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In Brief Issue #1123
6Oct
This week
On Monday morning, I spoke on behalf of the Bar at the Hon. Justice Ian Waller’s welcome in the Banco Court of the Supreme Court of Victoria. His Honour was admitted to practice in April of 1988 and signed the Bar Roll just 12 months later. He read with Julian Burnside AO KC. His Honour took silk in 2007 and served for many years on the Board of Examiners and (more recently) on the Ethics Committee. I am proud to count myself among his Honour’s six Readers. In his reply, his Honour referred to his family’s connection to the law, and to all the momentous occasions they had enjoyed in the Banco Court. He observed that none of those occasions would have occurred if his father’s parents had not left Poland in 1938 to avoid the worst consequences of the twisted and hateful ideology embodied in the Nazi regime. It was a poignant speech that made everyone present pause and reflect.
On Wednesday morning, Amanda Utt and I attended the Court Dog Project Launch in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, where Poppy the therapy dog was sworn into office by the Hon. Chief Justice Alstergren AO. The Victorian Bar Foundation is a proud sponsor of the initiative which took its lead from a similar program initiated by the office of Kerri Judd KC, Director of Public Prosecutions. According to the Chief Justice, Poppy already has a full diary of appointments.
On Wednesday evening, I spoke at an event to celebrate the long and storied career of Julian Burnside AO KC, who has retired after 47 years as a barrister. In February, Julian generously donated his extensive collection of advocacy books to the Richard Griffith Library. It is a valuable resource which is now available to all members. I took the opportunity to outline Julian’s many achievements in the law and the advancement of human rights. I spoke about his impressive support for the arts, and his work as an author and long-time contributor to Victorian Bar News. On behalf of all members, I thanked him for his contribution to our college, and wished him and Kate all the very best for a long and happy retirement.
Proposed constitutional amendment at the upcoming AGM
The Annual General Meetings of the Victorian Bar Inc, and of the Barristers’ Benevolent Foundation of Victoria Ltd, will be held at 5:00pm on Monday, 23 October 2023 in the Neil McPhee Room. Members should have received an invitation by email containing links to the notices for each meeting and a link to register their attendance. Registrations close at 4:30pm on Monday, 23 October 2023.
When you read the invitation, you will see that a constitutional amendment is proposed by special resolution. Unfortunately, some incorrect information about the amendment has been distributed to some members suggesting that the proposal to amend the constitution was not put to Bar Council for a vote, but was rather the result of a unilateral decision by some members of the Bar Council Executive. That is incorrect. Members should note that the Equality and Diversity Committee (the EDC) proposed to Bar Council a constitutional amendment to clause 2 of the Bar’s constitution, to read as follows:
2 PURPOSES
The purposes of the Victorian Bar are:
…
(c) to promote and support the physical and mental well-being of barristers, including by preventing and redressing discrimination on the basis of legally protected attributes and unlawful harassment;
(d) to maintain a strong and independent bar in Victoria by, among other things:
…
(iii) actively promoting and fostering a diverse and inclusive membership that reflects the society it serves.
At a meeting held on 18 May 2023, the Bar Council resolved – on the recommendation of the EDC and without dissent – to support the proposed amendment. The minutes of the relevant Bar Council meeting can be found here (see item 6). The explanatory material for the proposed amendment can be found here (it is also available in the email invitation for the AGM).
Whatever your position on the proposed amendment, I urge you to have your say by attending the AGM, or completing a proxy form by clicking here. If you have given a proxy and would like to withdraw or change it, please contact the Bar Office.
Bar Council election – a few changes this year
Nomination process
The nominations process for the 2023-2024 Victorian Bar Council election begins next Friday, 13 October. Nominations will close at 5:00pm on Thursday, 26 October. This year, we have engaged Vero Voting to conduct the nominations process as well as the voting process (previously, the nominations process was conducted in-house).
