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In Brief Issue #984
9Oct
Our commitment to the community
Helping those who are disadvantaged in their quest to obtain justice and defend their legal rights is one of the core tenets of the Victorian Bar, and I’m proud of the real difference that the Victorian Bar’s Pro Bono Scheme makes to those in need.
In November last year, members will remember that we launched our new online Pro Bono Platform, in a ceremony attended by the Victorian Attorney-General and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria. The platform enables courts to refer pro bono work to the Bar through a direct online portal, making the process more efficient and allowing more members of the Bar to be involved in pro bono activities. Since the platform went live at the beginning of June, 25 cases have been referred by the Supreme, County and Coroners Courts and all of them have been accepted promptly by members – the majority within 20 minutes, and one was snapped up in three minutes.
While the platform was designed pre-COVID, it has come into its own as an extremely efficient method to allocate pro bono referrals in these times of social distancing. We’re delighted that Justice Connect has let us know that it will soon be trialling the platform. This will provide further opportunities for members to be involved in pro bono work, and certainty for those in need of help to know that they will be represented. The Supreme and County Courts will soon be reviewing the scheme and will be contacting members who have accepted referrals for their feedback, which I encourage them to give.
There are many encouraging stories behind the Bar’s pro bono work, where barristers have truly transformed the lives of those in dire legal straights. One of these is the case of Maria and Betty, who were helped by members of the Bar working pro bono to save them from homelessness. The video can be viewed here. I’d like to thank all members who undertake pro bono work for their dedication and acknowledge the members of the Pro Bono Committee for spearheading this project and Amanda Utt, Daniel Cousens and Poorva Sabnis in the VicBar team for getting the platform up and running.
Victorian Commercial Arbitration Scheme – update
We’re delighted about the positive responses that we’ve received from across the Bar, profession and the client community following the launch of VCAS last week.
VCAS is a set of Rules through which parties can resolve disputes quickly and efficiently in fixed timeframes with capped-fee arbitrators. You can learn more about VCAS at vcas.net.au. As part of the next stage of the Scheme’s rollout, we are seeking expressions of interest from members who wish to join the initial VCAS panel of arbitrators. In accordance with VCAS’s objectives, interest is sought from members who are experienced and qualified arbitrators, who agree to use the VCAS Rules (including agreeing to the VCAS scale of fees), and who are prepared to travel to regional Victoria if required (restrictions permitting).
Given the nature and purposes of the Scheme, and its focus on low-cost dispute resolution, (including the reduced fees that arbitrators on the panel will be charging), we encourage submissions from junior arbitration practitioners who satisfy the criteria. Members can express their interest by emailing support@vcas.net.au for more information.
Vale His Honour Judge Guy Andrew
It was with sadness that we heard of the passing of His Honour Judge Guy Andrew. He was a highly respected barrister and diligent and determined judge, who lived a life of service to others and to the law. I read the Family Law Bar Association’s communication earlier today, and I echo the sentiments of the Chair, Geoff Dickson QC. I refer members to the communication here.
Members who need support in these difficult times should contact one of the Bar-funded counselling services: Re-Vision Group on 9650 5540 or Converge International on 1300 687 327. Consultations are free and confidential. More information is on the members’ health and wellbeing page here.
Nomination forms and the process for nominating for election to Bar Council has changed from previous years as members of the Bar and staff are not able to attend chambers in person due to COVID-19. For this reason, we are unable to accept forms in hard copy. There will be separate interactive PDF nomination forms for candidates and their nominators. A call for nominations for election to the 2020-2021 Bar Council will be emailed on Monday 12 October 2020 to members of counsel eligible to nominate and be nominated, containing the forms, and including instructions on completing the forms.
The Annual General Meetings of Victorian Bar Inc, and Barristers’ Benevolent Association of Victoria will be held on Wednesday 28 October 2020 at 4.30pm via Zoom. Last week, members received an invitation containing the agenda for each meeting and a link to register their attendance. Those who register will be sent a Zoom link to the meeting by email following registration. Registrations close at 4:00pm on Wednesday 28 October 2020.
