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In Brief Issue #1161
9Aug
Appointment of Senior Counsel
The Chief Justice yesterday announced the appointment of 25 new Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria. I congratulate our new silks, a complete list of whom can be seen here. The Supreme Court will hold a ceremonial sitting to welcome them on Thursday, 29 August 2024 at 9:15am.
On behalf of the Bar I thank the Chief Justice for her considered evaluation of this year’s Senior Counsel candidates. We are truly grateful for the Court’s ongoing commitment to this important process.
Train the Trainer
On Monday, I addressed and met with the Pacific Rim delegates taking part in the International Advocacy Training Committee’s International Train the Trainer Program that has concluded today. In the past, members of our Bar have travelled to the Pacific to deliver advocacy training to lawyers there, but for the first time, delegates, many of them very senior lawyers, have come to the Victorian Bar to participate in intensive advocacy training designed to equip them to deliver such training themselves. They have also had the opportunity to attend Court and to receive mentoring from volunteer Barristers.
On Wednesday night, a dinner was held to celebrate the Program, the delegates, and everyone who contributed to its success. Vice President Liz Bennett SC, reports that the evening was a great success and a wonderful opportunity for conversation with our new colleagues. Fiona McLeod AO SC gave an excellent speech on the rule of law. I hope that the delegates will return to their home countries inspired by all they have learnt here at the Victorian Bar.
I would like to acknowledge the significant contribution of the International Advocacy Training Committee, led by Peter O’Farrell SC, and supported in particular by Maya Rozner, Carrie Rome-Sievers, Janine Gleeson and Tom Ellicott. I also thank the many volunteers from the Victorian Bar who have generously given their time to mentor and teach our delegates and Michelle James and Vicky Kourtis from the Bar Office for their support.
Ceremonial Sitting
On Thursday, Vice President Colin Mandy SC attended the Ceremonial sitting to welcome his Honour Judge Philip Corbett as a Judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Div 2). Judge Corbett's distinguished career at the Bar spans over 30 years, during which he has mentored nine Readers and played a significant role on both the Health and Wellbeing Committee and the International Advocacy and Training Committee. On behalf of the Bar, I wish him a long and distinguished career on the bench.
Paul Darling OBE KC
Those who attended the Commercial Bar Association London conference will be saddened to hear of the sudden death last week of Paul Darling OBE KC, Treasurer of the Middle Temple. Paul graciously hosted the gala dinner held in the Middle Temple Hall and gave a very amusing speech. He highlighted the close relationship between the Australian and English Bars and proudly pointed out that the head table was set with a solid silver kangaroo, a gift to the Middle Temple by former High Court Justice, Sir Victor Windeyer. I have written to the members of the Middle Temple to express our condolences.
Cybersecurity
Last Thursday, BCL sent an email to all members warning about scam emails that might solicit the purchase of gift cards or iTunes cards. Since these emails can come from legitimate addresses and may slip through email filters, they can seem authentic. I urge all members to verify the legitimacy of any suspicious emails and to contact BCL if you have any doubts.
This weekend I am in Darwin, where this evening I will attend a dinner hosted by the Northern Territory Bar Association to celebrate 50 years of an independent Bar in the Northern Territory. The dress code is “Territory Rig”, and I hope I have interpreted it correctly. Tomorrow I will be attending the Australian Bar Association quarterly meeting.
Finally, I would like to wish James Kioussis of the Bar Office the best of luck as he competes in the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow next week.
Georgina Schoff KC
The appointment of 25 new silks to the Victorian Bar by the Supreme Court of Victoria is welcomed by Victorian Bar President, Georgina Schoff KC.
The Victorian Bar today welcomed the appointment of 25 new Senior Counsel by the Honourable Chief Justice Anne Ferguson.
Gary Hevey
Peter Matthews
Georgina Connelly
Justin Lewis
Dugald McWilliams
Robert O’Neill
Karen Argiropoulos
Kate Beattie
Stephen Rebikoff
Samuel Hopper
Premala Thiagarajan
Andrew Woods
Michael Stanton
Neill Hutton
Christopher Nehmy
Catherine Pierce
Justin Tomlinson
Maree Norton
Andrew de Wijn
Meredith Schilling
Andrew Meagher
Benjamin Jellis
Catherine Burke
David Yarrow
Matthew Hooper
Georgina Schoff KC, President of the Victorian Bar, remarked, “I extend my sincere congratulations to the 25 distinguished members of the Victorian Bar who have been appointed Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria. This prestigious appointment recognises their exceptional skill as advocates and their esteemed position within the legal community. We take great pride in their achievements and wish them continued success in this new phase of their careers.
