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In Brief Issue #867
1Jun
Family and Federal Circuit Court restructure
On Tuesday, Commonwealth Attorney-General the Hon Christian Porter MP released details of the government’s plans to reform the Family and Federal Circuit Courts with effect from 1 January 2019. The plans include an effective merger of the Courts so that users will have a single port of entry, with appeals in family law matters to be heard in the Federal Court.
In our media release, I said that while we are still studying details of the proposed reforms, the Victorian Bar welcomes reforms that improve access to justice, simplify procedures and reduce waiting times and costs for people who are dealing with family law issues - often the most difficult and emotional periods of their lives.
Wellbeing at the Victorian Bar survey
On Tuesday we launched the online Wellbeing at the Victorian Bar survey, which will open on Monday via our website.
It is important that the survey is comprehensive, so that we can ‘take the pulse’ of the Bar and obtain meaningful data from which to develop further the health and wellbeing resources that are available to members. I strongly encourage all members to participate, for the good of the profession, our colleagues and ourselves.
Mental Health podcast
The Law Institute of Victoria has produced two excellent podcasts on the topic of mental health and wellbeing for lawyers, hosted by journalist Leon Gettler. The podcast explored why lawyers and judicial officers are especially vulnerable to mental health problems and the measures being put in place by different parts of the profession.
I was interviewed in the first podcast about mental health issues for barristers. I spoke of our vulnerabilities, which can include long hours, poor work-life balances, uncertain workflows, working in isolated circumstances, and difficult-to-reconcile expectations from courts, other barristers, solicitors and clients. We can at times seek to portray an air of being in control and invulnerability so that others feel they can trust us to make decisions, at the cost of seeking help when we really need it. This is a culture we need to tackle, and the wellbeing and the bar survey mentioned above will be an invaluable tool in that regard.
There are already a number of support services available for members who need them, including our free, independently-run 24 hour counselling service which is available by phoning 9650 5540. We are also fortunate to have many informal support structures, including mentoring, the open-door policy, committees and associations, our clerks, and the hub of the Victorian Bar that is the Essoign club. Our very active Health and Wellbeing Committee is another invaluable source both for support for members and advice to Bar Council.
Barristers’ Consortium
Members interested in finding out more about and joining the Barristers’ Consortium—a collaboration with the Melbourne International Festival of the Arts which has as its objective bringing art works to Melbourne that challenge, provoke and inspire, with a view to shifting public discourse on areas concerning the rule of law, access to justice and equality—are invited to a “mini preview” in the Bar Council Chambers on Level 1 of Owen Dixon Chambers East at 5.15pm on Monday, 4 June. Registrations are essential, email rsvp@vicbar.com.au to register.
Lots going on
Last Friday night we enjoyed a highly successful Bar Dinner, which was testament to outstanding work by the Bar office events team. Special thanks go to our guests of honour, the Hon Chief Justice Susan Kiefel AC and Anne Hassan. The venue, food, wine, entertainment and company were all first notch.
On Saturday, the Bar hosted a meeting of the council of the Australian Bar Association. Jennifer Batrouney QC is Vice-President and I serve as a director. The ABA is a dynamic advocate for the independent Bars of Australia.
On Monday I met with Jazeer Nijamudeen, the President of the Muslim Legal Network (MLN). On Wednesday it was an honour to speak at the MLN’s Iftar dinner, at which President Chris Maxwell was the keynote speaker. The event enabled judges, practitioners, law students and legal academics to come together and share in a meal to break the daily fast during Ramadan. The MLN is to be congratulated on a superb event.
On Wednesday, Simon Marks QC, Junior Vice-President, delivered a highly entertaining speech on behalf of the Bar at the welcome to Justice Lyons. You can read his speech here.
The Junior Bar Conference is being held today in the McPhee Room. By all accounts it is going well. I attended the breakfast event this morning and delivered the keynote speech on the topic of future directions for the Victorian Bar.
