In Brief Issue #863

4May

Increased funding for the justice system in the State budget

On Tuesday, the State government announced a $257.4 million funding boost to the Victorian justice system. $128.9 million will be deployed to appoint a new Supreme Court judge, two new County Court judges and 18 new magistrates. $37.3 million will go to Victoria Legal Aid over four years. $21.8 million has been allocated to the Office of Public Prosecutions. The remaining funds will be used for a range of other purposes, including the Victims Assistance program, the intermediary scheme that provides assistance to children and vulnerable people when providing evidence, the Office of the Public Advocate, the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and Court Services Victoria.

On behalf of the Victorian Bar, I welcomed the announcement of the additional funds. As I said in the Bar’s press release:

"Our courts and judiciary have been under increasing and unsustainable pressure. More magistrates, judges and prosecutors will allow cases to be heard more quickly…  More police and prosecutors, and changes to bail and sentencing laws, make legal aid more important than ever. Our justice system works most efficiently when accused persons have access to high quality legal advice and representation."
 

March 2018 Readers’ Course drawing to a close

The March 2018 readers’ course is rapidly drawing to a close, with final assessment moots having been held on Monday and Tuesday. Our readers’ course is an intensive one, and I have admired how our current readers have thrown themselves into the course over the past two months. I am looking forward to the signing ceremony and dinner, and to welcoming our newest colleagues, next Thursday.
 

Reconciliation Action Plan Update January - March 2018

The Reconciliation Working Group (RWG) has an ongoing role in monitoring the implementation of the Bar’s second Reconciliation Action Plan.

The RWG reports that in the first quarter of this year:

  • as President, I have continued to give Acknowledgments of Country at judicial welcomes and farewells and other events on behalf of the Bar;
  • at the International Committee of Jurists (ICJ) opening of the legal year there were a number of impressive speakers, including the Head Judge of the Koori Court, Judge Paul Grant, and Lidia Thorpe MP, the first female Indigenous politician to be elected to the Parliament of Victoria;
  • Indigenous Justice Committee (IJC) member Tim Goodwin presented on diversity and cultural awareness at the Bar, with a focus on Indigenous issues, in the March Bar Readers’ Course;
  • The IJC will be running a CPD for National Reconciliation Week, on 28 May 2018, on the topic of Indigenous incarceration. Speakers include the Honourable Geoffrey Eames, Magistrate Rose Falla, and barristers Campbell Thompson and Tim Goodwin. Make sure to diarise now, and come along!
  • IJC Chair Anne Sheehan and IJC members Tom Keely SC and Tim Goodwin undertook a road trip to Deakin Institute of Koori Education in Geelong to speak to 15 first year law students about life at the Bar, the clerkship program, and mentoring.

 

Photo: Tim Goodwin and student Helen Akee

 

Lots going on…

I had a busy week of Presidential duties.  Apart from regular meetings, including Bar Council last night, I was an assessor for the Readers’ Course final moot assessments on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I enjoyed catching up with Professor Noah Messing of Yale Law School to discuss legal writing (and, of course, the Trump administration). Professor Messing is a world-renowned expert on legal writing. Among his many intimidating achievements, he is the author of The Law of Advocacy: Briefs, Motions and Writing Strategies of America’s Best Lawyers. His sessions on legal writing have become a highlight of our readers’ course. Yesterday, I met with the new Director of Public Prosecutions, Kerri Judd QC. Tonight, I will be a guest at the annual NSW Bench and Bar Dinner in Sydney.
 

Victorian Women Lawyers Pay Gap Event

This morning I attended a panel discussion hosted by Victorian Women Lawyers and chaired by Justice Chris Maxwell, President of the Court of Appeal, in relation to VWL’s campaign for employers in the legal industry to conduct gender pay gap analyses.

Latest research suggests there is a 29.7% total remuneration gender pay gap for full time employees in the legal sector, compared with 15.3% for all employees nationally. Our recent State of the Bar report (slides 19–24), after taking into account differences in practice areas and work patterns, suggests that the pay gap is likely to be materially narrower for members of the Victorian Bar than for employee solicitors, although I would like to see (and propose to undertake) more comprehensive analysis than we have undertaken to date. Demographic trends should result in the residual gender pay gap at the Bar decreasing further, but there is no cause for complacency.  

There was a terrific piece by Misa Han on progress towards gender equality at the Victorian Bar in the Australian Financial Review last Friday (subscription required).
 

Welcomes and Farewells

A quick reminder for those who are too busy looking at their phones or chatting to look at the notices in the lifts: the profession will welcome Melinda Richards SC as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria at a ceremonial sitting on Thursday 10 May at 9.15am. Justice Peter Vickery will be farewelled by the profession at 5pm on 8 May 2018; and Justice Mark Weinberg AO will be farewelled by the profession at 5pm on 9 May 2018. Each of the sittings will be held in the Banco Court.