I also wish to express our sincere appreciation to the Honourable Chief Justice Anne Ferguson for her considered evaluation of this year’s Senior Counsel candidates. Her dedication to this demanding process, which involves extensive consultation and careful deliberation, is deeply valued. We are truly grateful for her ongoing commitment to this important task.”
The 2024 Silks were chosen from 90 applicants (64 men and 26 women). The Court will welcome the new Silks in a ceremonial sitting on Thursday, 29 August 2024 at 9:15am.
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2)
The Attorney-General of Australia has announced the appointments of nine Judges to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) including one member of the Victorian Bar:
His Honour Judge Philip Corbett
All appointees commenced their role on 5 August 2024.
The Indigenous Justice Committee (IJC) has received calls from First Nations lawyers and students expressing hurt and disappointment regarding recent posts on social media platforms about the Bar Council’s Acknowledgement to Country at its meetings.
Commencing meetings with an Acknowledgement to Country is entirely consistent with the Bar’s obligations under its RAP. The Acknowledgement shows respect for Traditional Owners and the continuing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Country.
The IJC reminds members of the Bar that public statements individual barristers make in their personal capacity, whether in social or traditional media, can have significant impacts and undo countless years of work carried out by others at the Bar.
Members of the IJC, along with many other barristers, volunteer hundreds of hours each year to fulfil the IJC’s responsibilities in accordance with its charter. This includes assisting Indigenous barristers to develop and maintain successful careers, attracting Indigenous lawyers to the Bar and implementing the Bar’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
The IJC invites barristers to view its more detailed note here, which it expands upon these matters.
Applications are now open for the 2024 Diversity Internship. The Victorian Bar is offering up to six paid internships for students from Culturally and Racially Marginalised (CARM) backgrounds who may not have ready access to legal networks and who wish to gain experience and build connections within the legal profession. The Internship will offer students who are considering a legal career the opportunity to work with practicing barristers and servicing judicial officers.
If you are interested in mentoring an intern, please contact Clare Cunliffe or Haroon Hassan.
For more details about the Diversity Internship, please click here.
Applications for the next intake of the Bar’s technology Reverse Mentoring Scheme are now open. The scheme involves pairing barristers under five years’ call (the mentors) with more senior barristers who wish to develop their technological and digital skills (the mentees).
The scheme will facilitate meaningful professional connections between junior and senior barristers and enable them to gain valuable insight into how both juniors and leaders can take advantage of the technological and digital opportunities of online and remote practice, including facilitating collaborative working between them.
The scheme will run for at least three months. The pairs will aim to meet at least three times, but the number of meetings and how often they meet is up to each pair to agree.
In addition to specific goals set by the pairs, all mentees will have developed or improved the following skills as part of their interaction with their mentor:
- Planning for cybersecurity and digital document security.
- Managing matters and briefs by email.
- Accepting electronic briefs.
- Using digital documents in court hearings.
- Editing PDF documents: mark ups, highlights, tabs/bookmarks etc.
- Formatting Word documents: headings, tables of contents, bullets and numbering etc.
- Using all main video conferencing platforms relevant to the practice area.
- Risk management planning: including working from home, internet outages, damage to devices and losing files.
- Establishing which devices, tools and software may be relevant and useful to the practice area.
This year you can make a joint application by a junior and senior pair who would like to work together. Otherwise, the Information and Technology Committee, which is administering this scheme, will make the matches and will aim to match mentors and mentees in the same practice areas if possible. Depending on demand, selected practice areas and choice of technology (PC/Mac), the Committee may also create groups of three.
If you are interested in joining the first intake of this scheme as a mentor or mentee, please submit this application form here. The deadline for initial applications is Friday 16 August 2024.
Members of the Bar are invited to the inaugural session of a new In Conversation series designed to stimulate debate in a casual conversational setting.