Behind the scenes, on Tuesday the Victorian Bar CEO Sarah Fregon and I made a presentation to the Legal Services Board. In turn, the LSB presented to Bar Council on Thursday evening.
Appointments and Farewells
Congratulations to Michael Cahill SC who was this week appointed a Judge of the County Court of Victoria. The profession will extend a Welcome in the County Court on Friday 15 June at 9.15am.
The profession will extend a Farewell to the Hon Justice Robert Osborn at a ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court on Thursday 21 June at 5pm.
The Hon Justice Lex Lasry AM’s retirement from the Bench was also announced just as In Brief went to print last week. His Honour starred in the Bench and Bar’s legendary band The Lex Pistols at the Bar Dinner on Friday night. The profession will extend a Farewell to Justice Lasry at a ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court on Friday 22 June 2018 at 5:00 pm.
Early-bird registrations 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.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to receive conference updates.
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:
- 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?
- ‘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@vicbar.com.au, the deadline for entries has been extended to close of business on Wednesday 6 June 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.
The Victorian Bar Foundation’s Student Achievement Award and Mentoring Program aims to encourage young adults from diverse backgrounds to consider a career at the Bar and convey the message that the Bar is open to all.
In its inaugural year, fifteen of the highest ranking legal studies students from schools in the City of Hume have been awarded a $1,500 prize in recognition of their academic excellence. A wider group of talented legal studies students, including the prize winners, are being mentored by junior barristers from our Bar. The Foundation wishes to express its gratitude to the barristers below, who have generously donated their time to mentor the students from the City of Hume, as well as to past donors to the Foundation who made offering the prize possible.
The Foundation will in due course consider extending the prize and the program to reach further students in future years. The Foundation may also consider including students in other regional areas. If you wish to support the extension of the Student Achievement Award and Mentoring Program, please consider making a donation to the Foundation this year (the Foundation’s donation form can be found at the following link - https://www.vicbar.com.au/sites/default/files/Documents/VBF%20Donation%20Form%202017.pdf).
Thank you to the Victorian Bar Foundation mentors:
- Adam Baker
- Edward Batrouney
- Elizabeth Bennett
- Georgia Berlic
- Oren Bigos
- Kate Bourke
- Kat Brazenor
- Roxanne Burd
- Catherine Button
- Fiona Cameron
- Roshan Chaile
- Georgie Coleman
- Renee Enbom
- Kylie Evans
- Kathleen Foley
- Robert Forrester
- Matthew Goldberg
- Timothy Goodwin
- Krystyna Grinberg
- Min Guo
- Astrid Haban-Beer
- Haroon Hassan
- Justin Hooper
- Mark Hosking
- Leigh Howard
- Rebecca Howe
- Nasos Kaskani
- Angela Lee
- Hadi Mazloum
- Banjo McLachlan
- Nina Moncrief
- Sandip Mukerjea
- Adrian Muller
- Emrys Nekvapil
- Will Newland
- Claire Nicholson
- Charles Parkinson
- Jesse Rudd
- Daniel Sala
- Raelene Sharp
- Tom Smyth
- Daniel Snyder
- Myles Tehan
- Chris Tran
- Caryn van Proctor
- Jillian Williams
PC renewals made between 1 June and 30 June will incur a $176 surcharge.
The LPLC payment of the professional indemnity insurance (PII) premium was due 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:
In this practical workshop with Richard Lawton, you will develop skills in:-
- Vocal delivery strength
- Communication style
- Body language awareness
- Breath control for handling nerves
- Tips for delivering a clear story
Numbers are strictly limited to enable individual coaching and small group practice.
Where: Neil McPhee Room, Level 1 Owen Dixon Chambers East, 205 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
When: Wednesday, June 13, 2018 - 17:00 to 19:00
Cost: $100
Click here to register.
A Re-engagement lunch will take place at 1pm on 19 June 2018 in the Bar Council Chamber, Level 1, Owen Dixon Chambers East.
