In Brief Issue #869

15Jun

Victorian Bar joins the Law Library of Victoria

I am very pleased to be able to inform members that the Victorian Bar last week signed a service agreement with the Law Library of Victoria which will dramatically increase the library services and research materials that are available to all members.

With effect from 1 July 2018:

  • the Richard Griffith Library on level 1 of Owen Dixon Chambers will formally become part of the Law Library of Victoria;
  • members will have 24/7 access from terminals in the Richard Griffith Library to the same electronic research databases that are available in the Supreme Court library and to the judiciary;
  • the available loose-leaf services and text books available in the Richard Griffith Library will be significantly increased, with a budget for new acquisitions each year;
  • an online, searchable catalogue will be available for all resources in the Law Library of Victoria, including the Richard Griffith Library;
  • a qualified librarian will be on site at the Richard Griffith Library, at advertised times, to provide reference enquiry and research services to members;
  • support will be available to locate and supply research materials that are not held in our collection; for example, by way of interlibrary loans;
  • training and information sessions will be available to members; and
  • members will have enhanced rights to borrow books and other materials from the Supreme Court Library collection.

Online services that will be available 24/7 from terminals in the Richard Griffith Library will include:

  • AGIS Plus Text – Australian legal articles
  • Australian Bankruptcy Law and Practice (including Australian Bankruptcy Cases)
  • CCH Intelliconnect - commentary
  • Court Forms, Precedents and Pleadings Victoria
  • Hein Online – American and Australian legal articles
  • ICLR – law reports from England and Wales
  • Lawlex – Australian legislation material
  • LexisNexis AU – judgments and commentary (including Casebase, Cross on Evidence, Halsbury’s Laws of Australia, and many other services)
  • Timebase – Australian legislation material
  • Westlaw AU – judgments and commentary (including FirstPoint, The Laws of Australia, and many other services)
  • Westlaw UK and Westlaw Next – international judgments, legislation and commentary

Additional resources that will be available in hard copy from the Richard Griffith Library will include:

  • Administrative Law Decisions
  • Australian Immigration Law
  • Australian Law Journal and Reports
  • Civil Procedure Victoria
  • Commonwealth Law Reports
  • Federal Court Reports
  • New South Wales Law Reports
  • Practice and Procedure, High Court and Federal Court of Australia
  • South Australian State Reports
  • Tasmanian Reports
  • Western Australian Reports

The signing of the service agreement is the culmination of many months of negotiation and hard work and is a major achievement, for which I thank the Bar Office staff, particularly our CEO Sarah Fregon; General Manager, Member Services Rachel Chrapot; and In-House Compliance and Governance Lawyer Jayne Sandri. Thanks too to our Library Committee and members of Bar Council who have worked to achieve this major benefit for all members.
 

Queen’s Birthday Honours

Congratulations are due to our members who were honoured in the Queen’s Birthday 2018 Honours List for their outstanding contributions to our communities.  They are:

Victorian Practising Counsel – Victorian Bar Division A I:

Colin Golvan AM QC: for significant service to the law, to legal education, particularly support for Indigenous students, and to the arts through governance and philanthropy.

Judicial and Other Officers – Victorian Bar Division B:

The Honourable Justice Stephen Estcourt AM: for significant service to the judiciary as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Tasmania, to legal education, and to professional law societies.

Academics – Victorian Bar Division D:

Professor Timothy Lindsey AO (Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor at the University of Melbourne and the Malcolm Smith Professor of Asian Law): for distinguished service to international relations, particularly in promoting understanding between Indonesia and Australia, as an academic, and to legal education in Islamic law.

I hope I might be forgiven for singling out Colin Golvan AM QC, as a currently practising member of the Bar, for special mention. Every year, Indigenous law students receive mentoring and other support for their legal careers from programs that Colin has been instrumental in establishing as Chair of the Victorian Bar Indigenous Lawyers Committee (originally, the Aboriginal Law Students Mentoring Committee) and as Chair of Trustees of the Indigenous Barristers Fund.  Colin had a varied and interesting career before coming to our Bar, including stints as a professional playwright, a journalist with the Associated Press based in Tel Aviv, and a lawyer with Phillips Fox (now DLA Piper). He signed the Bar Roll on 24 November 1988 and took silk on 17 December 2002.

As a close college, I know I speak for everyone in saying that we share a measure of pride in seeing the achievements of our members recognised in the honours list.
 