Vicbar News & Events
Hong Kong 2018 International Commercial Law Conference (HK 2018 ICLC) - Register Online

Early-bird tickets are ON SALE NOW for the Hong Kong 2018 International Commercial Law Conference – see our website to register and for details on the program, accommodation and flights.

Bar Dinner 2018 - Register Online

Register online for Bar Dinner

The most efficient way to organise your table for the Bar Dinner on 25 May is to click here to register online (please note that this event is for Victorian Bar members only). Using the online form, you can book your tickets as an individual guest, as a guest on an organised table, or as a table organiser.

PC & PII Renewal 2018/19 - $88 Surcharge Applies for Renewals Made Between 1 May - 31 May

PC renewals made between 1 May and 31 May will incur an $88 surcharge. 

The LPLC requires payment of the professional indemnity insurance (PII) premium by 31 May 2018.

You should have received an email from the Legal Services Board (LSB) outlining details of the PC and PII renewal process. (Information is also provided on the Bar’s website).  

Links for online lodgement are available through your member home page or you may go directly to LSB Online and LPLC website. Login to LSB Online and LPLC renewal using your Practitioner Number as the username (your Practitioner Number is published in the email sent to you by the LSB  or you can contact the Bar Office for assistance). If you experience technical difficulties, please contact the LSB Online help desk by email online@lsbc.vic.gov.au in the first instance.

The LSB Online service deals with all PC administrative matters. There is no printed PC renewal form. Should you require assistance renewing your PC, the Victorian Bar Office can help you to access and use LSB Online, members who wish to attend the Bar office for assistance please do so between 9am - 3pm or contact Daphne Ioannidis on 9225 8326 to make an appointment.

The forms for LPLC Applicant Declaration (PII) are now available from the LPLC’s website or from the Victorian Bar Office on Level 5 205 William Street, however, practitioners are encouraged to renew online.

Optional Top Up insurance for barristers is available through Affinity Brokers. Inquiries to Affinity should be directed to Mary Spanos on (03)8587 7760 or mspanos@affinity.com.au.
Links to the application form and other relevant documents: 

Lawyers Mediation Certificate Course

The Victorian Bar

The Lawyers' Mediation Certificate course will be held in June 2018.

Days: Friday to Sunday, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23 and 24 June 2018

Cost: 
Vic Bar Members:         $2,900 (inc $264 GST) 
Non-Vic Bar Members: $3,300 (inc $300 GST)

A further discount of 10% is available to participants in the March 2018 or September 2017 Readers' Courses.

Registrations are limited to 18 participants. 

Please contact education@vicbar.com.au for more details.  

Download the Lawyers Mediation Certificate Registration flyer. 

Speaker(s): Dr Peter Condliffe, Dr Elizabeth Brophy & Tony Neal QC

When: Friday, June 15, 2018 - 09:00 to Sunday, June 24, 2018 - 17:00

Where: Neil McPhee Room, Level 1 Owen Dixon Chambers East, 205 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

8 CPD point(s): Ethics & Professional Responsibility; Barristers Skills;

Young CommBar’ Hong Kong 2018 ICLC Speaking Competition - Win a Free Trip to Hong Kong!

Win a trip to attend the Hong Kong 2018 International Commercial Law Conference www.hk2018iclc.com

Prize Includes: 

  • economy return airfare;
  • complimentary full conference registration; and
  • the opportunity to participate in the Hong Kong 2018 ICLC as a panel member for one of the conference sessions. 

To win, submit a 3-page written submission on one of the following topics:

  1. Is Privacy Dead? Use and Misuse of Sensitive Data 

    Is there a right to privacy, or even an entitlement to be forgotten?
    Does or can the common law provide an answer to this question?
    How can clients in litigation protect or obtain sensitive data from online platforms and from holders of such? 
    How safe is your client’s Ashley Madison profile? 
    And how safe are the details of your client’s bank account in Panama which were used to set up their Ashley Madison account?

     
  2. ‘Words Without Borders: Defamation and the Internet’
    What constitutes publication on the internet? 
    Do special rules apply for Google, Wikipedia and Facebook, or is Webb v Bloch still good law? 
    The internet is now more often than not the new defamation battlefield rather than print and broadcast media. 
    How can convenors of online platforms or blogs, social media account holders or users and social media providers be held to account for content published online which they ultimately are able to control?

Key Dates:

  • Submit application to hk2018iclc.com@vicbar.com.au before close of business on Friday 25 May 2018;
  • Finalists shortlisted 7 June 2018;
  • Speaking Competition on Thursday 14 June 2018.  