The purpose of the lunch will be to bring together members of the Bar currently on parental leave, recently returned from parental leave or planning to take parental leave, to discuss how to approach practice after a period of leave, refresh knowledge of practice requirements, and to facilitate reconnection with colleagues.
If you wish to join the lunch please email policy@vicbar.com.au by 1 June and a formal invitation will be sent.
Click here to download Ethics Committee Bulletin No. 1 of 2018.
Upcoming CPD events:
You must be a member of the Victorian Bar and logged into the VicBar website to view the following events.
- Junior Bar Conference
- Leave to Appeal Under Section 148 of the VCAT Act
- Intermediaries: New Rules in Victoria
- Choice of Jurisdiction for Sexual Harassment Claims and Quantum of Damages
- Silks Information Session
- Commanding the Room Workshop
- Serious Injury Applications - Navigating eCourt Books and Electronic Transcript on your iPad or Tablet Device
- The Post Sentence Authority
- Section 38 of the Evidence Act 2008 – Unfavourable witnesses
- Expert Evidence Workshop
Please join us for the LexisNexis End of Financial Year Book Sale
6th and 7th June from 9 AM – 5 PM
Peter O'Callaghan QC Gallery, Owen Dixon Chambers West
525 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne
Enjoy special discounts on various titles!
- 30% off RRP of individual Black and Silver titles
- 30% off RRP of Annotated Annuals
- 30% off RRP of selected front list titles
Build your professional library with new titles and classic favourites. These sale prices are not available on our eStore!
Contact your Relationship Manager, Craig Rodrigues, for special Bulk Purchase Discounts: Craig.Rodrigues@LexisNexis.com.au.
We hope to see you next week but contact Craig if you cannot make the sale event!
You are invited to the Official Opening of Clara Davies’ photographic exhibition, "SELECTUS", at The Essoign Club on Tuesday, 12 June 2018 from 5.00pm.
The exhibition will be officially opened by travel photographer, Richard I'Anson, Canon Master Australia and author of the Lonely Planet Guide to Travel Photography.
Clara’s passion for photography has seen her build a portfolio of images from her travels. In the past five years Clara has ventured to more than 45 countries across all seven continents. Clara has chosen to journey to some of the most wild and remote regions of our planet including Antarctica, South Georgia, the Arctic (even all the way to the North Pole), Patagonia, remote Russia, South America, Africa and the Middle East. Clara’s goal has been to capture the unique beauty of these places.
On the night Clara will be presenting a selection of her favourite images as limited edition photographic prints; all of which have been fine art printed and custom framed.
I hope you can join us on the night for a drink and a chat, and to take a quick journey around the world to some of those places that you might not have already visited.
RSVP no later than Monday 4th June davies@burtdavies.com.au.
Click here to view the event flyer.
Join us on Tuesday 19th June for a three course dinner with matching Henschke wines.
The Henschke family now sixth-generation will take you on a journey of their worldwide recognized exceptional quality wines, innovation and sustainability of their vineyard.
Limited spaces available and bookings are essential. Book at www.trybooking.com/VZLV See attached for more information or to make a booking. For any enquiries please contact Marijana Hegedis on 9225 6748.
Click here to view the event flyer.
Long suffering St Kilda supporters are invited to join CEO Matt Finnis and Head of Football Simon Lethlean for drinks, canapés, and a chat
Click here to download the event flyer.
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.
Come and celebrate Refugee Week with us at the Refugee Film Festival!
We have 5 amazing films from around the world with special Q&A guests including cast members, directors and many more. All films are being held at the beautiful Cinema Nova in Carlton.
Click here for more information.
The Family Law Amendment (2018 Measures No. 1) Rules 2018 and consequential new and amended forms came into effect on 1 March 2018.
An initial grace period of three months (until 1 June 2018) was allowed in relation to compliance with the new forms. This grace period has been extended as follows.
EXTENSION OF GRACE PERIOD
A further six month grace period (until 1 January 2019) will be allowed for compliance with the following updated forms:
- Application for Consent Orders
- Notice of Child Abuse, Family Violence or Risk of Family Violence, and
- Annexure to Proposed Consent Parenting Order.