All eligible financial members will receive an email from Vero Voting, which will include a link for members to nominate themselves as a candidate. It will require prospective nominees to fill in their details, plus a minimum of five nominators, and their nominators’ email addresses. Nominators will then receive an email advising that they have been selected as a nominator, with instructions to click a link to confirm the nomination.
Candidate statements
This year an extra component has been added to the ‘additional information’ section which will allow candidates to submit a ‘candidate statement’. The information in the statement can be amended until nominations close on Thursday, 26 October.
Voting period
Bar Council has decided that the voting period will be reduced to one week. Voting will commence at 9:00am on Wednesday, 1 November, and close at 5:00pm on Wednesday, 8 November. The results will be declared by the current Bar Council on Thursday, 9 November, and then announced to members on Friday, 10 November.
Some other matters
Congratulations to our members who have been named as finalists in the Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards 2023. Arna Delle-Vergini, Tahlia Ferrari, Temple Saville, Alison Umbers, and Angelika Yianoulatos are all among the contenders for ‘Barrister of the Year’. The ceremony will be held at Crown Melbourne on 23 November. Good luck to our finalists.
This week, we launched the 2023 State of the Bar survey. With five years having passed since we conducted the last survey, we hope that the new data we collect will help us properly tailor services for members. By now you would have been sent an email with a link to the survey. As a thanks for your participation, you will receive a voucher for a free coffee from the Essoign’s Owen Dixon Chambers coffee cart. Those who choose to submit their name will also go into the prize draw for a $500 voucher to be spent at the Essoign. I hope that all members will participate. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Amanda Utt: ed@vicbar.com.au
Finally, Simon Molesworth AO KC has suggested that we form a panel of Victorian barristers to assist him in his role as our representative on the LCA’s Rural, Regional & Remote Law Committee. The primary purpose of the committee is to consider key issues affecting lawyers who practise in RR&R areas, and to recommend strategies to address them. For those of you who do not always practise in the city, please consider putting your hand up to help. The task will not be onerous, and your assistance will be gladly received. More details about what is proposed appears below.
Sam Hay KC
The 2023-2024 Victorian Bar Council election and nominations process will be conducted online.
Please note that the Victorian Bar has engaged Vero Voting to conduct the nominations and the voting processes therefore the nominations process will be different from previous years.
Detailed instructions on the nominations process will be provided to members prior to the nominations period.
The timetable for this year’s election is as follows:
| Opening of nominations period | 9:00am, Friday, 13 October 2023 |
| Close of nominations period | 5:00pm, Thursday, 26 October 2023 |
| Voting opens | 9:00am, Wednesday, 1 November 2023 |
| Voting closes | 5:00pm, Wednesday, 8 November 2023 |
| Declaration of the Poll | 5:00pm, Thursday, 9 November 2023 |
Information regarding the nominations process will be published on the website and emailed to members on Wednesday, 11 October 2023. Conditions of eligibility to nominate and to be nominated are prescribed by clauses 45 and 48 of the Constitution of the Victorian Bar Inc.
The Annual General Meetings of the Victorian Bar Inc and Barristers’ Benevolent Foundation of Victoria Ltd will be held on Monday, 23 October 2023, at 5:00pm in the Neil McPhee Room. Members were sent an invitation containing the agenda for each meeting and a link to register their attendance. Registrations close at 4:30pm on Monday, 23 October 2023.
Magistrates’ Court of Victoria
The Attorney-General of Victoria has announced the appointments of four Magistrates to the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, including one member of the Victorian Bar:
Her Honour Magistrate Allison Vaughan
These appointments are effective as of 3 October 2023.
Details of the welcome ceremony will be advised when they are known.
Federal Court of Australia
A ceremonial sitting of the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia will be held to mark the appointment of the Honourable Justice Christopher Horan as a judge of the Federal Court of Australia in Court 1, Level 8, Federal Court of Australia, Owen Dixon Commonwealth Law Courts Building, 305 William Street, Melbourne, on:
Friday, 20 October 2023 at 9:30am
To attend in-person, please RSVP by email to Ms Dimitra Argyros - dimitra.argyros@fedcourt.gov.au. Closing date for RSVP is Friday, 6 October 2023.