Submissions must address the nominated topic and explain why the entrant should present on the topic, comprise of no more than 3 A4 pages in Times New Roman, size 12 font and 1.5 line spacing. Please submit in electronic form as a word document. 
Finalists will be invited to compete at a function on Thursday 14June, 2018 attended by fellow barristers and young solicitor to be followed by a drinks function. 

The competition is an excellent way for the junior commercial bar to promote itself amongst its solicitor peers.

* Competition is open to barristers who are members of CommBar and as at 1 January 2018, are less than 5 years call to the Victorian Bar, and less than 10 years since admission as a legal practitioner in an Australian state or territory. 
 

Winter Wellness Day Flu Shots - Book Online

Flu shots will be available for members in the Parents Room, Owen Dixon Chambers West on Monday 28 May 2018 from 7.30am – 1.00pm.

Bookings must be made online, and will be on a first in, first served basis.

Click here to book your time slot.  

Click here to download the Medical Consent Form. 

Common Law Bar Association - "eCourt Presentation — A Practical Guide to the conduct of eTrials, with a special focus on serious injury applications"

A CPD Seminar will be conducted by their Honours, Judges O'Neill, Tsalamandris and Misso entitled — "eCourt Presentation — A Practical Guide to the conduct of eTrials, with a special focus on serious injury applications". 

Counsel assisting the Panel will be Gerald Lewis DC and Julia Frederico.

The Seminar will be conducted in Ceremonial Court (3.3) on Wednesday, 9 May, 2018 commencing at 4.30 p.m.

Attendees are invited to bring their iPad or Laptop. 

Law Week 2018 - Victorian Bar Events

Step up to the Bar

Step up to the Bar is an information night for lawyers who may be thinking of becoming a barrister. Click here for more information. 
 

Facing the Law: Wigs & Robes Today

Traditional court dress and the role it has today is often the subject of debate. While some believe it promotes respect for the law, others argue it is anachronistic. Click here for more information. 
 

Courts Open Day: Bailed out – The Role of the Barrister

Have you ever considered a career as a barrister, or just wondered what exactly barristers do? Click here for more information. 

 

Melbourne City Council - Lord Mayor by-election

A by-election for the vacant position of Lord Mayor will be held in May 2018. It will be conducted entirely by postal voting, with ballot packs mailed to voters between Monday 23 April and Thursday 26 April.

Voting is compulsory for all voters listed on the Melbourne City Council voters roll at 4.00 pm on Friday 16 March 2018.

When you receive your ballot pack you must complete your ballot paper, and return it as soon as possible using the reply paid envelope.

Alternatively, you may hand-deliver your completed ballot material to the election office by 6.00 pm on Friday 11 May 2018.

Completed ballot material must be posted – or in the hands of the Returning Officer – by 6.00 pm on Friday 11 May 2018, when voting closes. Ballot material posted after this date cannot be accepted and you may incur a fine.

Click here for more information.  

New Barristers' Committee & LIV Young Lawyers - Social Drinks

Law Week 2018: Victorian Bar Student Engagement Committee - Bailed Out: The Role of the Barrister

Courts Open Day - 2.30pm Saturday 19 May 2018 - Court 4.2 Melbourne County Court

On Saturday 19 May 2018 the Victorian Bar Student Engagement Committee will present a special performance designed to showcase the role of counsel, against the background of a bail application, from client advice through to appearing in court.   The event is part of Law Week 2018 and is one of many events taking place on Courts Open Day.  It’s a great opportunity for the public, and students in particular, to learn more about the Bar. Please spread the word to your networks and encourage any students you know to attend!

More information can be found at https://www.everyday-law.org.au/law-week/whats-on-in-law-week-2018.

SAVE THE DATE - Junior Bar Conference 1 June 2018

We are pleased to advise that planning is underway for the next Junior Bar Conference for 1 June 2018 in the Neil McPhee Room.

Due to popular demand, this year we are increasing the range and inviting barristers who have practiced for up to 10 years.

An exciting program is currently under development.  More information and invitations will follow soon.

Please save the date and mark this in your calendar.

Vicbar Life
Art Exhibition - Ian Friend at the Essoign Club

The Art and Collections Committee invites Bar members to the opening of a retrospective exhibition of art by Ian Friend at the Essoign Club.

Friend's show of prints and paintings dates from 1985 to 2017. Some recent works are for sale. Friend is represented by Gallerysmith in North Melbourne and Andrew Baker in Brisbane.

Ian Friend is an English born abstract artist who has lived in Australia since the mid 1980s. His works hang in the Tate Gallery, the National Galleries in Canberra and Melbourne and in many other public and private collections.

The exhibition opened on Friday 13 April will run for six weeks.

The Essoign - Thank You for Your Feedback

Thank you to all our members who have taken the opportunity to give us your valued opinion.