Join host Jeremy Ruskin KC to explore our first In Conversation titled: Robes and Religion.
Ruskin KC will lead a discussion among the panel members and the attendees on questions such as: Is there still a place for religious ceremonies such as the Red Mass to mark the opening of the Legal Year ? Why tinker with a centuries-old tradition ? Is it OK to wear barristers’ robes to religious ceremonies ? Can we reflect on ethics and morals without bringing religion into it ?
Host:
- Jeremy Ruskin KC
Panel members:
- Jack Rush AO RFD KC
- Rachel Doyle SC
- Premala Thiagarajan SC
- Min Guo
Essential facts about the In Conversation series:
- This is not a CPD; this is a conversation. All debate is to be respectful.
- This event will not be streamed and will not be recorded. Strictly Chatham House rules.
- Time and place: Thursday, 15 August 2024; Neil McPhee Room; 1:10pm to 1:50pm.
- Sandwich lunch and coffee will be served to all participants – you can return to court and chambers by 2:00pm with food and caffeine on board!
For catering purposes, please click here to register if you would like to attend.
- Technology Price Increase FAQ. BCL recently communicated a price increase to all technology services, effective 1 September 2024 (see communication here).To read the FAQ regarding the increase, click here.
- 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 read more about the benefits of having chambers with BCL and click here to view our current vacancies.
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.
- Mediating in the first five years- launch of the Victorian Bar mediation mentoring scheme is on Tuesday, 13 August 2024 from 5:15pm to 6:15pm. This seminar will provide an understanding of the different opportunities and challenges for developing a mediation practice at the bar as well as the role of mentoring in mediation practice development. This is an in-person event only. Click here to RSVP
- Greenwashing litigation, climate reporting, and the class action moratorium is on Wednesday, 14 August 2024 from 5:15pm to 6:15pm. This seminar will discuss the potentially contentious aspects of a new reporting framework and how do these potential claims, and the moratorium, sit within the current landscape of greenwashing litigation in Australia. This is an in-person event only. Click here to RSVP
- Navigating the rocky terrain of derivative liability under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) is on Tuesday, 20 August 2024 from 5:15pm to 6:15pm. In this CPD, Alex Manos explores the key cases and underlying policy considerations and Ben Holding will provide an overview of the alternative vehicle in the legislation through which derivative liability may be proven against franchisors, the knowledge threshold to be met, and the relief available when a claim is proven. This is an in-person event only. Click here to RSVP
For more upcoming CPD events, please visit our listings here.
All members of the Victorian Bar community, including staff of Bar and Clerks are welcome to join the choir. No obvious singing talent is required! You’ll find that the choir is friendly, and singing is fun and relaxing, which is a highlight of the week.
Term 3 dates: 16 July to 24 September 2024.
Time: 1:00pm-2:00pm, Tuesdays.
Location: Level 11 East
Cost: $275 a term. 2024 Readers free.
Click here for the flyer. Pro rata subscriptions are available if you join mid term. For more information, contact the Bar office on 9225 7111 or reception@vicbar.com.au.
VicBar FC is calling for players (of all levels) for the upcoming football (soccer) tournament against QLD and NSW Bars and members to attend the Sports Law Conference.
Date: Saturday, 7 September
Venue: Brisbane, Queensland. Football games to be played at Moreton City Football Club grounds. If booking accommodation, Eaton Hills Hotel in Mortan Bay is recommended.
Further details: To be circulated once confirmed. The Sports Law Conference is usually held in the morning followed by the Tri-State Football tournament.
If you wish to play please email danielnguyen@vicbar.com.au with your preferred playing position(s) and we’ll do our best to accommodate. If you wish to attend the conference, please email indicating your interest.
Dear Members,
We are open daily from 7:30am – till late.
Breakfast - for dine-in or takeaway
Lunch – Daily Café Menu dine-in or takeaway
Lunch Dine-In - A La Carte from midday
Bar – EVERY EVENING - $5 Beer & Wine from 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Essoign Coffee Cart - Daily from 7:30am
Ground Floor Owen Dixon West
Catering & Events - Special lunches, working lunches, private dinners, or something special you may have in mind. Email us at essoign@vicbar.com.au
See our Catering and Events Package here.
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 for the monthly Best Buys!