Seating will be arranged in Court 1 or another Court for viewing via video link.
County Court of Victoria
A welcome ceremony to mark the appointment of her Honour Judge Suzanne Kirton as a judge of the County Court of Victoria will be held in Court 3-3, County Court of Victoria, 250 William Street, Melbourne on:
Thursday, 12 October 2023 at 9:15am
All counsel who are able to do so are asked to attend, robed (wigs are not worn in the County Court for welcome ceremonies).
To view the ceremony via live stream, click here.
Members who have yet to pay their subscription fees are reminded that they are now significantly overdue and should be paid as soon as possible. Bar subscriptions are an integral component of a barrister’s ability to practice. If you have not made arrangements to pay your subscription fees, please do so. Should you require assistance on this or other administrative matters, the Victorian Bar office can help you. Members who need assistance should email membership@vicbar.com.au or contact Mark Bryant on (03) 9225 7111.
Expressions of Interest are sought from interested members for appointment to the Department of Justice and Community Safety’s NLAP (National Legal Assistance Partnership) Governance Committee.
The NLAP is an agreement between the Commonwealth and States and Territories that recognises mutual interests and responsibilities in the provision of legal assistance services to help people experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability.
The NLAP Victorian Governance Committee (Committee) supports the coordinated engagement of Victoria’s responses to key priorities relating to the NLAP. The Committee works together on identifying the issues and priorities of the legal assistance sector within Victoria. The Committee reports to the Attorney-General via DJCS executive structure. Committee members consist of representatives from: DJCS, Courts, Civil and Criminal Law (chair), DJCS, Aboriginal Justice, Victoria Legal Aid, Federation of Community Legal Centres, Victoria Law Foundation, Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and Djirra.
Click here for further information.
The Bar’s protocol for nomination and appointment of Vic Bar members to external bodies can be viewed here.
Please forward your expression of interest to sharni.doherty@vicbar.com.au. The closing date is Monday, 16 October 2023.
Expressions of Interest are sought from members who are practising in rural, regional and remote areas and communities to assist the Victorian Bar Representative on the Law Council of Australia’s Rural, Regional and Remote (RRR) Lawyers Committee (the Committee).
The primary purpose of the Committee is to consider the key issues and challenges affecting the RRR lawyers and to identify and recommend strategies and policies to address the issues. The Committee also advises on new and emerging issues relevant to the deliver of legal services in RRR areas and investigates the legal needs of RRR communities. The Committee has been developing strategies and policies including recruitment of lawyers due to general shortages of lawyers in RRR areas, conflict of interest problems due to scarcity of locally available lawyers; and scarce and over-stretched legal assistance services. The Committee’s work also focuses on promoting the important role of the RRR lawyers and the significant contribution they make to servicing the legal needs of RRR communities.
With the recommendation from the Victorian Bar Representative on the Committee, a panel consisting of members who are familiar with the RRR legal practice and the RRR community issues is proposed. Being part of the panel would also be an excellent preparatory pathway for interested barristers to the Victorian Bar representative on the Committee.
Barristers who are experienced in RRR community issues and/or are familiar with the particular challenges of RRR legal practice are asked to submit their EOIs to Sharni Doherty to sharni.doherty@vicbar.com.au. Please note that EOIs must be forwarded by COB, Monday, 16 October 2023. To assist the Bar Council in assessing the EOIs, kindly include your relevant experience.
The New Barristers' Committee Coffee with Silks series is returning for 2023. Held on three consecutive days at the Essoign Club, it’s an opportunity for new barristers to meet and engage with Silks in a relaxed, social setting. It’s informative, and it’s free!