Keep the feedback coming as it is important to us.

Please submit your feedback and or any suggestions for the Essoign Club at your next visit via our new suggestion box in the Club or email us at essoign@vicbar.com.au  

Menu, Beverages, Club décor, Special events, Service and or anything you would like us to know, we want your opinion.

We have a new Café and Breakfast menu coming soon. Any suggestions?

Studio 11 Art Exhibition - ​Claire Lefebvre ​

Art Exhibition at Level 11 Owen Dixon Chambers East (aka Studio 11). Barristers on Level 11 of ODC East invite you to come view solo art exhibition by Melbourne Artist, Claire Lefebvre, "Lush. Layer Light", featuring some 20 works, comprising a series of paintings and limited edition prints which use layering techniques and mark making such as dots and lines. The works explore human emotion and perception as well as the material potential of acrylic paint, ink and various gloss and matte mediums. The paintings allude to architectural and biological forms, with surfaces which invite touch.

The exhibition runs from 16 April - 29 June. The works are for sale with no commission payable. Worksheets are found on level 11 East. Come up, have a break and just admire the work which is there to be enjoyed and shared.  

"Studio 11" as it is colloquially referred to hosts art exhibitions on a term by term, voluntary basis. The aim is to allow all members of the Victorian Bar, colleagues, clients, staff, family and friends to easily access, enjoy and celebrate various original art by local artists in the work environment.

11th Human Rights Arts and Film Festival 3 - 17 May

Check out this year’s HRAFF program featuring a stellar line up of films, art, talks and performances.  Visit www.hraff.org.au for more info and tickets. 

See the stories that matter.   

BottledSnail Productions - Famous Cases in Song

Join BottledSnail for FAMOUS CASES IN SONG as part of Law Week 2018! Reserve your seats now at: https://events.ticketbooth.com.au/event/famouscases 

BottledSnail Productions presents Famous Cases in Song, a humorous retelling of the stories behind well known cases Donoghue v Stevenson and Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co in song. Judges and members of the Victorian legal profession come together to bring you this unique and engaging musical production as part of Law Week 2018. Famous Cases in Song is set to the tunes of Gilbert and Sullivan and was written by New Zealand Law Lecturer, Stephen Todd. 

TICKETS ARE LIMITED
17 and 18 May 2018: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
19 May 2018: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Law Library of Victoria, 210 William Street, Melbourne
Tickets: $30 (adult) / $23 (concession)
More Information: www.bottledsnail.com/famous-cases-in-song

CAST

  • Rachel Ellyard
  • Leon Fluxman
  • Jonathan Hirst
  • Associate Justice Mary-Jane Ierodiaconou
  • Judge Samantha Marks
  • Jemima Sim
  • Judge Judy Small
  • Carolyn Wait
  • Judge Josh Wilson
  • Senior Member Silvana Wilson
  • Judge Ted Woodward
  • Ian Woolford

CREATIVE/PRODUCTION TEAM

  • Musical Director/Director: Kylie Weston-Scheuber
  • Producer: Eliza Trembath
  • Pianist: Genevieve Trinh

Law Week 2018 is presented by the Victoria Law Foundation. 

BottledSnail Productions is a not-for-profit production company run by, and for, Melbourne's legal community. Our aim is to carve out a space for creativity, community, and fun in the busy lives of Melbourne's legal professionals and help to promote positive mental health in the industry. For further information about our company or to express your interest in being involved, please visit www.bottledsnail.com.
 

Member Benefits Australia - May Exclusive Member Offers

Stock up on these great winter deals from Member Benefits Australia! Visit your member portal to access all benefits available to you.

http://mbabenefits.com.au/newsletters/2018/may/aba.html 

Practice & Profession News
Vale - Mr Neville J Turner - Former Senior Law lecturer Monash University

The Bar has been informed this week of the death of Mr Neville J Turner on Thursday 19 April.  Mr Turner was a senior lecturer at Monash University. He lectured in Family Law and although he was not a member of the Victorian Bar there are many barristers who were taught by him.  We have been informed that he was the founding President of the National Children’s Bureau of Australia . He moved to Australia in 1965 and worked at Monash Law School until his retirement.  He co-authored several books on Family law.  Mr Turner was a lover of cricket, tennis,  football and a talented pianist.

Victoria Law Foundation - Latest News

The latest news from the Victoria Law Foundation can be read here

Melbourne Magistrates' Court - Practice Direction 3 of 2018

The Melbourne Magistrates' Court of Victoria has issued Practice Direction 3 of 2018

Sentencing Advisory Council - New report examines serious offending by people on a community correction order

Five hundred and fifty-one people were sentenced in 2016–17 for committing serious offences while serving a community correction order, a new report has found.