On Thursday 1 October, the Victorian Bar welcomed the appointment of 18 new Senior Counsel by the Honourable Chief Justice Anne Ferguson.
Patrick Bourke
Julianne Jaques
The Court will welcome the new Senior Counsel in a virtual ceremony on Wednesday 18 November 2020 at 9:30am. Details will be announced at a later date.
As part of the Victorian Bar’s health and wellbeing initiative, we are hosting a webinar for parents by Dr Jane Fisher AO to help parents with their children’s sleep schedules.
The VicBar Health & Wellbeing Program: Sleep techniques for babies and children webinar is scheduled for Thursday 29 October, 8:00–9:00pm.
Dr Fisher is a clinical psychologist who has dedicated her life to researching maternal health and wellbeing and is a highly experienced consultant at the Masada Early Parenting Centre.
You can register here. The registration form includes space for you to write any questions that you’d like Dr Fisher to answer during her presentation.
As part of the review of sexual harassment in the Victorian legal sector, and to coincide with the all-female roundtable discussion, the President has been invited to nominate five male barristers to join an all-male barristers roundtable discussion to look at possible solutions or recommendations that the Review may make, in response to the four broad terms of reference:
- preventing sexual harassment
- improving reporting and support to those who experience sexual harassment
- raising awareness, and
- ensuring accountability.
The date and time for roundtable is 29 October 2020 from 2:00 – 4:00pm.
Further information on the stakeholder roundtables can be viewed here.
The Bar’s protocol for nomination and appointment of Vic Bar members to external bodies can be viewed here. You are encouraged to provide a detailed expression of interest, which should identify any relevant areas of experience or expertise. This will assist the Executive of Bar Council to select the best candidate for the position.
Please direct any enquiries or your expressions of interest to Denise Bennett at the Victorian Bar office at denise.bennett@vicbar.com.au by 4:00pm, Thursday, 22 October 2020.
The following are highlights of upcoming CPD and events for Victorian Bar members. You must be a member of the Victorian Bar and logged into the VicBar website to view these events.
- Preserving the intention of the Koori Court - How the County Koori Court has adapted to virtual hearings is on Monday 12 October 2020, 4:00–5:00pm. In this seminar, Her Honour Judge Lawson will outline the history and the context that led to the establishment of the Koori Court and how the modified virtual process is operating. Click here to register.
- Personality Disorders and the Verdins principles is on Wednesday 14 October 2020, 4:00–5:00pm. In this seminar, the speakers will discuss the forensic assessment of personality disorders and its relevance to sentencing. Click here to register.
- Defamation law reform in Australia: what’s coming, and what it means is on Thursday 15 October 2020, 5:00–6.00pm. This webinar explores defamation law reforms and the speakers will address the nature of the forthcoming changes and those still being debated, and their significance to the evolution of defamation law, freedom of expression and the changing media landscape in Australia. Click here to register.
- eBrief and Court Books – in isolation and beyond is on Wednesday 21 October, 5:00–6:00pm. This seminar is a beginners’ guide to setting up and accessing eBrief, uploading documents, tags and annotation and creating Court Books. Click here to register.
For more upcoming CPD events, please visit our listings here.
We understand that members are worried about the risks of COVID-19. Please see the new health and wellbeing section in our website designed to answer some questions you may have, point you to government information websites, and let you know what VicBar and BCL are doing to assist members.
Magistrates’ Court of Victoria
Two new Practice Directions were issued by the Court this week:
- Practice Direction 23 of 2020 is available here. To support the rollout of Practice Direction 23, the Court has developed, in consultation with the Intermediary Pilot Committee, the Ground rules hearings – informant fact sheet and Ground rules hearings – informant questionnaire for completion prior to ground rules hearings.
- Practice Direction 24 of 2020 – The purpose of Practice Direction 24 is to revoke Practice Direction 20 of 2020. Practice Direction 20 is now replaced by Practice Direction 21 of 2020 (for regional Victoria) and Practice Direction 22 of 2020 (for metropolitan Melbourne) – the majority of criminal cases continue to be adjourned pursuant to Practice Direction 5 of 2020, which remains in place until 19 October (for regional Victoria) and 9 November (for metropolitan Melbourne). Practice Direction 24 is available here.