8:00 – 8:45am Tuesday, 24 October: Criminal Law
8:00 – 8:45am Wednesday, 25 October: Public/Administrative Law, Tax Law, Industrial Law & Commercial Law
8:00 – 8:45am Thursday, 26 October: Family Law, Migration Law, Compensation Law & Common Law
RSVP by Monday, 16 October.
The Victorian Bar News Editorial Committee is calling for contributions for the 2023 Summer edition (No. 174).
The VBN is the Bar’s twice-yearly magazine. While content is curated by the editorial committee, it is driven by the Bar’s members and friends, so please let the stories, photographs and Verbatim contributions flow! The content deadline for the upcoming edition is 14 October 2023.
Contributions (and any related questions) should be directed to vbneditors@vicbar.com.au.
Victorian Bar News Editorial Committee
The Law Institute of Victoria and the Victorian Bar New Barristers’ Committee invite all barristers of up to 6 years' call and solicitors of 1-6 years' PQE to this unique and vibrant social event on Friday, 13 October.
Our special guest, the Honourable Justice Maree Kennedy will open the evening, sharing her Honour’s reflections on the importance of building professional relationships early in your career. Enjoy drinks and dinner for a night of brain-teasing riddles, laughter, and friendly competition as you mingle with fellow legal professionals.
Tickets are $50 each and include canapes and main course, click here to register. Registration closes COB Monday, 9 October.
Mediation is an essential part of the justice system with a great many litigated matters being referred to mediation. Barristers and law professionals wishing to become an accredited mediator under the National Mediator Accreditation System can register for the Lawyers Mediation Certificate (LMC) six-day course (on 24-26 November & 1-3 December 2023) here. Early Bird discounts apply, but places are limited.
- BCL’s Annual Report for FY2023 is now available: Click here to read.
- Why Take Chambers with BCL? As a wholly owned subsidiary of the Victorian Bar, BCL provides a flexible and unique solution of chamber and technology support only available to members of the Bar. Click here to view our current vacancies.
- How to get in touch with the BCL Service Desk: Your single point of contact for all BCL services. Click here for information on what we can help with during and after hours.
The following are highlights of upcoming CPD and events for Victorian Bar members. You must be a member of the Victorian Bar and logged into the VicBar website to view these events.
- A labyrinth of legal risks for hopeful would-be parents: Navigating Australia's complex Assisted Reproductive Technology regimes is on 19 October 2023 from 5:15pm-6:15pm. This session will provide an overview of the current body of law and regulation, survey landmark cases including a High Court decision on who is a parent (Masson v Parsons (2019) 266 CLR 554) and feature a surrogacy case study highlighting risks barristers need to be aware of to adequately advise same sex clients. This is an online only event. Click here to RSVP.
- Assessing and Arguing Unfitness to be Tried post R v Dellamarta [2020] VSC 745 is on 24 October 2023 from 5:15pm-6:30pm. Join for a discussion on the significance of the court’s observations in Dellamarta and learn how clinicians assess an individual’s capacity to understand and participate in the trial process. This is an in-person event and will also be available online via livestream. Click here to RSVP.
For more upcoming CPD events, please visit our listings here.
Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street is offering Bar members an exclusive discount on meals purchased at their restaurant, Luci.
This exclusive discount of 15% is available by clicking the link here.
Use the code VICBAR23 to get a 15% off when dining in.
T&C's apply. Discounts are not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Percentage off is valid for a maximum discount of $150 per bill. Blackout dates apply.
Offer is valid until 31 December 2023.
Law Library Victoria and BottledSnail Productions presents Shakespeare in the Supreme, a series of rehearsed play readings.
Performed in the Supreme Court Library, previous readings this year include Twelfth Night and Winter's Tale. The final reading for 2023 will be a number of scenes, "An Evening with Shakespeare's Villains and Lovers in Comedy" - after performing some of these scenes online in Melbourne's lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. This includes scenes from some of Shakespeare's famous works, including Richard the Third, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It and Macbeth.