Chief Justice Mortimer has issued a Notice to the Profession regarding listing trials during Full Court and Appellate sitting periods.
As announced in February 2024, in 2025 the Court is moving to three Full Court and Appellate sitting periods over the months of March, August and November.
This notice explains how the Court will approach requests to list trials in the original jurisdiction during Full Court and Appellate sitting periods, with a view to maintaining the Court’s impressive record in listing matters for appeal efficiently.
To review the Notice to the Profession click here.
Please find a link to a revised Practice Note, Judicial Review and Appeals List (SC CL 9 - Third Revision).
The County Court is establishing a Public Livestreaming Pilot (Pilot) which will take place over the next 12 months.
The purpose of this Pilot is to test the capacity of the Court to conduct public livestreams of court proceedings, identify potential issues and gather data to better assess community engagement benefits. The Pilot aligns with the Court’s strategic objective for open and accessible justice, as set out in Court Directions 2023-2026. For more information on the Protocol please click here.
The County Court has released the Restorative Process Guideline accompanying the Protocol for the Bar to Raise Concerns about Judicial Conduct. This Guideline should be read as a further explication of the Protocol for the Bar to Raise Concerns About Judicial Conduct (‘the Protocol’).
It builds on a longstanding but informal process for the Victorian Bar to raise concerns about judicial conduct with the Chief Judge. It exemplifies one way in which the Protocol can be implemented in practice. The procedure for raising concerns in an informal way with the Chief Judge about the conduct of a judicial officer is an alternative to the complaint process provided under the Judicial Commission of Victoria Act 2016 (Vic). For more information click here.
If your client requires support, they may be eligible for a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Order.
Following changes to the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria regional boundaries, eligibility for Drug Court now includes the inner-south suburbs of Armadale, Elsternwick, Gardenvale and Ripponlea, providing more court users with a drug or alcohol dependency access to therapeutic services to support their recovery goals.
The Drug Court is a post-sentence program which helps participants who meet the eligibility criteria break the cycle of drug and alcohol-related crime. The Drug Court sentences and supervises participants on a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Order (DATO) for a period of up to two years. On a DATO, the participant serves a term of imprisonment in the community while receiving treatment for the underlying causes of their substance use and related offending.
To be eligible for Drug Court, your client’s usual place of residence (if they have one) must be within the Drug Court catchment area (Drug Court catchment area | Magistrates Court of Victoria (mcv.vic.gov.au).
If your client is experiencing homelessness or does not have an ordinary place of residence, they are still able to apply to the Drug Court, and a Magistrate will decide whether they are suitable after considering a wide range of factors including available accommodation options, their capacity and ability to access the program.
Further information about the Drug Court, including a list of eligibility requirements, referral processes and a postcode checker can be found on the MCV website Drug Court | Magistrates Court of Victoria (mcv.vic.gov.au).
National Legal Aid has engaged researchers from the Social Policy Research Centre at UNSW Sydney to conduct a survey of Legal Aid Private Practitioners. This survey is now open to all legal aid private practitioners.
The results of the survey will inform the future work of Legal Aid Commissions with private practitioners. Survey results will also form an important body of evidence for the advocacy of National Legal Aid nationwide.
The survey is designed to be completed by:
- Private legal practitioners who have delivered legal aid services in the last two years
- Private legal practitioners who have been on a legal aid panel in the last two years; or
- Private legal practitioners who work for an organisation on a list of preferred suppliers of legal aid services.
If you meet this inclusion criteria and wish to take part, the survey will ask about you and your work, the clients you work with, and how supports for legal aid private practitioners can be improved. Participation is voluntary and all responses are anonymous. If you would like to participate, the survey can be completed here.
For most people, the survey will take around 15 minutes to complete, however, it may take a few minutes longer for people who choose to write a lot of comments. The survey will close on Friday August 23rd, 2024.
The survey is being conducted by researchers from UNSW Sydney. National Legal Aid has commissioned it to better understand your experiences and continue to improve supports for legal aid private practitioners.
If, after reading the Participant Information you would like further information or to talk to one of the researchers, please email Natasha Cortis (UNSW) via n.cortis@unsw.edu.au. You can also contact Feiyi Zhang, Feiyi.zhang@legalaid.nsw.gov.au at National Legal Aid.