Attending Chambers to collect mail
Limited exceptions to the directive to work from home will allow barristers to attend Chambers to pick up mail.
Specifically, limited exceptions will be allowed to enable working from home, including:
- to collect and scan documents, process payments and other essential activities that enable the business to operate through working from home
- limited access allowed to site only for essential specialised technical equipment or systems that cannot be accessed remotely, and
- travel to client sites that are operating under lower restrictions in order to deliver services that a client requires.
This limited exception will allow clerking staff and members to sort and collect mail, if you are of the view that such collection and sorting is essential to conducting business. This can be regular, if it is necessary to do so. Of course, members will need to permit themselves, and follow the other rules related to Stage 4 Restrictions
Previous email updates
To access each email update relating to COVID-19 that VicBar has sent members, please click here.
To ensure the safety and security of all chambers during this challenging time, BCL Property and Technology Services will update their service delivery as of Friday 17 April 2020 until further notice. For information about this update, please see here or contact the BCL Service Desk on 9225 8888.
Cyber Security Awareness: What you need to do to keep your practice safe
In these current uncertain times, the increased use of video conferencing, reliance on email, the use of home internet services, SMS’s from our governments, and the sudden shift into paperless practices all make it easier to fall victim to a costly scam.
In recent months we are aware of successful scams within the community, leading to significant financial and operations impact. There are some simple things you can do to help protect your practice:
- Using BCL corporate-grade technology and network services (Internet & email) provides you with a managed enterprise environment with corporate-grade security platforms and sophisticated network practices.
- SMS verification for passwords is now available. To enhance the security of barrister passwords, we have introduced SMS verification for password resets. Login to http://id.vicbar.com.au, select the “Profile” tab and click “Edit” to enter your mobile number. All password reset requests will now require this information.
- Always check the “From” address in emails, particularly those from external parties. A difference in the Senders name compared to the From address is a clear indication of a scam email.
- Look for suspicious characteristics in an email such as unprofessional emails with typos and spelling mistakes, or requests for ‘click here’, pay now, requests for funds, bank account details or an unnecessary sense of urgency.
- Always use an up to date and valid anti-virus product and backup your data as outlined in the Victorian Bar Technology Minimum Standards.
- If you are ever unsure, DO NOT open it and contact the BCL Service Desk.
- Improve your cyber security awareness by taking a short 5-minute quiz provided by the Australian Government here.
The Victorian Bar’s Member Benefits program allows members to access deals and exclusive benefits on goods and services from leading Australian and global companies.
The Victorian Bar is delighted to announce a new partnership with Legal Home Loans, a leading Australian mortgage and finance broking firm that specialises in lending to lawyers. Legal Home Loan’s brokers use expert knowledge to unlock exclusive benefits and exemptions when applying for finance or refinancing on behalf of barristers. They navigate the lending landscape on your behalf to save you valuable time and money.
As a member of the Victorian Bar, Legal Home Loans is offering you many benefits, including specialised broker support, a cash rebate and $0 service fee, to name just a few. To learn more about the exclusive benefits Legal Home Loans can offer members, please click here.
Sally Flynn QC, Chair of the Health & Wellbeing Committee, has had many encouraging responses about floors and practice groups that have organised get-togethers over Zoom and in private Facebook groups, as part of the initiative to remain socially connected and check on the emotional well-being of our colleagues when we are not working from chambers.
The Committee is seeking expressions of interest from barristers interested in setting up a WhatsApp group to connect those barristers who are carers. The group is for barristers who care for elderly or disabled parents or relatives and will allow members to offer each other support by sharing information or resources for various issues, including finding alternative living arrangements or home assistance. Please contact Sally Flynn by email if you’re interested.
Other groups you may wish to join:
- Probate Law Group (contact Eleanor Coates ecoates@vicbar.com.au)
- Bar Mums WhatsApp group (contact Emily Porter eporter@vicbar.com.au)
- Pets of the Victorian Bar (contact Ashleigh Morris a.morris@vicbar.com.au)
- Health & Wellbeing Committee’s private LinkedIn group for barristers - click here or search “VicBar Community” in LinkedIn to join.