Subject to any further notifications, you can continue to eFile using the old form until 1 January 2019. Alternatively you can use the new paper forms available on the Court’s website. We will advise you when the electronic form on the Commonwealth Courts Portal has been updated.
LIFTING OF GRACE PERIOD
The grace period will be lifted from 1 June 2018 for the following changes implemented by the Family Law Amendment (2018 Measures No. 1) Rules 2018 to be filed in hard copy:
- Submitting Notice, and
- Notice of Contention.
As eFiling is not yet available for these forms, they must be filed in hard copy. Please contact the registry if you require any assistance in relation to these forms.
The grace period is also lifted from 1 June 2018 for annexures or exhibits to an affidavit. These are to be identified in an affidavit, but should not be filed with the affidavit, in the Family Court of Australia only. There may be exceptions where court orders or the Rules provide otherwise (for example r 15.62 in relation to expert reports).
Further information on the changes is available in the Explanatory Statement to the Amendment Rules.
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.
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 - Chief Justice of the Family Court (AUSTRALIA)
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
In this session you will learn the key principles of good community legal education. In a quickly changing communication landscape these principals underpin producing work across different formats – print, online and video.
When: Thursday 21 June 2018
Time: 9:30 am–12:00 pm
Where: Victoria Law Foundation Level 5, 43 Hardware Lane, Melbourne
Cost: Free
Click here for more information and to register.
Where: Geelong Corporate Centre, Deakin University Waterfront Campus, Sally Walker Building, Cunningham Street, Geelong
When: Wednesday, 27 June 2018, 2pm – 4pm
Mark has a history of crime, homelessness and drug abuse. He has since become a leading figure in the criminal justice reform movement both in the United Kingdom and internationally. Mark’s organisation, User Voice, is led by ex-offenders and works to transform the criminal justice system - see: http://www.uservoice.org.
He is supporting an innovative peer mentoring pilot program in Geelong, a partnership between User Voice, Deakin University, Give Where You Live Foundation, Ian Potter Foundation, Helen McPherson Smith Trust, and the Department of Justice and Regulation.
Register by 18 June by contacting: claire.seppings@deakin.edu.au
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.
The World Law Forum is an independent, non-partisan, international community of change-makers committed to promoting the rule of law and transforming the world through law. The World Law Forum stands to unite a new generation of collaborators and leaders within and beyond law through Advocacy, Education, Innovation and Research. The Forum focuses on issues related to Business and Human Rights; Technology & Cyber Security; Rule of Law and Access to Justice; Freedom of Expression; Environment & Sustainability and Diversity & Inclusion. 3 conferences in 3 different cities (Melbourne, Sydney and New Delhi) on 3 different topics will be running from June to August 2018. More information can be found at www.worldlawforum.org. Follow them on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to receive the most up-to-date information.
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
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
Date: 25 – 28 July 2018
The ASEAN Law Association is pleased to invite you to attend the 13th ASEAN Law Association General Assembly in Singapore, and The ASEAN Law Conference which will be held in conjunction with the 13th ALA General Assembly, from 25 – 28 July 2018.
The theme of The ASEAN Law Conference is "The Power of ONE: Unlocking Opportunities in ASEAN through Law". ALA’s vision for the Conference is to create and curate a world-class legal conference focused on thought-leadership issues pertaining to ASEAN, specifically regarding cross-border commercial and legal opportunities and challenges in the ASEAN Economic Community (“AEC”). In line with this vision, luminaries from ASEAN Member States and beyond have been invited to speak at the Conference on topics including the opportunities and challenges in the AEC, free trade agreements and bilateral investment agreements in ASEAN, competition law, disruptive technologies and financial integration. More than 500 legal professionals hailing from the ASEAN Member States and beyond are expected to attend the Conference.
Click here for more information and to register.