These rehearsed readings on October 11 and 12 are directed by the Artistic Director of BottledSnail Productions, Nicky Neville-Jones.
Click here to register.
Studio 11 is delighted to invite you to take a break and visit its current solo exhibition by Dinah Ninio at Level 11 ODC East.
Celebration, in all its joyous forms, is the overriding focus of this exhibition. As a reaction and response to the ‘doom and gloom’ that exists in our world, Nino offers an alternative perspective, an ode to the glimmers of joy in everyday life. In celebration, a connection of family and community becomes a powerful act of resilience.
Throughout the works in this exhibition, Ninio employs specific metaphors of celebration to instil hope. The central metaphor of the wedding cake marks life’s subsequent anniversaries, symbolising the various milestones achieved in a relationship; each a different anniversary colour, a trophy to marriage and the triumphs and tribulations it brings.
Floral motifs and wedding bouquets emphasise the fleeting yet beautiful aspects of our existence. Such themes and moments invite us to revel in the present and appreciate the passage of time. The bride and groom sunset figures encapsulate excitement, as well as unknown futures, where the promise of adventure and the uncertainty of the journey lay ahead. The sunset, with its vibrant hues, hints to the transition from day to night, and evokes a sense of unease about what lies beyond the horizon. The ‘icing on the cake’ ceramic series reinforces the notion of celebrating our everyday, elevating quotidian objects and vessels and giving them a heightened sense of occasion.
This group of paintings and ceramics celebrates life’s simple pleasures and major life-cycle events, cherishing the joys they bring. The exhibition runs from 2 October – 15 December. All works for sale with works sheets ‘on the floor’.
Victorian Bar members are encouraged to use the Member Benefits online portal, where you can access a wide variety of discounts, special offers, and member-only deals as part of your Bar membership.
The exclusive benefits are available Australia-wide and are not generally open to the public.
To activate your account and access the benefits, please click here. You must log in using your vicbar.com.au login details.
Click here to access the monthly Best Buys!
On 23 October 2023, the CMS Portal will be introduced into the Child Protection jurisdiction of the Children’s Court of Victoria.
You are strongly encouraged to register for a CMS Portal account now, to ensure you have access to the system from day 1. Instructions for how to register are available on the Enrolling in CMS Portal page of the CMS Help Centre.
When your account is available, you will be able to submit documents, and view and track case information, all in one digital place.
Have you taken part in an online or hybrid hearing at any time during 2023? If so, the Centre for Innovative Justice (CIJ) invites you complete a short, anonymous survey about your experiences with and observations of online and hybrid hearings in Victoria.
Your responses will contribute to the CIJ’s Online Courts Research Project, commissioned by Court Services Victoria, and will help the courts to improve understanding of how online and hybrid hearings compare to face-to-face hearings, including whether – and how – online or hybrid hearings could be improved.
The survey will take 10-15 minutes to complete. Participation in the survey is voluntary. If you do complete the survey, your answers will be anonymous and confidential.
To complete the survey, please click here.
The survey will be open until Monday, 23 October 2023.
Have you heard about the Richard Griffith Library but have never visited it? Held in person at the Richard Griffith Library, this short 15-minute tour with a Law Library Victoria Reference Librarian, will demonstrate how to access the library, point out collections and provide an overview of online subscriptions.
Location: Richard Griffith Library, Level 1, Owen Dixon East
Thursday, 26 October 2023, 1:15pm to 1:30pm Tour of the Richard Griffith Library
Thursday, 23 November 2023, 1:15pm to 1:30pm Tour of the Richard Griffith Library
The skills of a barrister are best learned in an environment that is as close to the real experience as possible. This involves providing realistic briefs to counsel in sufficient time for counsel to properly prepare the matter for hearing and then giving them the opportunity to perform in real court settings.
The Advanced Trial Advocacy Intensive involves discussion and comment on each aspect of trial performance.