Click here to view the media release. 

Monash LSS (JD) Moot Competition 2018

The Monash University Law Students’ Society (LSS) warmly invites you to take part in its upcoming 2018 Juris Doctor (JD) Moot Competition. 

The Moot requires participants to advocate on behalf of a client through written and oral submissions. Each moot involves two opposing teams (comprising of two to three students each) who act as barristers (or an additional solicitor in the instance of a team of three) for their respective client. Each team is provided with a mock appeal scenario that requires the teams to address legal issues before a judge. It is the competitors’ responsibility to try to persuade the court as to the legitimacy of their legal arguments. Teams are assessed on how sound their legal arguments (both written and oral) are, the level of their advocacy skills, and their professional manner. 

We are currently requesting judges for the following sessions: 

Preliminary Rounds: 
Monday 14 May 2018 for the 2:30pm and 6:00pm fixtures; 
Thursday 17 May 2018 for the 11:30am and 2:30pm fixtures; and 

Semi-final Round: 
Monday 21 May 2018 for the 6:00pm fixture 

We are also looking for guest speakers for a pre-competition ‘How to: Moot’ workshop for LSS members. This will take place:  Monday 30 April 2018 at 6:00pm 

The preliminary and semi-final rounds will take place at the Monash University Law Chambers at 555 Lonsdale St, Melbourne. 

We invite you to please follow this link to record your preference as to which dates you would be interested to judge this competition. We encourage judges to participate in multiple sessions.

If you are unable to participate as a judge or guest speaker for the JD Moot, the LSS Competition Portfolios will be hosting other competitions throughout the year. You can find further details of each by visiting the LSS (JD) Competitions webpage and the LSS (LLB) Competitions webpage.  

Should you require any further information, please contact Chad Drever, JD Competitions Director, on 0401 039 351 or at jd.competitions@monashlss.com.  

Profession CPD & Events
Court of Appeal Appellate Advocacy Training

Throughout April and May the Court of Appeal will be hosting two-part practical appellate advocacy workshops for both criminal and civil areas of law. In these free workshops, Judges of Appeal, together with members of the Victorian Bar, will demonstrate appellate advocacy in action. Learn what works (and what does not), how to make it work for you and how to develop your own appellate practice. These workshops are primarily aimed at barristers or solicitors practising or wishing to practise in the Court of Appeal.

Click here for more information.

 

Inquire Australia - Meet the new IBAC Commissioner

Inquire Australia invites you to meet the new IBAC Commissioner, the Hon Robert Redlich QC.

Meet the new IBAC Commissioner, the Hon Robert Redlich QC, as he speaks about IBAC, his role and functions, and the risk of corruption.

Cost: Free
Date: 10 May 2018
Time:  Doors open 7.15am for light breakfast
            Presentation 7.40am – 8.45am
Venue: Monash Law Chambers, 555 Lonsdale St, Melbourne.
RSVP: https://www.greenslist.com.au/attendee-register/Inquire-Australia-A-Breakfast-Seminar-with-The-Honourable-Robert-Redlich-QC

Kindly hosted by Greens List.

Monash University - An industry panel debates the challenges to the sustainability of legal practice in the 21st Century

The Panel

Join the new Legal Services Commissioner and a panel of lawyers drawn from small to medium private, government and in-house practice as they discuss and debate the challenges to the sustainability of legal practice in the 21st Century.

Expert Panellists

Fiona McLeay, Victorian Legal Services Commissioner
Peter Moran, Principal, Peer Legal
Adrian Shavitsky, Director,Commercial Law, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport & Resources
Tarryn Billings, Senior Corporate Solicitor, Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

DATE: Tuesday 15 May, 2018
TIME: 7.45am – 8.45am (7.15am light breakfast served)
VENUE: Monash Law Chambers, 555 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
RSVP: Wednesday 9 May Click HERE

Click here for more information and to register for this event. 

La Trobe Law School lunchtime seminar & Law Week event

Topic: Decoding Privacy Protection in Australia: Future Directions and Challenges

Speakers: Professor David Watts (former Victorian Privacy Commissioner) and Dr Bridget Bainbridge (privacy by design expert)

Location: La Trobe University, City Campus, 360 Collins Street, Level 2, Room 2.15, Melbourne, VIC 3000

Date & time: Wed. 16 May 2018, 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm AEST

Registration and further information: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/decoding-privacy-protection-in-australia-future-directions-and-challenges-tickets-44578171511

Deakin Law School - What is parole and its purpose?

What is parole and its purpose?
Wednesday, 16 May 2018
4.30pm – 5.30pm followed by refreshments
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 1 Gheringhap Street

What is the parole process, and what myths surround parole? Hear from His Honour Peter Couzens, Chairperson of the Adult Parole Board, as he visits Geelong to speak with the local community about parole and the Board during Law Week.

