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In Brief Issue #1144
12Apr
On Monday, I met with Professor Andrew Mowbray, the founder and Executive Director of AustLII, its Managing Director, Associate Professor Philip Chung, and Development Manager, Richard Hunter. AustLII, now almost 30 years old, remains Australia’s largest online free-access resource for Australian legal information, and barristers are, I was told, one of its largest user groups. The purpose of the meeting was to bring the Bar up to date with AustLII’s recent work, the most interesting of which is the creation of a new database to house the complete case files of 37 seminal High Court cases, as selected by the High Court. No doubt, AustLII is also keen to ensure that the Victorian Bar continues to contribute funds to the AustLII Foundation. Since 2021, the Victorian Bar has contributed $10,000 each year.
On Monday evening, the Preliminary Evaluation Committee (PEC) held its first meeting for this year's silks process. Over the coming months, the PEC, led by the Honourable Pamela Tate AM KC, will engage in a process of consultation and evaluation designed to provide the Chief Justice with reliable advice about each candidate. For more information about PEC, including its composition, please click here. It is, of course, imperative that applicants refrain from any form of direct or indirect lobbying of PEC members. Applicants who have any questions about the process are, however, welcome to contact me.
On Tuesday evening, I attended the Caldwell Public Lecture hosted by Trinity College and the University of Melbourne Law School. The Caldwell bequest funds a lectureship every five years by a notable international scholar in the areas of art, law, or literature. This year, the lecture- ‘Mā te ture anō te ture e āki (The Law must look itself in the mirror)’ was delivered by the Honourable Justice Joe Williams KNZM of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. His Honour compared the development of the law in response to indigenous issues and claims in New Zealand and Australia. Afterwards, I attended a dinner at Trinity College, where the guests were fortunate to hear further from his Honour. I thank my hosts for an enriching evening.
This week, the Bar Office, the Executive, and the Readers’ Course Committee have continued to work to implement changes to the Bar Exam and Readers’ Course. The agenda for next week’s Bar Council meeting will include many decisions necessary to execute those changes. Your feedback about the suggested changes to the Reading requirements has been flooding in. We are grateful that so many of you have already responded and encourage all those with a view to do so by 16 April 2024.
The Changing Face of the Bar II
It is five years since the Victorian Bar hosted its hugely successful exhibition of barristers’ photo portraits, The Changing Face of the Bar c. 2018. The Art & Collections Committee is reprising the event and invites members to photographer Garth Oriander’s pop-up studio in the Owen Dixon West foyer to have their portrait snapped on May 6, 7, 8 and 9 (Monday through Thursday). The theme is “Come as You Are”. Members might find inspiration in the selection below. The ‘back of head’ shot is yours truly.
Other matters
The countdown is underway for the Bar Dinner, with only five weeks remaining. Members of the Bar Office and I attended the National Gallery of Victoria on Thursday to settle some of the finer details, and I am confident that it will be an exceptional evening. You can secure your ticket here.
Practising Certificate and Professional Indemnity Insurance renewals for 2024/25 are now due for processing. Members who require assistance should email membership@vicbar.com.au or contact Daphne Ioannidis at (03) 9225 8326 or Mark Bryant at (03) 9225 7105.
Georgina Schoff KC
Chair of Victoria’s Post Sentence Authority
The Victorian Government has announced the appointment of her Honour Felicity Hampel AM S.C. as the Chair of Victoria’s Post Sentence Authority commencing 9 April 2024.
Her Honour has been a member of the Victorian Bar for 43 years and was appointed silk in 1996. Her Honour served as a judge of the County Court of Victoria and Vice President of the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) before retiring in June 2023. She has practiced extensively across Australia in human rights, administrative and criminal law.
Her Honour was awarded Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2021 for significant service to the judiciary, to legal organisations, and to women.
You should have received an email from the Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner (VLSB+C) on Monday, 25 March 2024, outlining details of the practising certificate (PC) and professional indemnity insurance (PII) renewal process.
LSB Online went live on Thursday, 4 April 2024, for the renewal of your PC. Members must renew by Sunday, 30 June 2024, to continue to practise on Monday, 1 July 2024. Members who renew after this date will incur a late renewal surcharge from the VLSB+C and will be unable to practise until a new PC has been issued.
The LPLC portal went live on 4 April 2024 for LPLC Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) renewal. PII premiums are required to be paid by Friday 31 May 2024, members are now encouraged to renew online on the LPLC website. Please note: You must complete both your PII insurance and your LSB Online application for your PC to renew and issue. If you have completed your LSB online renewal in the last week, please now complete your PII insurance renewal to finalise your PC renewal for 2024/25.