Places are limited to 42 barristers for this intensive. Seniority of at least five years at the private bar is a pre-requisite.
Find out more about the course here.
Location: Sydney
Dates: 22 - 26 January 2024
Cost: Criminal Brief $5,000.00
Civil Brief $5,400.00
Registrations close 30 November 2023
Register here.
Melbourne Law School is pleased to present the following events:
2023 Sir George Turner Public Lecture:
The Rule of Law in a Messy World: Limits, Limitations, and Challenges
Presenter: Professor Emeritus Gerald J. Postema
In his book, Law’s Rule, Professor Postema argues the rule of law aims to temper power and protect against power’s potential for arbitrary exercise. This profoundly important ideal serves an even more fundamental set of interrelated ideals – community, equality, and freedom from domination. The rule of law can only flourish when a community-wide ethos of fidelity supports it. Yet, law must resist capture by its enemies and rule in a world of entangled legal orders and competing moral values. While outlining and defending his conception of the rule of law, Professor Postema will explore challenges posed by law’s task of ruling in a ‘messy’ world.
We hope you can join us for this opportunity to hear Professor Emeritus Gerald J. Postema speak. Light refreshments will be served from 5:30pm with the lecture starting at 6:00pm.
Date & time: Wednesday, 4 October 2023, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Location: Melbourne Law School, G08 Theatre, 185 Pelham St, Carlton
Further information and registration
2023 Seabrook Chambers Public Lecture:
The changing form of the Executive branch of Government and declining accountability
Presenter: The Hon. Robert Redlich AM KC
In this lecture, The Hon. Robert Redlich will examine the centralisation of power, the exponential growth in the sphere of influence of ministerial advisors, the continuing decline in ministerial responsibility and the marginalised role of the public service. His presentation will explore how that changed environment has been accompanied by a lack of accountability in failing to follow conventions, codes of conduct and due process – aspects of due governance designed to maximise the prospect that the exercise of power serves the public interest. He also argues executive government’s willingness to address deterioration in these standards usually depends upon public exposure of these failings; the ability to inform the public is an essential function of an effective integrity commission.
We hope you can join us for this opportunity to hear The Hon. Robert Redlich AM KC speak. The lecture will start at 6:00pm and is hosted by the Melbourne Law School.
Date & time: Monday, 23 October 2023, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Melbourne Law School, G08 Theatre, 185 Pelham St, Carlton
Further information and registration
2023 Sir Anthony Mason Lecture:
The New Constitutional Scholarship in Australia
Presenter: Justice Gageler AC
We hope you can join us for this opportunity to hear Justice Gageler AC speak. Light refreshments will be served from 5:30pm with the lecture starting at 6:00pm.
Date & time: Tuesday, 31 October 2023, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Location: Melbourne Law School, G08 Theatre, 185 Pelham St, Carlton
Further information and registration
2023 Baxt Public Lecture
Competition Law in the Age of Algorithms and Artificial Intelligence
Presenter: Professor Thomas Cheng, University of Hong Kong
In this lecture, Professor Thomas Cheng will explore how algorithms and artificial intelligence may change the way that dominant companies misuse their market power, both as buyers and sellers. In particular, he will examine how dominant companies may use algorithms and artificial intelligence to effectively engage in predatory conduct, exclude competitors, and exploit their market power, and consider how this could challenge and change our understanding and analysis of misuse of market power under competition law. We hope you can join us for this opportunity to hear Professor Thomas Cheng speak. Light refreshments will be served from 5:30pm with the lecture starting at 6:00pm.