Date: 27 July, 2018
Venue: The Gallery Room, Mitchell Wing, NSW State Library
The Hon Justice Gleeson, Justice Andrew Phang, Associate Professor Goh Yihan, Assistant Professor Eliza Mik, Professor Elisabeth Peden, Professor Woody Hunter, Professor Greg Tolhurst, Associate Professor Katy Barnett, Associate Professor Wayne Courtney, Emeritus Professor John Carter
Click here for more information and to register.
The International Law Association conference is a major international legal event. This year it is to be held in Sydney from August 19 to August 24, 2018.
Early-bird registration closes on Friday 1 June 2018. The current conference schedule and registration links are at https://www.ila2018.org.au/.
With over 200 speakers and numerous panel sessions on topics of private and public international law, maritime law, and international trade law, this is an event not to be missed. Confirmed speakers include the Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia and Lord Mance JSC of the United Kingdom Supreme Court.
The International Criminal Law Congress is being held in the beautiful Byron Bay between 3 and 7 October 2018. The conference is well regarded as a premier criminal law conference, boasting some very impressive speakers. It is a fantastic opportunity to meet other criminal law solicitors and barristers from all over Australia and discuss current issues in criminal law.
Early bird tickets are now available by clicking here.
Social highlights include the welcome drinks at Elements on Byron, the Lawyers Long Lunch on Friday and Congress Dinner on Saturday not to be missed for their networking and conviviality.
Havana Cuba
There will be a family law conference held in Havana Cuba from 7th to 12th April 2019. The conference will take place at the Grand Hotel Kempinski, it will include papers from various barristers, solicitors and others who deal with family law. There will be time to see the city and partake in cultural activities”
Click here to download the conference flyer.
Arctic Conference
Following on from our successful conference in Antarctica in January 2017 there will be a further family Law conference in the Arctic in July 2020. There will be time on board the new ship, the Greg Mortimer, to hold a conference and also partake in the activities on and off the ship.”
Click here to download the conference flyer.
Bali Conference
The 9th annual Family Law conference in Bali is to be held from 8th to 11th June at the Oberoi Hotel. This conference will include a session on negotiation which may be of interest to those who do not practice in family law, and attendees at this conference will be from the Northern Territory, New South Wales and Victoria.
Click here to download the conference flyer.
Join us in sunny Malta for a 3 day conference – registration fee includes:
- Registration and Welcome evening
- 3 night’s accommodation at the Palace Hotel, Sliema Malta (5 star)
- Daily breakfast, morning tea & lunch
- 8 professional development sessions
- Australian and Maltese presenters
Flights not included (but lots of early bird specials about for 2019)
Registration fee
$2,000 conference attendee
$350 non-attendee (sharing room with attendee)
HOW TO REGISTER
Email one of us and we will issue you with tax invoice $500 (per conference attendee) non-refundable deposit is payable with your book and the final payment due 1 April 2019.
Marlene Ebejer: 0411 772 064
marlene@ebejerlawyers.com.au
John Spender: 0409 147 646
john.spender@kennedylaw.com.au
Angela de Mel: 0411 611 171
aedemel@gmail.com
Legal practitioners with experience in criminal law and advocacy, and a passion for the administration of justice, are invited to apply for Senior Crown Prosecutor and Crown Prosecutor positions.
This is an exciting opportunity for suitably qualified and experienced legal practitioners to undertake and support criminal prosecutions on behalf of the Victorian community.
Crown Prosecutors perform a vital role in the criminal justice system, appearing on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions in criminal trials and appeals and providing legal advice to the Office of Public Prosecutions.
Working within the Crown Prosecutors Chambers’ is an opportunity to advance your career and be at the forefront of the move to sophisticated technology changes within criminal law, including e-trials.
The successful applicant/s will prosecute and advise on serious crimes, appear in a wide range of matters in all criminal jurisdictions, including regional courts.
The successful appointee(s) will have access to flexible working conditions.
Salary will be commensurate to relevant experience.
To submit your expression of interest please visit www.careers.vic.gov.au and provide a current CV and cover letter.
