects led the firm to be awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize for Business and Community Partnerships.

In addition to his consulting and facilitated learning expertise, Joel is an award-winning case study writer. He has written over 40 management case studies used primarily for in-house learning programs and to capture institutional memory. Some of his case study clients include BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Telstra and Carlton United Breweries. He co-wrote a case with Professor Peter Weil of MIT which was awarded the Australian Computing Society’s best case study prize and was published in the world’s top-selling textbook in management information systems.

Joel is married with two kids. He is a proud Liverpool fan and a long-suffering St Kilda supporter.