Following a number of recent enquiries, the Ethics Committee reminds members of Rule 46 of the Uniform Conduct Rules, which provides:
“A barrister may not make a payment or gift to any person by reason of or in connection with the introduction of professional work by that person to the barrister.”
Ecumenical Service and Ceremonial Sitting of the Supreme Court
Christ Church Anglican Church, 57 McKillop Street (corner Moorabool and McKillop Streets), Geelong at 8:30 am – procession assembles at 8:25 am; followed by the ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court in the Law Courts at Geelong at 10 am; then morning tea at the Law Courts at the 10:30 am. Click here to view the flyer
It is with deep regret that the Bar Council informs members of the death last Saturday, 8 December 2018, of Tony Radford. He was 77 (born 2 July 1941).
His Funeral Service is at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 106 Church Road, Doncaster on Wednesday 19 December 2018 at 10 am.
Yesterday, our 25 newest silks took their bows in ceremonial sittings of the Supreme Court, the Federal Court and the Family Court, in the presence of many members of the judiciary and our Bar, as well as their families and friends.
The Victorian Bar is proud of its long association with the Professional Standards Councils. The Bar’s current Professional Standards Scheme, which was approved by the Councils in 2014, will expire on 30 June 2019.
Royal Commission into the Management of Informants
On Monday, the Victorian Government announced a Royal Commission into the Management of Informants, after the High Court and the Victorian Court of Appeal lifted certain suppression orders in the matters of AB v CD and EF v CD.
The Governor in Council appointed as Magistrates Timothy Stephen Hoare and Alanna Mary Duffy on 10 October 2018 – effective, in respect of Magistrate Duffy, 15 October 2018. Their Honours were sworn-in by Chief Justice Ferguson on 18 October 2018.
The High Court and the Victorian Court of Appeal have today lifted certain suppression orders in the matters of AB v CD and EF v CD.
According to the High Court decision handed down today, EF is a police informer who, some years ago, acted as counsel for Tony Mokbel and six of his criminal associates. The High Court has held that EF’s actions involved fundamental and appalling breaches of her obligations as counsel to her clients and of her duties to the court, and that Victoria Police were guilty of reprehensible conduct in knowingly encouraging her to do as she did and were involved in sanctioning atrocious breaches of the sworn duties imposed on every police officer. EF’s identity remains suppressed.
If I had a dollar for every time someone has said to me in the past month, “when are the silks being announced?” I’d be, um, moderately well off (as if I knew the date, anyway).
The Governor-General in Council on 27 September 2018 appointed the Honourable Deputy Chief Justice Edvard William Alstergren Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia, a concurrent Commission with His Honour’s ongoing Commission as Chief Judge of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia; and appointed the Honourable Robert Bruce McClelland Deputy Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia – each effective 10 December 2018.
The Governor in Council appointed as Magistrates Jacqueline Annette Billings and Randall Joshua Kune on 11 September 2018. Their Honours were sworn-in by the Chief Justice on 24 September 2018.
The Victorian Bar welcomes the appointment of 25 of its members as Senior Counsel by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Victoria, the Honourable Anne Ferguson.