Wellbeing at the Victorian Bar survey

Thank you to those of you who have already completed our ‘Wellbeing at the Victorian Bar’ survey. As of this morning, nearly 500 members have submitted responses. 

We need more!

It’s important that we have a broad cross section of our membership complete the survey, from those who are not experiencing difficulties as well as those who may be, to give us a complete picture of health and wellbeing at the Bar.

If you haven’t completed the survey, please do so – it will only take 8-10 minutes and the link is here. 
 

Appointments and Farewells

This morning, Simon Marks QC represented the Bar at the ceremonial welcome by the profession to his Honour Judge Michael Cahill.  Simon’s speech may be read here

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, and to the Hon Justice Lasry at a ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court on Friday 22 June 2018 at 5:00 pm.

The profession will extend a Welcome to Magistrate Tara Hartnett at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 28 June 2018.

The Hon Justice Joseph Santamaria will retire as a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria (sitting on the Court of Appeal) with effect from midnight on 14 July 2018. His Honour has elected not to have a farewell ceremonial sitting, but we wish him all the very best in post-judicial life.
 

One more thing

On Tuesday, the Honourable Stephen Charles AO QC and I presented a CPD seminar on this year’s Silk application process. A video of the information session will be published to the CPD catalogue for members during the next week. More information and application forms can be found on the Supreme Court’s website.  I remind interested members that applications close at 5pm sharp on Thursday 5 July.

Vicbar News & Events
Early-bird registrations closing EOFY - HK 2018 ICLC

Early-bird registrations are open until 30 June 2018 for the Hong Kong 2018 International Commercial Law Conference – see our website to register and for details on the program, accommodation and flights. 

We are delighted to announce that our Gala Dinner will be held at the exclusive, members-only China Club: opened by the late entrepreneur, David Tang, the opulent club is located at the top of the Old Bank of China building and is home to a unique collection of contemporary Chinese art, incredible Cantonese food, and unparalleled views of Hong Kong.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to receive conference updates. 

 

ADJOURNED - 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:

  • We are still accepting applications, submit your application to hk2018iclc@vicbar.com.au
  • Finalists shortlisted 7 June 2018; details to follow
  • Speaking Competition on Thursday 14 June 2018 updated details to follow  

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 attended by fellow barristers and young solicitors 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. 
 

PC & PII Renewal 2018/19 - $176 surcharge applies for renewals made between 1 June - 30 June

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: 

The Victorian Bar Foundation’s Student Achievement Award and Mentoring Program

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 letter can be found at the following link https://www.vicbar.com.au/sites/default/files/Donation%20Letter.pdf and the Foundation’s donation form can be found at the following link - https://www.vicbar.com.au/sites/default/files/Donation%20Form%20.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
Victorian Bar Member CPD Events
Vicbar Life
3 Day Thomson Reuters Book Sale – 19, 20 & 21 June

Thomson Reuters will be holding their 3 day end of year book sale from Tuesday 19 to Thursday 21 June in the Peter O'Callaghan QC Gallery, Owen Dixon Chambers.

The book sale will run from 9am – 5pm each day with a wide variety of books available. Barristers will receive a minimum of 20% off all local titles, including new release and pre-orders as well as a large range of clearance titles with up to 60% the RRP. There is also a minimum 15% discount off international titles from Sweet & Maxwell. 

This is also a great opportunity for barristers to meet with Thomson Reuters representative Travis Mether and accredited Westlaw AU trainer Mary Dossis to ask legal research questions, get product information or have a Westlaw AU or ProView demonstration on either laptop or iPad.

Click here to view sale book list or visit the website for the full range: http://legal.thomsonreuters.com.au/law-books/sale/

For more information please contact Travis Mether via email travis.mether@thomsonreuters.com.au

BottledSnail Productions - Lyrical Lunchtimes

BottledSnail Productions presents the third in its Lyrical Lunchtimes concert series for the year on Thursday, 21 June at 1.15pm. Come to the Supreme Court Law Library at 1.15pm and hear some great music from pianists Chloe Lee and Jonathan Xian, vocalist Carolyn Baker and humorous legal songs from trio Shannon Finnegan, Matt Harvey and Bill Swannie. Entry is free and there is no need to book. For enquiries contact Kylie Weston-Scheuber on kylie.weston-scheuber@bottledsnail.com.

Saints in Law drinks and canapés on Wednesday 27 June 2018 at RACV Club

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. 

The Essoign - Lex Pistols perform live

The Lex Pistols are back to perform live at the Essoign on Thursday the 28th of June from 6pm.