- LGBTQ+ People at the Bar (contact John Heard john.heard@vicbar.com.au or Beth Warnock beth.warnock@vicbar.com.au)
- Victorian Bar Nationally Accredited Mediators private LinkedIn group for barristers who are nationally accredited mediators – click here to join.
Darren Ferrari is organising a Zwift group for members of VicBar. Zwift blends the fun of video games with the intensity of serious training, helping cyclists get faster. Level up in the virtual worlds of Zwift with a group that motivates each other. To join or find out more, contact Darren Ferrari on 0412 124 076 or by email at clerks@svenson.com.au.
We want to make sure no barrister is left behind, so please contact Sally at sallyflynn@vicbar.com.au to let her know what your group is doing, or if you need a hand starting a new group or finding one to join.
When was the last time you heard a roomful of Melbourne barristers laughing? Attendees at the now regular Thursday evening LGBTIQ+ drinks have been treated to that wonderful sound many times over the past few months. What started as a chance to meet, network, compare notes, and have fun has become a regular (and precious because rare) appointment in the social calendars of current Victorian barristers (and some very welcome interlopers). After six zoom drinks sessions, attended by all sorts of people (older and younger, very senior and junior, all genders and none, everyone mixing in) the most colourful social group at the Bar is off and running. With plans to go “in person” as soon as safely manageable, and host events with special guests/speakers, the group is always open to new attendees, including allies and friends, simply send an email to beth.warnock@vicbar.com.au or john.heard@vicbar.com.au and grab a cocktail!
Dear Essoign members and patrons,
It is with great regret that due to the impact of Stage 4 Restrictions the Club has temporarily closed its doors.
Thank you for your continued support during the ever-changing circumstances in 2020. Understandably the current Stage 4 Lockdown has reflected your absence from the Club. We will miss seeing you along with your story sharing, laughs and giving support to all fellow members.
The Essoign will be back once restrictions are lifted and we will keep you informed as we get closer to that date.
Please stay safe and stay healthy. We look forward to seeing you all again very soon.
As always, thank you.
The Essoign Club
The Family Court of Australia and Federal Circuit Court of Australia welcome additional resources announced on 6 October as part of the 2020-21 Budget.
For more information on what the funding allows for, click here to read the Courts’ media release.
The Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) are conducting an investigation into impediments of prompt FOI decision making and information release in Victorian under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic).
The investigation will examine the FOI practices of agencies, to identify factors that are contributing to delay. It will also seek to find ways to improve the speed and efficiency of FOI in Victoria.
More information about the investigation can be found on OVIC’s website here.
Members who wish to make a submission to OVIC may do so via email to investigations@ovic.vic.gov.au. Submissions close on 13 October 2020.
The Private International and Commercial Law Section of the Attorney-General's Department is currently progressing possible reforms to the the Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (PPS Act) in response to the 2015 statutory review (the Whittaker Review).
As part of this reform process, the department is seeking to consult on provisions in the PPS Act regarding financial property and intermediated securities.
To assist with the consultation process, the department have developed a discussion paper which is available here.
The department is seeking submissions regarding any of the following:
- How financial products are defined in the PPS Act
- How security interests in financial products should be treated, and
- How these security interests should be enforced.
This consultation process will inform the Attorney-General’s policy considerations and help ensure the law regarding financial property and intermediated securities is clear and fit for purpose in the PPS Act.
Submissions close on 16 October 2020. Questions and submissions can be directed to this email.
The IBA Asia Pacific Forum’s Doing Business in Asia Pacific guidebook has just been released.
This 535-page publication covers eleven jurisdictions in Asia Pacific providing consolidated knowledge and practical insights on a number of wide-ranging topics which are listed in the below news release. IBA is particularly grateful to the partners of following Group Member law firms from Australia for contributing their expertise by writing chapters for the Australia section:
- Clayton Utz
- Corrs Chambers Westgarth
- MinterEllison
The publication is available for free download from the IBA website here.