His Honour Peter Couzens will explain the parole process and challenge some of the myths around parole and the Board.

This session is open to anyone who wants to learn more about parole. At its conclusion, Deakin Law School has organised refreshments so that the audience has the opportunity to speak with His Honour Peter Couzens and senior Board staff.

This is a free information session, however registration is essential.

Deakin Law School - The Stated Purposes Canon

The Stated Purposes Canon
Friday, 18 May 2018
12.15pm (light lunch) with the seminar commencing at 1.00pm
Deakin Downtown, Collins Square, 727 Collins Street, Melbourne

Deakin Law School, in conjunction with the Statutes and Governance Project* invites you to a seminar on The Stated Purposes Canon with Professor Kevin Stack, the Lee S. and Charles A. Speir Chair in Law at the Vanderbilt University Law School in the United States.

The purpose of this seminar is to defend the stated purposes canon—and seeks to prompt a conversation on its role in both statutory interpretation and the role of enacted purposes in statutory design.
*The Statutes and Governance Project is a collaborative research project involving public law and legislation scholars from the Deakin Law School, the Monash University Faculty of Law and the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law at the University of New South Wales.

This is a free seminar however, registration is essential. See the Deakin Law School newsroom to register

La Trobe Law School lunchtime seminar: Child abuse litigation - a legal revolution

Topic: Child abuse litigation – a legal revolution
Speaker: Alan Collins
Location: La Trobe University, Bundoora Campus, Social Sciences building, level 2, room SS232 (Moot Court)
Date & time: Friday 18 May 2018, 12noon – 1pm

Registration and further details: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/child-abuse-litigation-a-legal-revolution-tickets-45191523062

Chartered Institute of Arbitrators - Accelerated Route Towards Fellowship Course 23 -24 June 2018

Fast track your way to a career in international commercial arbitration. Registrations are now open for the 2018 CIArb Accelerated Route Towards Fellowship (ARF) course which will be held from 23 - 24 June 2018 at the Melbourne Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Centre.  Delivered by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) this course is intended for suitably qualified candidates who are practising lawyers with at least 10 years’ standing and who have  experience in arbitration.  The Course syllabus is based on international arbitration law and it is essential that candidates have at least a reasonable working knowledge of the UNCITRAL Model Law and UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. CIArb accreditation carries a global qualification in the growing practice of international arbitration.   Places are limited. For further details and to register please click here.

See the future of justice at the AIJA’s Forces of Change conference: May 24-26, 2018 in Brisbane

What will 2050's court system look like? Will technological advances merely create the need for new laws or do they present a threat to the rule of law? Does the legal profession still have a future?  And if so, what is it? How do "lawyerbots" actually work? And do videolink hearings represent the future of the court system or a breakdown of the division between court and prison?

These are just a few of the questions to be raised at “Forces of Change: Defining Future Justice”, the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration’s next conference, 24 - 26 May at Brisbane’s Stamford Plaza Hotel.

The conference aims to conceptualise and visualise the shape of future justice and hold an in-depth conversation on the fundamental principles that underpin our concept of justice but may be challenged in a period of significant change and disruption.

The line-up of speakers contributing is an eclectic mix of judges, academics and tech-experts. It includes the Chief Justice of New Zealand, Dame Sian Elias, the High Court's Justice Michelle Gordon, Justice Helen Winkelmann from NZ’s Court of Appeal and Chief Judge Peter Kidd of the County Court. Other speakers will include  Mr Murray Bruce, formerly with IBM’s AI platform "Watson", CSIRO IP expert Mr Rajiv Cabraal, lawyerbot inventors Mr Athol Birtley and Mr Adrian Cartland, and “blockchain” expert Dr Philippa Ryan, from the University of Technology, Sydney

Beginning with a keynote talk on "the world in the year 2050", the conference will feature an opening address on the experience of the use of technology in the legal system in England and Wales, by the Right Hon Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, the former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. This will be followed by a panel discussion chaired by Radio National’s The Law Report presenter Damien Carrick.

Subsequent sessions include: a hands-on introduction to lawyerbots and AI; a look at the new laws that will be required by new technologies; and a survey of the future mental health needs of judicial officers and court staff. To close, a session on "management of change" will challenge participants to identify their own views. Are you an "early adopter"? Or a "maintain the rager"? Come along and join the conversation.

See the program and register at http://www.futurejustice2018.com/

Monash University - Law in the Digital World

The age of technology and cyberspace has given rise to fascinating legal issues including in relation to privacy, big data, artificial intelligence and blockchain. Regulators are attempting to understand and keep up. This expert panel will consider some of the evolving issues that confront lawyers.