Join us in wishing The Honourable Justice Lex Lasry all the very best pre mid-year vacation. An event not to be missed

Click here to download the event flyer. 

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.

Refugee Film Festival Melbourne

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 Essoign - A Night at the Opera

Opera comes to the Essoign on Friday the 17th of August.

The Melba Opera Trust’s latest production takes you on a recital journey of evincing beauty and passion from all corners of the globe.

The sublime loveliness of Mozart, the volatile love of Carmen and the elegance of the French opera Hamlet and a swirl through the romance of Broadway with Bolcom.

This will be an evening to delight, captivate and enthralling in equal measure. Featuring some of Australia’s finest young operatic voices, this is an event not to be missed.  

Book now at www.trybooking.com/WFWU

Click here to download the event flyer.

Member Benefits Australia - June exclusive member offers

Don't miss these EOFY member deals from Land Rover, Mazda, LG and more!

Practice & Profession News
Retirement of the Honourable Justice Vickery

Date: Tuesday 19 Jun 2018
Time: 5.45 pm for a 6.00 pm start
Location: Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Level 25, 567 Collins Street

You are invited to join us to mark the retirement of

The Honourable Justice Vickery

Judge-in-charge of the Technology, Engineering and Construction List, Supreme Court of Victoria

Patron of

The Society of Construction Law Australia and Melbourne TEC Chambers

More information is available on this flyer

Please use the register tab to rsvp.

2,000% increase in ice offences sentenced over the past 10 years, new study finds

The drug ice (methylamphetamine) was the key driver behind a 91% increase in the annual number of charges of possessing and using illicit drugs sentenced in Victoria’s Magistrates’ Court, a new report has found.

Click here to view the media release. 

Access to Justice – Fitzroy Legal Service

Fitzroy Legal Service is holding a fundraising campaign for our public interest law work.  

We’ve had some great impact with our public interest work in recent times:

  • We prompted changes to the secrecy provisions in the Australian Border Force Act
  • Forced the release of the business case for the East West Link
  • Got children relocated from Barwon maximum security adult prison
  • Successfully campaigned against the City of Melbourne’s ‘anti-camping’ and ‘move on’ laws
  • And just this week we lodged a submission urging the Victorian Government to reconsider the proposed amendments mandating imprisonment for assaults against emergency workers

Your support will help us continue to stand up to government overreach and unjust laws.

Profession CPD & Events
Victoria Law Foundation Better Information Workshop - Plain language and community legal education

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.

Date: Thursday 21 June 2018
Time: 9:30 am–12:00 pm
Venue: Victoria Law Foundation Level 5, 43 Hardware Lane, Melbourne
Cost: Free

Click here for more information and to register. 

Deakin Law School: Only offenders can stop reoffending - Join speaker Mark Johnson, MBE

Date: Wednesday, 27 June 2018, 2pm – 4pm
Venue: Geelong Corporate Centre, Deakin University Waterfront Campus, Sally Walker Building, Cunningham Street, Geelong

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

Privacy, Technology & Cyber Security Conference

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.

La Trobe Law School - Networks of Complicity and Networks of Empowerment: The Influence of Social Networks on Ethical Decision-making

Date & Time: Monday 2 July 2018, 12noon-1pm
Venue: La Trobe University, Melbourne (Bundoora) campus, Martin Building, Level 2, room 241
Presenter: Meme Drumwright

Unethical conduct has been uncovered in many types of organizations—businesses, governments, and non-profits. In some cases, it is surprisingly persistent, occurs over the long-term, and is tacitly acknowledged as “the way things are done around here.” The widespread revelations of inappropriate behaviour within Hollywood production houses and newsrooms illustrate the prevalence of sexual harassment and abuse (e.g., Harvey Weinstein, Roger Ailes, Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose).

The accounting fraud that resulted in the ultimate demise of Enron is another example of long-term unethical and illegal conduct. Volkswagen Diesel’s cheating in emissions testing, and SNCLavalin’s bribery of foreign officials both show the extent of damage unethical conduct can create within organizations. In all of these cases, knowledge of the ethical issue was widespread throughout the organization, tacitly supported, and ignored. Victims or individuals with the courage to speak out against the “norm of unethical behaviour,” in contrast, were isolated, silenced, and felt powerless.