Information on renewing practising certificates can be found on the VicBar website here.
Links for online lodgement will be available from the VLSB+C and LPLC live dates, or you may go directly to LSB Online and the LPLC website when live.
Please log in to LSB Online and the LPLC renewal portal using your Practitioner Number as the username (your Practitioner Number will be included in the email sent to you by the VLSB+C). LSB Online deals with all PC administrative matters, and there is no printed PC renewal form. If you have forgotten your password, you can reset this on the LSB Online login screen by selecting ‘forgot password’. You will receive an email to reset your password.
If you experience technical difficulties with LSB Online, please contact the VLSB+C via their lawyer enquiry form. Frequently asked questions and LSB Online user guides can also be found here.
Should you require assistance renewing your PC, the Victorian Bar office can help you, and members who need assistance should email membership@vicbar.com.au or contact Daphne Ioannidis on (03) 9225 8326 or Mark Bryant on (03) 9225 7105.
The Victorian Bar is offering members the annual flu vaccination in Owen Dixon Chambers East on Wednesday, 29 May, and Thursday, 30 May 2024.
Bookings must be made online via the iMedical website. Instructions on how to book are here. You must be logged into the VicBar website to download the instructions.
There are a limited number of appointments available to Bar members from iMedical, and they will be allocated on a first-in, first-served basis.
For those individuals aged 65 years and over, an enhanced version of the flu vaccine is available. Please make a booking with your GP or chemist.
The Equality & Diversity Committee will mark the end of Ramadan with a morning tea from 9:15am - 10:15am on Wednesday, 17 April in the Peter O'Callaghan QC Gallery in Owen Dixon Chambers West.
Coffee, Tea, and light refreshments will be served.
Click here to register to attend.
All members of the Bar and Judiciary are warmly invited to the Dinner on Saturday, 18 May 2024, at 7:00pm at the National Gallery of Victoria. The event is black tie and will feature guest speaker The Honourable Justice Robert Beech-Jones, High Court of Australia.
Tickets for the event are now available. You can book individually, as a guest on an organised table, or as a table organiser.
Event: 2024 Victorian Bar Dinner
Date: Saturday, 18 May 2024
Time: 7:00pm for 7:30pm start
Venue: National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne VIC 3006
Dress: Black Tie
Click here to purchase your ticket.
If you did not receive an invitation, please contact events@vicbar.com.au.
The Bar’s Library Committee are seeking members’ feedback regarding the library’s existing facilities and resources, as well as arrangements with the Law Library of Victoria.
Members are encouraged to respond to the survey so the Bar can make an informed decision regarding its library collections, new acquisition practices, and funding allocation.
The survey will close on Tuesday, 30 April 2024.
Click here to complete the survey.
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 17-19 May & 24-26 May 2024) here. Places are limited.
- 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.
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.
- Shareholder class actions: recent developments and emerging trends is on Monday, 15 April 2024 from 5:15pm to 6:15pm. In this seminar, the Commercial Bar Class Actions Section will look at recent developments and emerging trends in shareholder class actions. This is an in-person event only for barristers. Click here to RSVP.
- Mediators Discussion Group is on Tuesday, 23 April 2024, from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. This seminar will focus on pre-mediation intake sessions and will explore topics such as what types of issues may arise? How to approach these sessions? What can be done if one party does not wish to participate in an intake session. This is an in-person event for barristers and will also be available online via Zoom. Click here to RSVP.
For more upcoming CPD events, please visit our listings here.
The VicBar Choir invites you to join its group.
Term 2 is about to commence. All members of the Victorian Bar community are welcome including staff of Bar and Clerks.
Time: 1:00pm-2:00pm, Tuesdays.
Dates: 16 April 2024
Location: Level 11 East
Cost: $25 a week x 11 = $275 or $30 per week casual. 2024 Readers free.
Click here for the flyer.
No obvious singing talent is required to join in Bar Choir, all are welcome to give it a try. For those who are hesitant, Choir leader Richard Lawton, who currently teaches voice training for the Bar Readers’ Course, can provide individual coaching useful for both singing and oral advocacy.
For more information, contact the Bar office on 9225 7111 or reception@vicbar.com.au.
Cost inclusive of golf, use of practice facilities, prizes and after golf snacks. Drinks and dinner payable individually on consumption.