Note also that while participation of all legal aid private practitioners will help us build an accurate picture of the issues affecting us, taking part in this research study is voluntary and all survey results are anonymous. Choosing not to take part will not affect your relationship with National Legal Aid, your employer, any legal aid commission, or The University of New South Wales.
If you participate, at the end of the survey you will be given the option to go into a prize draw to win one of 2 x $250 online shopping vouchers (Giftpay).
This research has been reviewed and approved by The University of New South Wales Human Research Ethics Committee. If you would like further information about the study, please contact the research team n.cortis@unsw.edu.au. If you have any complaints or concerns about the research study please email humanethics@unsw.edu.au or phone +61 2 9385 6222 quoting the following number iRECS6806.
Law Library Victoria is visiting legal practitioners across Victoria as part of our Regional Roadshow, with free CPD events and onsite support. Our next stops are Shepparton and Warrnambool. Barristers in these areas are invited to join us and learn more about how the Digital Library provides access to legal research resources, no matter where you are.
Registrations have opened for the 2025 Advanced Trial Advocacy Intensive, to be held in Brisbane between 20 and 24 January.
This course provides realistic briefs in both criminal and civil, allowing you to gain valuable experience with senior coaches to develop your advocacy skills in real court settings.
Groups are small and the coach-to-participant ratio is high. This one week residential Trial Advocacy Intensive enables you to work closely with judges and experienced counsel which will include Federal and Supreme Court Judges, senior Australian counsel and International counsel as well as performance and voice coaches with expertise in voice, movement and impact.
The Intensive involves discussion and comment on each aspect of trial performance. This course will advance your skills as an experienced barrister and will focus on developing your strengths in addressing, examining-in-chief and cross examining.
Registrations close Friday, 29 November 2024.
For more information and to register click here.
For all enquires please contact the ATC Secretariat at cpd@qldbar.asn.au or phone (07) 3238 5100.
Melbourne Law School is pleased to present the following free public law lectures in August and September 2024:
2024 The Sir George Turner Lecture (Melbourne and Sydney)
‘Risk & Regulation in Sustainability: Global Lessons for Australia’
Presented by Allison Herren Lee, Former US Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission
Almost all organisations - and their advisers - are having to confront rapidly changing contexts and transitioning economies. Companies, financial markets and governments are all having to navigate the challenges presented by climate change, energy transition, cost of living pressures, geopolitical instability, showing up in volatility and uncertainty in markets and in increasing litigation. The regulatory and reporting environment is also responding to shifting expectations about disclosure, performance and responsibility for social and environmental factors. Former US Securities & Exchange Commission Acting Chair, Allison Herren Lee, will deliver the Sir George Turner Lecture, speaking on the global shifts in regulation in sustainability risks, state of play in the US, and the steps leaders need to be taking now to be responsive and future-fit in this fast-moving global environment.
The keynote address will be followed by a session moderated by Harold Ford Professor of Commercial Law, Professor Rosemary Langford, in discussion with Commissioner Lee and Professor Rosemary Addis AM followed by audience Q&A.
This lecture will be delivered in Melbourne and Sydney. Please see below for further details on each location.
Melbourne lecture:
Date & time: Tuesday, 13 August 2024 from 5:00pm – 7:00pm.
Location: Woodward Conference Centre, Level 10, Law Building, 185 Pelham Street, Carlton
Information and registration: Please click here.
Sydney lecture:
Date & time: Thursday, 15 August 2024 from 5:30pm – 7:00pm.
Location: Allens, Level 28, Deutsche Bank Place, Phillip Street, Sydney
Information and registration: Please click here.
Flos Greig Lecture 2024
‘If I had my time over, would I study Law?’
Presented by The Honourable Linda Dessau AC CVO, former Governor of Victoria
Occasionally, we should all pause, to reflect on what might have been had we taken a different path in our professional life and choices. In this Lecture, the Hon Linda Dessau AC CVO, former Governor of Victoria, contemplates the pros and cons of having studied and practised Law for a significant part of her career.
