The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia have announced the appointment of Caroline Jenkins as a judge of Division 2 in the Adelaide Registry.
The appointment was effective from 15 October 2021. Details of the welcome ceremony will be advised when they become known.
This week saw the establishment of a referral scheme for pro bono assistance to help unrepresented litigants involved in family law proceedings. It is a joint initiative of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and the Victorian Bar.
I had the great pleasure on Wednesday morning of introducing the Honourable Chief Justice Anne Ferguson to open the Legal Professionals Mental Health Symposium. This inaugural event was co-hosted by the Bar and the Mental Health Foundation of Australia and was the first of its type targeted at the mental health of those in the legal profession. It was one of a range of activities taking place during Mental Health Month in October. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Daryl Williams QC, a Director of the Foundation, for giving the Bar the opportunity of co-hosting this important event.
Ron Senior, the last of the two “paper boys”, passed away on 4 October 2021, aged 72.
Ron and his late brother, John, sold papers and magazines for many years from a stand on William St. Lots of barristers and judges stopped by their stand in the morning to buy papers - or just for a chat.
Tuesday evening witnessed the very successful launch of the Bar’s Revised Code of Conduct comprising policies against sexual harassment, workplace bullying and discrimination. Well over 200 people attended the on-line launch.
Nomination forms and the process for nominating for election to Bar Council will remain the same as in 2020, as members of the Bar and staff are not able to attend chambers in person due to COVID-19. For this reason, we are unable to accept forms in hard copy. There will be separate interactive PDF nomination forms for candidates and their nominators. A call for nominations for election to the 2021-2022 Bar Council will be emailed on Wednesday, 6 October 2021 to members of counsel eligible to nominate and be nominated, containing the forms, and including instructions on completing the forms.
I am delighted to announce that the Victorian Bar in conjunction with the Mental Health Foundation of Australia will host a (virtual) symposium on mental health for legal practitioners as part of Mental Health Month.
The symposium will be conducted entirely remotely and will be broadcast via zoom (without charge) to a national audience. To be held on the morning of Wednesday, 6 October, it will feature a highly qualified and interesting line-up of presenters.
The Bar Council is seeking nominations for one (1) appointment to the LCA Business and Human Rights Committee (BHRC).
The Law Council’s Business and Human Rights Committee was established by the Executive in September 2014. It was formed to develop a policy focus in the emerging field of business and human rights law, consider how the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (the Guiding Principles) can be implemented by Australian law firms, and raise awareness about the Guiding Principles for the legal profession.