Tee Off 1:15pm.
Click here to register and please advise your preferred playing partner and GA Golflink Number.
Cost: $240 for non Royal Melbourne Members.
Royal Melbourne Members and Reciprocals (with Letter of Introduction to be organised by the reciprocal member directly with the club) $80.00.
Monday, 6 May 2024, 1:00pm - 6:00pm
Royal Melbourne Golf Club
Cheltenham Road, Black Rock Victoria 3193
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
Catering & Events – Special lunches, working lunches, private dinners, or something special you may have in mind. Email us at essoign@vicbar.com.au
Our new Spring Summer Menu is available 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!
Court Support Services (CISP and ARC) have advised of changes to the referral process for alcohol and other drug (AoD) services.
From Wednesday, 10 April 2024, referrals to the Australian Community Support Organisation (ACSO) for AoD assessments will be placed on hold until 30 June 2024. This step is being taken because ACSO’s 2023/24 funding envelope has now been fully allocated for this financial year.
CISP and ARC participants will still receive:
- Case management by CISP or ARC case managers. Case managers meet with participants regularly and use motivational interviewing and other tools and strategies to support participants to gain control of substance use and build their readiness to engage with the right treatment.
- Referrals to community AoD services. Case managers will make referrals directly to AoD services in the community.
- Funded support in certain circumstances. In some cases where funding is required for additional or more urgent treatment Court Support Services has some brokerage funding that can be used.
There will be no impact on the ability of CISP and ARC to provide support to address all other identified needs, including homelessness, mental health, specialist assessment and all other supports provided by case managers.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Amelia Howard at amelia.howard@courts.vic.gov.au.
This is a friendly reminder that the library is a valuable legal resource for all barristers. We offer a wide variety of materials for your use, but there are a few important points to keep in mind:
- Books for in-library use: Our collection of books is available for browsing and reading within the library. To ensure everyone has access, please remember that books cannot be taken outside the library.
- Free photocopying: Need a copy of something? We offer free photocopying services.
Missing Books
Unfortunately, we've noticed a number of books missing from the shelves, including some key titles. We kindly ask that you return any library materials you may have borrowed as soon as possible. This ensures everyone has access to the information they need.
Thank you for your cooperation and continued support of the library.
We are pleased to announce the ALAANZ 2024 Preliminary Program and Registration Brochure is now available. The ALAANZ Council and ALAANZ 2024 Conference Organising Committee are pleased to bring you this conference and have put together a program which will appeal to all.
We hope to see as many ALAANZ members and friends as we can in Brisbane this May at the conference. It has been a long time since we have been able to get together with friends & colleagues, to be amongst leaders in the Aviation Law Field, and have the opportunity to discuss topics of interest with one another and network together in a collegial environment. The conference dinner will be held at Alchemy Restaurant in Brisbane and is bound to be a memorable night.
ALAANZ is very fortunate to have many local and global aviation industry leaders who will provide presentations and participate as panellists/debates representing various disciplines across the industry including domestic and international airlines, airports, the government/ regulatory authorities, insurers, and thought leaders. This conference will provide ample opportunity to connect and reflect on the past as well as look forward to the future from industry experts who play a pivotal role in advancing the field of aviation.
The ALAANZ conference is always a wonderful opportunity to meet and network with others practicing in and passionate about the field of aviation law.
Register here.
Expressions of interest are sought for the Judicial Registrar - Common Law Division position at the Supreme Court of Victoria. Expressions of interest are sought for the Judicial Registrar - Common Law Division position at the Supreme Court of Victoria.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, the Honourable Anne Ferguson, seeks expressions of interest from qualified persons for appointment as a Judicial Registrar of the Supreme Court.
Judicial Registrars are members of the Court, appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Attorney-General. All expressions of interest are treated confidentially.
The position is located in Melbourne. Read the position description for further information.
Click here for more information and to apply.
Victoria Law School seeks members of the Victorian Bar to join its Program Advisory Committee (PAC) at Victoria University.
Chaired by His Honour, Judge John Cain, the PAC advises on course relevance, strategic direction, and other matters referred by the Dean. The PAC operates in an advisory capacity, with members appointed for up to two years, typically serving no more than two consecutive terms.
If you're committed to shaping legal education and contributing your expertise, please submit your expression of interest directly to Professor Lidia Xynas via email: Lidia.Xynas@vu.edu.au.
Expressions of Interest close at 5:00pm on Thursday, 18 April 2024.
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, 18th April 2024