The Law Library of Victoria improves access to justice by providing legal information to all eligible Victorian legal practitioners online. Barristers also have access to a range of legal resources on their own computers and devices, via the Digital Bar Library on the Law Library website. You must be a registered user to access this page which provides:
- Guides to improve your research skills (finding information, using research tools and on specific topics)
- Subscriber-only publications and databases, and
- Current and authorised Victorian legislation sets used in Victorian jurisdictions.
All Barristers are eligible to register for access. If you have not already registered, the Library will be in touch with you shortly by email.
The Law Library of Victoria Bulletin is produced fortnightly and summarises the latest legislation and cases for the Victorian jurisdiction, as well as High Court of Australia cases. The bulletin also includes the latest new books added to the Library collection and a selected index of articles from journals received in the Library. To subscribe visit here.
If you are on twitter, follow the library on @lawlibraryvic to be alerted to recent decisions of the Court of Appeal.
The Legal Services Council’s September Newsletter (Issue 3, 2020) is available to read here.
The Sentencing Advisory Council has today released a report on sentencing outcomes for children held on remand in Victoria.
The research studied the case outcomes for all 442 children remanded in 660 cases in Victoria in 2017–18. Key findings included:
- those children spent nearly 29,000 days on remand at a cost of approximately $41 million
- two-thirds (66%) of remanded children did not receive a custodial sentence
- one-third (34%) of remanded children did receive a custodial sentence, with 5% being time served sentences
- the factors most strongly correlated with a lower likelihood of receiving a custodial sentence were:
- being released on bail
- spending less time on remand
- having less prior contact with the justice system, and
- being charged with property damage or threat offending.
In light of these findings, the report raises a number of possible reforms that could reduce the number of children held on remand in Victoria, including expanding the specialised Children's Court to headquarter courts across Victoria, developing specific programs to help reduce the number of Indigenous children held on remand, and implementing a 24-hour state-wide bail system specifically for children.
The Council will also be hosting a 30-minute online launch of the report today at 1:15pm. The launch will be recorded and made available on the Council's website.
The report is available here.
- Do you ever find yourself in difficult conversations? Come and join one our programs.
- Do you need mediation accreditation or reaccreditation? Enrol in our next course.
- Are you wanting to extend and enlarge your mediation skills? Come and take one of our Mediation Masterclasses.
- Do you need training or support in conflict management, decision making or listening skills? Get in touch with us.
National Mediator Accreditation
9–11 and 16–18 November 2020
23, 24 and 25 November 2020
October to November 2020
Visit our website www.cynglerconsulting.com for more information and to register.
CIArb Australia is very fortunate to have Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon of the Supreme Court of Singapore deliver the 2020 CIArb Australian Annual Lecture to be held virtually on Tuesday, 13 October 2020 at 5:30pm.
The topic of the lecture is 'Dispelling due process paranoia: Fairness, efficiency and the rule of law'.
Click here for more information and to register.
The Count Down Is On! Only four more days to the start of Australian Arbitration Week 2020, running from 12 to 16 October 2020. Featuring an impressive line-up of events across the week, AAW2020 promises to have something for everyone! View the AAW2020 Calendar and register for events here.
The highlight of AAW 2020 is the ACICA/CIArb 2020 International Arbitration Conference to be held virtually on 12 October 2020, Bridging the Distance: Arbitration in the New Normal, which will be held virtually on 12 October 2020, 8:30am–6:00pm ADST (Sydney time).
The extensive program draws together expert practitioners from around the globe and deals with an exciting range of topics including:
- Advocacy in the Virtual Environment
- Technology as an Enabler in International Arbitration
- The Future of Investor-State Dispute Resolution
- Around the Globe in 60 Minutes : Current Hot Topics in International Arbitration
- Mega Projects in the New Normal
- Is Third Party Funding Changing International Arbitration?