We propose that integrating two theories—network theory and behavioural ethics theory—will be helpful in understanding and explaining this phenomenon. In particular, we suggest that networks of complicit and powerful individuals form around the perpetrator and enable on-going unethical conduct. The network supports the leader or other manager, and it is instrumental in making the behaviour part of the culture. We label these networks “networks of complicity.” In contrast, “networks of empowerment”—e.g., #MeToo, #PressForward, and “Time’s Up”—can form within or outside the focal organizations. Networks of empowerment draw attention to the perpetrator, sanction the conduct, and support the victims. These networks help people give voice to their values and enable positive change.

Based on in-depth interviews, we are examining both networks of complicity and networks of empowerment to understand the factors that support their formation and activation. Though the study is in the early phases of data collection, theoretical concepts, initial observations, and some tentative findings will be presented.

Click here for further registration and further details.

Law Library of Victoria - Switch On… Legislation – Victorian Parliamentary Procedure

Date & Time: Thursday 5 July, 1.15pm-1.40pm

The Law Library of Victoria invites you to attend our Switch On… information sessions. These twenty-five minute sessions are suited to judicial officers, court staff, legal professionals, law students, and anyone with an interest in law.

This session, presented by the staff of the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel, will inform you about the Victorian legislative process. Find out the facts behind the process, from setting the legislative program, drafting of Bills, and the passage of Bills from Parliament through to the commencement of legislation.

All are welcome and entry is free. To register please email libraryevents@supcourt.vic.gvov.au

Law Library of Victoria - Rare Book Week 2018: Legal Luminaries and their books

Date & Time: Friday 6 July, 1.00pm-2.00pm

As part of Melbourne Rare Book Week 2018, the Law Library of Victoria brings together a discussion panel of eminent members of the legal community to share their passion for books. Held annually in the iconic Supreme Court Library, this session is intended to celebrate the richness of the written word and the beauty of the book. After presentations from panellists, audience members will be invited to offer questions to the panel to stimulate further discussion.

All are welcome and entry is free. Bookings are required, visit Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/rare-book-week-2018-legal-luminaries-and-their-books-tickets-44616857221?aff=es2 for more details.

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

ASEAN Law Conference 2018 in Singapore

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. 

The Commercial Law Association of Australia - 30th anniversary Journal of Contract Law conference

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 Biennial Conference Sydney

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. 

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. 

2018 International Criminal Law Congress

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. 

ABA Conference – ‘super special’ early bird registration for juniors

Date: 15-17 November 2018

Registration is now open for the Australian Bar Association Conference which is being held at the International Convention Centre in Sydney from 15-17 November 2018.  If you are under 7 years at the bar, they are offering a ‘super special junior early registration’ for the first 50 juniors that register. Total cost for two day registration is $1,250.  Early bird registrations close on 13 July 2018. There is also a discount available for the junior bar who register with in-house counsel.  Further details in the notice below.

Upcoming Family Law conferences

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.  

Jam Boutique Conferences: Family Law Conference - 9 -12 June 2019

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

Careers & Opportunities
The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Competence Course

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.

Language, Communication and the Legal Process Postgraduate - LAW 5443

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. 

Resolution Institute: Legal Finance – the what, the why and the how of funding for Alternative Dispute Resolution

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. 

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.

CIArb Asia Pacific Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration

Date: 28 July - 5 August 2018

Following the success in Singapore in 2016 and Hong Kong in 2017 this pre-eminent tertiary course offers a prestigious globally recognised qualification and is aimed at meeting the  increasing demands for

accredited arbitrators and arbitration practitioners to resolve cross border disputes in the Asia Pacific and beyond.

The course fee includes entry to not only the course but high-end networking/social events including the course dinner which will have The Hon Christian Porter, Attorney General of Australia as the guest speaker.

To register and gain further information, you can visit https://www.ciarb.net.au/training/diploma2018/about-the-course/  but the following snapshot may assist. 

Entry Requirements are as follows:

  • Practising lawyers and other professionals who are familiar with legal reasoning and concepts and are involved in arbitration (domestic or international) and who wish to increase their knowledge and understanding of international commercial arbitration.
  • Associates or Members of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators who have experience of domestic arbitration practice and wish to extend their knowledge to include international arbitration procedures.
  • 3 August 2018: Course  Dinner
     The Western Australia Club
    Level 11/12 St Georges Terrace, Perth WA 6000
    Guest Speaker:  The Hon Christian Porter, Attorney General of Australia
  • Official Accommodation Provider

Intercontinental City Centre Perth

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.

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.

LCIL - A five-day, high-level introduction to international investment law and arbitration

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, 21st June 2018