Date & time: Thursday, 2 November 2023, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Location: Melbourne Law School, G08 Theatre, 185 Pelham St, Carlton
Further information and registration
2023 Allen Hope Southey Memorial Lecture
Deception by Design
Presenter: Professor Lauren E. Willis, LMU Loyola Law School (Los Angeles)
Businesses are increasingly able to disseminate rapidly proliferating permutations of digital marketing materials, sales interfaces and scripts, and products themselves, each of which can be aimed at particular consumers in real-time and space. When the algorithms that design these are optimised only for profit and deception is profitable, consumers will be deceived. Yet as dark patterns and other forms of digital deception are becoming inevitable, they also are racing toward immunity from liability. Common legal methods for assessing whether conduct is misleading or deceptive are either inapplicable or impracticable when applied to vast numbers of machine-produced micro-targeted designs. In this lecture, Professor Lauren E. Willis will review these developments and propose a regulatory model devised to incentivise businesses to engage in fair marketing by design. We hope you can join us for this opportunity to hear Prof. Lauren E. Willis speak. The theatre doors will be open from 5:45pm and the lecture will begin at 6:00pm. The entrance doors to the David P. Derham Theatre are located on level 1 and on the Mezzanine floor.
Date & time: Thursday, 16 November 2023, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Melbourne Law School, GM15 David P. Derham Theatre, 185 Pelham St, Carlton
Further information and registration
2023 James Merralls Fellowship Law Lecture
The Resurgence of Indigenous Law
Presenter: Professor John Borrows, University of Toronto Law School
In this lecture, Professor Borrows will discuss how Indigenous peoples’ legal principles can generate rich resources for decision-making in contemporary circumstances. They can be reinvigorated, revised or newly created to enhance governance and policy within Indigenous communities and beyond. This can develop community capacity, foster local, state and national leadership, develop business opportunities, and influence policy.Revitalizing and newly developing Indigenous law can help develop well-being and economic success. Corporations and other commercial actors can also benefit from understanding, applying and incorporating Indigenous law in their agreements and activities with Indigenous peoples. When we see law as something people do, which invites participation, deliberation, persuasion, disagreement, discussion and agreement, this opens space for the revitalization of law and economic opportunities in broader ways. We hope you can join us for this opportunity to hear Prof. John Borrows speaks. The lecture will commence at 6:00pm sharp and is proudly co-hosted alongside The Victorian Bar.
Date & time: Wednesday, 22 November 2023, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Melbourne Law School, G08 Theatre, 185 Pelham St, Carlton
Tuesday, 10 October 2023 - Coming to the Bar
The event will feature a line up of engaging speakers who will provide their insights into the Bar Reader’s course, finding mentors, making the transition to the Bar, obtaining briefs and tips on how to thrive in your chosen area of expertise.
Everyone is welcome, this event is particularly suited to solicitors considering a move to the Bar or law students interested in work as a barrister.
This event is Free for VWL members and $10 for non-members
Click here to register.
Thursday, 19 October 2023 - Building your community
Featuring an incredible panel of speakers, this event is an opportunity to hear from leaders in the legal profession about how they built their networks and found their place and people in their working lives.
We particularly encourage men to join us for this event and invite you to bring along colleagues, friends or clients who are looking to build diverse and robust networks with genuine connection.
This event is free for VWL members and $10 for non-members - a Livestream option is available for those unable to attend in person.
Click here to register.
Join us for this year’s Russell Taylor Oration to be presented by The Honourable Justice Louise Taylor, a Kamilaroi woman and a lawyer.
The Russell Taylor Oration is an annual event that celebrates the achievements and contributions of prominent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the public service and aims to inspire the next generation of First Nations talent in the public sector.
In remembrance of the late Russell Taylor AM, the Russell Taylor Oration continues to honour the achievements and contributions of esteemed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders in the public service. Originally established to commemorate the exceptional service of former AIATSIS CEO Russell Taylor AM, this oration seeks to ignite inspiration among the upcoming generation of leaders.
Register now
2023 Susan Campbell Oration
The Impact of Clinical Legal Education on Professional Identity Formation
Join us on Thursday, 19 October to hear from Professor Lisa Bliss as she shares her experience as the director and co-founder of the Health Law Partnership Clinic, where she teaches both law and medical students to integrate their clinic learning experiences into their vision for who they want to become as professionals.