For more information please contact:
Chief Crown Prosecutor Brendan Kissane QC
03 9603 7886 or Brendan.Kissane@opp.vic.gov.au
Applications close: 11.59 pm Monday 11 June 2018
The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) in conjunction with Centre for Cultural Competence Australia have developed a cultural competency course titled “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Competence Course”. The course is mapped to three units of core competency and on completion participants will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Centre for Cultural Competence Australia. Participants will also receive a resource pack for their ongoing learning and reference, this will include course notes made during the course, personalised action plan, together with a number of fact sheets and additional
resources.
This course has been developed for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and for people living and working anywhere within Australia. Whether you are delivering services specifically to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, or someone working with the general public or you just want to know more about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people you live with, this course is for you.
It has been developed as a first step in a training pathway and as a pre-cursor to face-to-face, local and role specific cultural training. The course is designed to develop capabilities and build cultural competence whatever your level of knowledge in Aboriginal cultural education.
The cost is $192.50 per person.
We would encourage you to consider undertaking the course in order to develop your ability to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in and out of the justice system, for further details please access https://vals.ccca.com.au.
Applications are open for the 2018 William Ah Ket Scholarship. The annual scholarship is open to final year law students, law graduates undertaking practical legal training and young lawyers with no more than five years’ post-admission experience. The Applicants are required to write a paper researching a topic relating to equality, diversity and the legal profession (or law). The William Ah Ket Scholarship has been devised by the Asian Australian Lawyers Association and is sponsored by Maddocks. Click here for more information.
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.
The 3rd annual Australian ADR Awards 2018 recognise both individual and team excellence in the area of Alternative Dispute Resolution. Nominations for the Awards are open until 7 June 2018. We encourage your nominations. Details of the multiple Award categories and nominations forms are on the Australian Disputes Centre website HERE. Tickets to the Awards Gala Dinner on 10 August are also on sale on the website HERE. Partners are welcome.
It’s not just the barrister standing up in the courtroom who must hone his or her use of language. Language is critical at all stages of the legal process. In this unit, you will learn how language can produce problems in the justice system and how to use language more effectively.
Led by experts drawing upon decades of legal and linguistic experience, this unit will develop your skills in the following areas:
- Conducting effective interviews with clients and witnesses
- Witness statements and affidavits
- Producing effective documents
- Questioning witnesses
- Courtroom communication
- Cross-cultural communication
- Vulnerable people in the legal process
- Using linguistic expertise
Click here to download the course flyer.
Bayside P-12 College in Newport is seeking a barrister volunteer to present to its Year 10 students on Wednesday 13 June 2018 between 11:00 am and 12:40 pm, regarding a career at the Bar. Interested volunteers should contact Kat Brazenor of the Student Engagement Committee at brazenor@vicbar.com.au.
Date: Thursday, 21 June
Time: 5:45pm Registration, 6:00pm Commencement, 7:30pm Close
Venue: MinterEllison, Level 23, Rialto Towers, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne
Join the Victorian Arbitration and Determinative SIG for a discussion on funding in alternative dispute resolution.
Click here for more information and to register.
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.
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.
Date: Monday 17 - Friday 21 September 2018
Fees: £4,500, £3,500 (for registrations by 15 June 2018)
Investment arbitration raises challenges distinct from those raised in other forms international dispute settlement, including complex questions of how to value assets and how to develop and position an arbitration practice in a highly competitive arbitration market. At the end of the five days, participants will be equipped with a unique background in the substantive, procedural and strategic aspects of bringing or defending an investment arbitration.
This five-day programme provides a high-level introduction to international investment law in the context of public international law and practice focusing on recent developments. It offers the opportunity to learn from Cambridge law and business school academics, as well as leading practitioners drawn from major law firms and barristers’ chambers. It is designed both for junior practitioners who are developing a practice in international investment law and for more senior lawyers who wish to re-orient themselves to investment arbitration. Participants will receive a certificate of participation on successful completion of the course.
Click here to download the course flyer.
Deadline for the next issue:5pm, 7th June 2018