Date: Wednesday, 6 June 2018
Time: 5.15pm – 6.15pm
Venue: Court 8A, Federal Court of Australia, Owen Dixon Commonwealth Law Courts Building, 305 William Street, Melbourne
RSVP: Monday 4 June 2018, online at http://www.monash.edu/law/research/centres/clars 

Click here to download the event flyer. 

7th LAWASIA Family Law & Children's Rights Conference

Date: 6 - 8 June 2018, Vientiane, Laos 
Venue: Crowne Plaza Vientiane 
Website: http://www.lawasia.asn.au/familylaw2018.html  
Theme: ‘Family Law: Realities, Expectations and Hope’ 
Registration: Opening in February 

Keynote Speaker: The Honourable John Pascoe AC CVO 

The conference will focus on a range of cross border family law and children’ rights issues including: 
 

  • trafficking of the vulnerable;
  • surrogacy and ethical challenges;
  • impact of social media on family law;
  • support for families and children in distress;
  • effective negotiations and understanding the client, the lawyer and the child;
  • technology in family law practice;
  • International family law and Conventions;
  • the protection of vulnerable members of the family;
  • estrangement and alienation and future world – family law in the next decade.


Please visit the conference website to register and for more information on travel, accommodation and the conference program: http://www.lawasia.asn.au/familylaw2018.html   

Melbourne Law School Events - Public Law Conference

Date: 11-13 July 2018
Venue: Melbourne Law School

From 11 - 13 July 2018, Melbourne Law School will hold the third biennial Public Law Conference, co-organised by the University of Melbourne and the University of Cambridge. The theme of the 2018 conference is ‘The Frontiers of Public Law’. The Public Law series is the pre-eminent regular forum for the discussion of public law matters in the common law world. The first two conferences in the series were held at Cambridge in 2014 and 2016. The 2018 conference will feature approximately 80 speakers, including leading judges, practitioners and scholars from across the common law world, and bring together over 300 delegates to discuss the most important issues in public law today. Keynote speakers include Lord Mance (UKSC), Hon Mr Kenneth Hayne (formerly HCA), Justice Debbie Mortimer (FCA), Sir Jack Beatson (English Court of Appeal), Justice Grant Huscroft (Ontario Court of Appeal), Justice Matthew Palmer (NZ High Court), Prof Cheryl Saunders (Melbourne), Prof David Feldman (Cambridge), Prof Anne Davies (Oxford), Prof Carol Harlow (LSE), Prof Mark Aronson (UNSW), Prof Anne Twomey (Sydney), Prof Benedict Kingsbury (NYU), and Prof Megan Davis (UNSW).

For further information and to register please visit our website: http://law.unimelb.edu.au/public-law-conference

Melbourne Law School Events - Obligations IX Conference

Date: 17 - 20 July 2018
Venue: Melbourne Law School

From 17 - 20 July 2018, Melbourne Law School will host the 9th biennial Obligations Conference in conjunction with the Faculty of Law at the University of Oxford. The biennial Obligations Conferences bring together scholars and practitioners from throughout the common law world to discuss current issues in contract law, the law of torts, equity, and unjust enrichment. The Obligations Conference is the leading international forum for discussion of these subject areas. Approximately 90 presentations will be made over the three days of the conference, including keynote presentations by Professor Andrew Burrows (Oxford), the Hon Justice James Edelman (High Court of Australia), the Hon Justice Michelle Gordon (High Court of Australia), Professor Birke Häcker (Oxford), the Hon Justice Mark Leeming (NSW Court of Appeal), Professor Matthew Harding (Melbourne), and Professor Liam Murphy (NYU).

For further information and to register please visit our website: http://law.unimelb.edu.au/obligations9

Careers & Opportunities
The Victorian Government - Expressions of Interest in the position of Crown Counsel

The Victorian Government seeks expressions of interest in the position of Crown Counsel, initially for 12 months, with the possibility of extension.

Crown Counsel is a full time, public office created under the prerogative power of the Crown. Appointment as Crown Counsel is made by the Governor in Council.

A Victorian Crown Counsel provides legal advice to, and appears as counsel for, the (Victorian) Attorney-General and the Executive Government of Victoria. This may extend to:

  • providing high-level legal advice to the Secretary, Department of Justice and Regulation and, by arrangement with the Attorney-General, the Premier, other Ministers, and other departments and agencies;
  • appearing as counsel for the Secretary, Department of Justice and Regulation and, by arrangement with the Attorney-General, for the Premier, other Ministers, other departments and agencies, in courts, tribunals and inquiries,
  • conducting reviews and investigations at the direction of the Attorney-General; and
  • performing other related duties, as required by the Attorney-General.