The Flos Greig Lecture is named after Grata Flos Matilda Greig, the first woman to be admitted to legal practice in Australia. Greig’s determination advanced gender equality in the legal profession in Australia in the early twentieth century, paving the way for other women to follow suit. Upon graduating from the Melbourne Law School in 1903, Greig undertook her articles with Frank Cornwall, later continuing her career with Cornwalls law firm. We are delighted to have Cornwalls’ involvement in this lecture series, recognising Greig’s pioneering spirit which transformed the basis of admission to the Australian legal profession.
Date & time: Thursday, 22 August 2024 from 5:00pm – 7:00pm.
Location: Woodward Conference Centre, Level 10, Law Building, 185 Pelham Street, Carlton
Information and registration: Please click here.
2024 James Merralls Fellowship in Law Lecture (Melbourne and Sydney)
‘Constitutional Identity and the Right to Attachment’
Presented by Professor Nick Barber, Oxford University
What form should our relationship with the state take? Is the state like a team, where membership is grounded primarily in reasoned consent, or is it more like a family, where membership is grounded primarily in emotional attachment? The lecture examines the differences between these two, and argues that we have good reasons for wanting our relationship with the state to be underpinned by attachment. But whilst wanting to experience attachment is rational, it is not a disposition we can chose or can be reasoned into adopting. In consequence, states must rely on emotional strategies to ground attachment. The lecture ends by reflecting on the right to attachment, the limits that our reasons for wanting to experience attachment place on the emotional strategies states deploy.
This lecture will be delivered in Melbourne and Sydney. Please see below for further details on each location.
Melbourne lecture:
Date & time: Thursday, 5 September 2024 from 5:00pm – 7:00pm.
Location: Lecture Theatre G08, Law Building, 185 Pelham Street, Carlton
Information and registration: Please click here.
Sydney lecture:
Date & time: Tuesday, 10 September 2024 from 5:15 pm – 7:00 pm.
Location: QT Sydney, 49 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Information and registration: Please click here.
2024 Sir Kenneth Bailey Memorial Lecture
‘International Law and the Multilateral System in Face of Climate Change and Threats to the Ocean’
Presented by Dr Nilufer Oral, Director, Centre of International Law, National University of Singapore
The world is facing multiple threats to the environment, among which climate change dominates. Australia and Oceania are especially vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, in particular, harm to the marine environment and sea level rise. Climate change is a collective threat that requires collective action. The question is whether international law and the current multilateral system can meet the challenges of climate change? Can the seemingly fractured and cacophonic world of the United Nations rise above the daily commotions of crisis and find solutions to pressing problems facing the world?
International cooperation is at the heart of the United Nations Charter as expressed in Article 1, paragraph 3 of the UN Charter. The lecture will discuss cases in which the multilateral system through international law has rallied to address threats to the marine environment, including sea level rise, focusing on the work of the United Nations International Law Commission on sea level rise, the advisory opinion request presented to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea by the Commission on Small Island States (COSIS) and that presented to the International Court of Justice by the General Assembly, at the initiative of Vanuatu.
Date & time: Thursday, 19 September 2024 from 6:00pm – 7:00pm.
Location: Lecture Theatre G08, Law Building, 185 Pelham Street, Carlton
Information and registration: Please click here.
7 & 8 September 2024 | Hybrid: Queenstown + Online
Don't miss this excellent educational and networking opportunity.
3 Guest Speakers - Honourable Justice David Collins KC, Prof Stephen Cordner, and Dr Jack Snyder (American ACLM),
PLUS 18 open and College speakers.
Booking deadlines:
Live ticket bookings close Friday, 23 August.
Virtual ticket bookings close Friday, 6 September.
Flexible conference attendance options are available!
Attend LIVE in Queenstown to enjoy full conference benefits including catering, networking opportunities and the Awards Dinner included. You can switch to virtual attendance instantly if you are sick or unable to travel.
Attend VIRTUALLY to watch the entire program live-streamed and participate in Q&A via Zoom chat. Or you can view the recording at a time convenient to you. You can switch to live attendance subject to availability.
Official supporting organisations
Members of ACLM and our Official Supporting Organisations are eligible to receive members’ ticket pricing.
Register now to attend the AWL National Conference in Canberra from Friday, 18 October – Saturday, 19 October 2024, “Leading the Way”.
The AWL National Conference is the premier conference for women lawyers, thought leaders, change champions, students, and professionals in the Australian legal profession.