- Enhancing Efficiencies in the Arbitral Process
An impressive array of local and international experts will be speaking, including Chief Justice Tom Bathurst AC, Hilary Heilbron QC, Kate Brown de Vejar, Professor Janet Walker, Justin Gleeson SC, Adrian Winstanley, Chad Catterwell, Kim Rooney, Francis Xavier SC, Ruth Stackpool-Moore, Andrew Battisson, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, Caroline Kenny QC, Dr Sam Luttrell, Nick Gallus, Professor Joongi Kim, Chiann Bao, Justice Stephen Gageler AC, Chief Justice James Allsop AO, Amanda Lees, Neil Kaplan CBE QC SBS, Tan Swee Im, Bronwyn Lincoln, Justice Andrew Bell, Professor Dr Mohamed S Abdel Wahab, Dr Nicolas Wiegand, Michael Young QC, Andrew Robertson, Dr Robert Gaitskell QC, Jeremy Chenoweth, Adrienne Parker, Funke Adekoya.
The conference is excellent value:
- ACICA / CIArb Member: $95.00 ($104.50 incl. GST) AUD
- Non-member: $125.00 ($137.50 incl. GST) AUD
- Student: $25.00 ($27.50 incl. GST) AUD
A certificate of attendance will be provided to all those who attend the conference and 6 CPD points are available.
Recordings of all sessions will be provided to registrants post conference.
Click here to register.
Last Saturday, the Asian Australian Lawyers Association hosted its inaugural virtual National Cultural Diversity Summit with the theme "Be the change we want to see".
Over 300 attendees Zoomed in from around Australia and overseas. The Summit reached more than 1,500 people via AALA's Facebook livestream and was AALA's largest event ever.
The Summit covered topics including the role of cultural leadership in the legal industry and wider community, the need to improve access to the law for culturally and linguistically diverse communities, reform of the judicial appointment process in Australia and the strength and value in pursuing further collaboration between culturally and linguistically diverse lawyer associations and the wider legal industry. The Summit heard from eminent speakers including Chief Justice of the State of California Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye, Lord Justice Rabinder Singh of the English Court of Appeal, Justice Darryl Rangiah, Judicial Registrar (soon to be Judge) My Anh Tran, Michael Kirby AC CMG and Law Council of Australia President Pauline Wright, as well as Mai Chen, Chair of the Superdiversity Institute for Law, Policy and Business, and Donald Betts Jr, Jazeer Nijamudeen and Amani Green. Entertainment was provided by Dr Moni Lai Storz and Diana Nguyen.
AALA looks forward to collaborating and projects emanating from the Summit that build on the themes discussed. This was to start the conversation but the real work starts now!
Thanks to Summit Convenor Anand Shah and Summit Subcommittee Kingsley Liu, Molina Asthana, Nai Yan Yeap, Marija Yelavich, Aruna Colombathantri, John Arthur, Belinda Wong, Wai Kaey Soon, and Daniel D Nguyen. Thanks also to team members Stephanie Tan, Catherine Chiang, Vernon Ting, Tuck Chung, Reimen Hii, Amaryllis Tian and Mary Liu and Kelvin Ng for their terrific support. A special shout-out to the wonderful Marija for marketing the whole Summit!
Lastly, the AALA thanks the Sponsors, the College of Law, Baker McKenzie and TIMG, and our Industry Partners, the ABA, VicBar, Qld Law Society, Qld Bar, Law Society of SA, without whom the Summit would not have been possible.
The CEO of the Professional Standards Councils, Roxane Marcelle-Shaw, is pleased to invite you to the next Professional Standards Forum. The Forum will be held as an online event on 15 October 2020, on the theme of ‘Putting the Consumer First in Ethics: the role of a consumer ethics framework in delivering consumer-focused professional and occupational services’.
The Forum will feature a panel of distinguished speakers. They will lead a discussion on the opportunities and challenges in successfully regulating for ethical values, principles and behaviours that are consumer-focused. The panel session will be recorded and presented as a resource on the Councils’ website.
The morning panel session will be followed by a practical workshop facilitated by the Behavioural Insights Team. Participants will learn ways in which behavioural insights can help regulators to drive and measure changes to deliver an effective code of ethics that improves consumer experiences and the trustworthiness of the profession or occupation.
Further details on the Forum are available on the Councils’ website and flyer.
Please complete the registration form via Eventbrite to secure your place here. You will receive a confirmation email with details about joining the Forum on zoom upon confirmation of your registration.