Substantial experience as a senior member of the Australian legal profession, including advocacy in superior courts, is essential. Demonstrated expertise in legal practice in Victoria would be useful. Candidates must be aware of the need, and demonstrate capacity, to manage effectively any conflicts of interest that arise during their term in office.

Remuneration for the role may be subject to negotiation, but is typically equivalent to that for Victorian Public Service Executive Officers (band 2).

Expressions of interest, consisting of a brief covering letter and Curriculum Vitae (CV), should be submitted by 31 May 2018, either via email to: civillaw@justice.vic.gov.au or via post, to:

Mr Donald Speagle
Deputy Secretary, Civil Justice Department of Justice and Regulation 121 Exhibition Street
MELBOURNE VIC 3000 

For further information, please ring Donald Speagle, Deputy Secretary, Civil Justice, Department of Justice and Regulation: (03) 8684 7825. 

LCA Business Law Section - Scholarships

Baxt Prize

The Baxt Prize honours the contribution of Professor Robert (‘Bob’) Baxt AO to business law in Australia. The 2018 Baxt Prize will be awarded for a research paper of outstanding quality dealing with any aspect of penalties in corporate and commercial regulation. The value of the Baxt Prize is $7500.00.

Click here to view the prize flyer.

Click here to download the application form. 

Scholarship entries close at 5pm, 30 August 2018 AEST.


Forsyth Pose Scholarship

The Forsyth/Pose Scholarship is offered by the Business Law Section of the Law Council of Australia (BLS) for papers on a topic in the field of taxation law. It was offered for the first time in 2013 to commemorate leading taxation law practitioners Neil Forsyth QC and Kevin Pose. Both were
long-standing members of the BLS specialist Taxation Committee.

Click here to view the scholarship flyer.

Click here to download the application form. 

Scholarship entries close at 5pm, 30 August 2018 AEST.


Gaire Blunt Scholarship

The Gaire Blunt Scholarship is offered by the Business Law Section of the Law Council of Australia (BLS) for papers on a topic in the field of competition law. First awarded in 2008, it commemorates Gaire Blunt, a leading competition law practitioner and a partner at Allen Allen & Hemsley (now Allens) from 1970 to 2005.

Click here to view the scholarship flyer.

Click here to download the application form. 

Scholarship entries close at 5pm, 30 August 2018 AEST.


Santow Scholarship

The Santow Scholarship is offered by the Business Law Section of the Law Council of Australia (BLS) for papers on a topic in the field of corporations law. Offered for the first time in 2014, it commemorates the Hon Kim Santow AO, a former Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and prior to that a leading corporations law practitioner at Freehills.

Click here to view the scholarship flyer.

Click here to download the application form. 

Scholarship entries close at 5pm, 30 August 2018 AEST.

Scholarship to attend the IBA Rome Conference

Each year, the International Bar Association (IBA) holds an Annual Conference, which attracts the participation of some 6000 lawyers from more than 100 jurisdictions. Scholarships are awarded to young lawyers who wish to participate at the Annual Conference, but may find it financially difficult to do so. 

The 2018 scholarships are now OPEN.

Click here for more information. 

Australian Academy of Law - Notice of Annual Essay Prize 2018

The Australian Academy of Law is pleased to announce the offering of its Annual Essay Prize for 2018.

The Prize is open to anyone, wherever resident, who is studying or has studied legal subjects at a tertiary level, or who is working or has worked in a law based occupation. There is no limit by reference to the age or seniority or experience of, or position held by, a person who may submit an entry. Accordingly, judicial officers, legal practitioners, legal academics and law students are all eligible to submit an essay.

The amount of the Prize is $10,000.

The essay topic for the Prize in 2018 is as follows:

“Rights and freedoms under the Australian Constitution: what are they and do they meet the needs of contemporary Australian society?”

The deadline for the submission of an essay is 31 August 2018 and persons intending to submit an essay must notify the Academy of that intention in writing via the Academy’s website to be received by 30 June 2018. Both of these time limits are strictly observed, as the Rules Governing the Annual Essay Prize make clear.

Those Rules can be accessed on the Academy’s website: www.academyoflaw.org.au

Refer to the Academy’s website also for further information about notification of intention to enter and about the actual submission of an entry.

Cyngler Consulting - National Mediator Accreditation – Early Bird Offer ends 22 May 2018

Registrations are now open for our June 6 day National Mediator Accreditation program scheduled in Melbourne. The program gives participants the opportunity to learn Conflict Transformation skills and receive their mediator training assessment as required by the National Mediator Accreditation System and upon successful assessment apply to become a Nationally Accredited Mediator.

Click on the below link for more information and to register.

National Mediator Accreditation Course
June 22 to 27 Melbourne

Visit our website www.cynglerconsulting.com for more information or join our mailing list to keep informed on courses that are coming up.

Deadline for the next issue:5pm, 10th May 2018