The AWL National Conference is held once every two years and covers substantive law topics (for which Continuing Professional Development points may be claimed) as well as highlighting inspiring new ways to think, work and live. As always, the AWL National Conference also provides supportive and valuable networking opportunities for women lawyers.
The Monash Law Diamond Jubilee Gala Dinner is a milestone event you won't want to miss! This evening promises to be more than a celebration—it's a testament to the shared journey, accomplishments, and lifelong bonds formed over the past six decades.
Join us for an evening of elegance and nostalgia. Enjoy a sumptuous dinner, engaging conversations, and the company of fellow alumni, donors and supporters of the Monash Faculty of Law. This is the perfect occasion to relive cherished memories and create new ones.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, 24 October 2024
Time: 6:00pm for 6:30pm start (canapes and drinks on arrival) to 10:00pm
Venue: RACV City Club, Level 17, 501 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Dress: Lounge suit/ Cocktail attire
RSVP: 5:00pm, Friday, 4 October 2024
Don’t wait—secure your place at this historic celebration! We’ll be announcing our exciting lineup of keynote speakers and entertainment soon.
Tickets: $176 each or purchase a Table of 8 for $1,265
Spread the word, gather your friends, and join us in celebrating 60 years of history and achievements.
For ticket purchases and more information, please click here.
We would be grateful if you could please save the date to attend the National Indigenous Legal Conference 2024.
The Call for Papers has been released for the 17th National Indigenous Legal Conference.
Keynote speakers include leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal practitioners, academics and activists. We welcome paper abstracts, workshop and panel-discussion proposals from Indigenous and non-Indigenous legal practitioners, academics, law students, law graduates, activists, and supporter.
Click here for the Call for Papers which set out further details.
More information available in the flyer here.
The Law Council would like to inform the constituent bodies that applications for the 2025 John Koowarta Reconciliation Law Scholarship (Koowarta Scholarship) are now open.
Applications close COB Monday, 16 September 2024.
The Eligibility Criteria for the Koowarta Scholarship is available here. Scholarships will be awarded on the recommendation of the Selection Committee appointed by the Law Council of Australia. The successful applicant will receive a scholarship to the value of up to $9,000 for the 2025 academic year, and will also be offered the opportunity to receive mentorship from individuals or organisations within the legal profession.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Law Council by email at koowarta@lawcouncil.au
Click here for the application form.
The Law Council is pleased to advise that nominations for the 2024 Australian Young Lawyer Awards opened on Monday, 15 July 2024.
The Awards are conducted annually by the Law Council’s Young Lawyers Committee, recognising excellence in young—or early-career—lawyers and organisations. Nominations will close on Friday, 30 August 2024 at 5:00pm AEST, with the winners expected to be announced on 22 November 2024 at the National Golden Gavel event in Melbourne.
The LCA have published Guidelines and a Nomination Form on their website, where information is also available about the winners of the 2023 Awards.
For more information, please contact Ms Natalie Cooper, Senior Policy Lawyer, at Natalie.cooper@lawcouncil.au or on (02) 6246 3724.
After 8 years, our Secretariat Officer Jenny Watson is planning to retire at the end of 2024. Jenny has been the heart and soul of this amazing organisation and has variously led, organised and supported our members and Directors over this period of change and renewal. Through it all she has kept a lightness of touch and good humour which, combined with formidable executive skills has enabled the NMAS and now AMDRAS systems to function and further develop. During the transition to AMDRAS she has patiently worked with the Board and countless others during the exacting research, consultancy and redrafting exercises. She has not only managed the changes but embraced them and helped us all manage them better. She will be sorely missed.
Consequently, AMDRAS is currently seeking to recruit an Executive Assistant / Secretariat. We have contracted the services of a recruitment service based in Toowoomba called Recruit with Me to assist us in the process. A copy of the Job Advertisement is here for your information and the Board would be pleased if you could circulate this to your members and those who may be interested in such a position. Applications and initial enquiries should be made direct to Recruit with Me.
We are not restricted to one person only performing this role, and should the opportunity present for two people to job share different tasks, we are open to that. It is also important to note that the location of the successful applicant/s is flexible, however some travel will be required.
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, 15th August 2024