This event will be held in person at Monash University Law Chambers, 555 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne from 5:30-7:30pm - 19 October. Register here
Monash Law Gala Dinner 2023
Law Reform: Designing laws that work
You are warmly invited to the Monash Law Gala Dinner 2023 on Thursday, 26 October with keynote speaker the Honourable Justice Mordecai Bromberg. A Monash Law alumnus whose passion for legal research and Law Reform has been reflected in his impressive career. In July this year, Justice Bromberg was appointed President of the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) for a five-year term.
This event will be held in person at the RACV City Club, Lvl 17, 501 Bourke Street Melbourne from 6:00-10:00pm - 26 Oct. Purchase your ticket here
There's only 6 weeks to go until the Asia Pacific Coroners Society Conference
Don't miss out - Register now.
If you haven't already done so, register now for the the Asia Pacific Coroners Society Conference being held at the Taronga Wildlife Retreat Sydney from Monday, 13 to Wednesday, 15 November 2023.
With 30 eminent speakers in an idyllic venue, don't miss the opportunity be part of this memorable event.
Presenters include:
Chief Constable Paul Anderson
Mr Jared Brown
Ms Felicity Cox
A/Professor Hugh Dillon
Dr Lorraine du Toit-Prinsloo
Dr Peggy Dwyer
Dr Kerri Eagle
Ms Kirsten Edwards
Ms Vanessa Edwige
New Zealand Coroner Tracey Fitzgibbon
Dr Ian Freckelton AO KC
Mr Andrew Gissing
Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame
Ms Sage Green
Detective A/Superint Kirsty Hales APM
Professor Ollie Jay
Commissioner Anina Johnson
Professor Fay Johnston
Professor Kelvin Kong
Ms Nicolle Lowe
Mr Thomas Mayo
Mr Tony McAvoy SC
Professor Raina Mcintyre
Mr Kerry O'Brien
NSW State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan
Ms Jen Ross-King
Aunty Glendra Stubbs
New Zealand Coroner Tania Tetitaha
Dr Santiago Vazquez
Ms Donna Ward SC
Click here to download the program.
Click here to register.
CBI Constructors Pty Ltd v Chevron Australia Pty Ltd: A Cautionary Tale
Wednesday, 22 November 2023 | 5:00pm – 6:00pm AEDT | Online
With Nick Hopkins KC, Jeff Gleeson KC, Tim Owen, and John Rowland KC
A must attend event from Resolution Institute, this presentation and panel discussion will feature an exploration and discussion of the procedural and substantive issues of the case by a panel of experienced arbitration practitioners which includes senior and junior counsel who assumed conduct of the proceeding before the WA Supreme Court.
The panel discussion will be focused on the practical learnings resulting from the decisions which provide a cautionary tale for both parties and tribunals.
This panel discussion is for all arbitration practitioners.
Register here.
Resolution Institute Mediation training | Melbourne | 27 November–1 December 2023
Registrations now open for Resolution Institute’s flagship mediation training with a 20% discount on membership
Register here.
Do you need to enhance your mediation skills, follow a new career path, or develop your negotiation and conflict resolution skills?
Then why not join our experienced trainer Anne Sutherland in Melbourne (27 Nov – 1 Dec) for our mediation training and take your career to new heights?
Our highly sought-after mediation training meets the requirements for the National Mediation Accreditation System in Australia and includes personalised coaching and feedback from highly skilled mediators. Upon completion of the course, you will receive 20% off your membership for your first year which will gain you exclusive access to a range of our membership benefits.
For more info & to register, please visit the link above. You can also write to us at learning@resolution.institute or call +61 2 92513366
If you would like to contribute relevant news, events, and updates for barristers and the legal profession to In Brief, please send an email with your content to inbrief@vicbar.com.au or complete this submission form.
Deadline for the next issue:5pm, 12th October 2023