The Law Library of Victoria invites you to attend our Focus On... sessions. This 30-minute webinar online via Zoom will familiarise users with the digital research support available through the Law Library of Victoria website. This includes curated collections, research guides, exclusive content, and Legal Research eLearning.
The session on 14 October at 1:15pm includes a research focus on citations and abbreviations. Based on one of the Legal Research eLearning modules, this short refresher explores how to locate the meaning of abbreviations within a citation, and how to search on multiple citations. Register here.
Arbitration and intellectual property – Scope and potential
On Tuesday 13 October 2020 at 12:00–1:15pm, the Resolution Institute will host Arbitration and intellectual property - Scope and potential. The webinar will explore the mechanisms used by online platforms to resolve copyright, trademark and patent disputes and their potential for wider application. The benefits of arbitration in intellectual property disputes will be canvassed by reference to real disputes where performance, infringement, validity and enforcement issues arise. It will cover the mandatory domain name dispute regimes for settlement of domain name
disputes and examples thereof.
The speakers are:
- William E M Lye OAM QC, Barrister at the Victorian Bar
- Andrew Christie, Chair of Intellectual Property and Director of Studies, Intellectual Property Law – Melbourne Law School, Arbitrator and Mediator, and
- David Fixler, Partner, Corrs Chambers Westgarth.
For more information or to register, please click here or view the flyer here.
International Arbitration Week event
On Wednesday 14 October 2020 at 3:30–5:00pm, Resolution Institute will host 'International Arbitration Week 2020'. In this session our experienced panel of Arbitration experts will share about ways in which domestic arbitration in Australia can distinguish itself from litigation in the courts and what are the expectations of parties who chose arbitration over litigation in a domestic context.
The speakers are:
- The Hon. Peter Vickery QC
- Erika Williams
- Karyn Reardon
- Greg Steinepreis
- Russell Thirgood, and
- Robert Riddell.
Click here to register.
LAWASIA’s Annual Council Meeting 2020 will be held on Tuesday 13 October 2020 at 16:00 – 18:00 (AEST) via Zoom.
All LAWASIA Councillors and representatives from LAWASIA member organisations, are warmly invited to attend the Council meeting. Councillors and/or member organisations are requested to register their attendance at the Council Meeting by completing this online form. The Zoom link for the meeting is available here.
This meeting will mark the accreditation of the 2020-2021 LAWASIA Council.
Please refer to the LAWASIA Council 2019-2020 here for a list of the 2019/2020 Councillors and Alternate Councillors, as appointed by predominant member organisations; and Presidents of non-predominant LAWASIA member organisations.
Any changes to existing appointments can be made in writing to lawasia@lawasia.asn.au by Monday 21 October 2020.
If no amendments are received by the LAWASIA Secretariat by the due date, the assumption will be that current details are to remain in situ.
Thanks to all member organisations that have already submitted a completed form B.1 (Councillor Nomination).
The following documents are relevant to the meeting: [link attached PDFs]
- LAWASIA Council and Member Organisations 2019-2020
- LAWASIA Draft Council Agenda 2020
- Item 5.1 Proposed Amendments to Article II of the LAWASIA Constitution
- Item 6 Applications (6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4) for Organisational Membership
LAWASIA would like to draw attendees’ attention to the following items in the draft agenda:
- Proposed amendments to Article II of the LAWASIA Constitution, and
- Applications for organisational membership.
A final agenda and a full set of Council papers will be distributed closer to the meeting date.
The Kingdom of Tonga is accepting applications for appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
The term of the appointment is for four years, commencing 1 December 2020.
The principal practice area will be criminal law, and extensive experience is required in that area.
Applications close 16 October 2020 at noon.
More information and how to apply is available here.
The International Legal Foundation (ILF) is seeking lawyers with extensive criminal defence experience and legal aid institutional know-how to join its Natalie Rea International Fellows program and provide training and capacity building to local lawyers and legal aid providers in developing and transitional legal systems through day-to-day, case-by-case mentoring.
Juvenile justice experts are particularly needed to support the development of specialised units to provide quality representation to children in conflict with the law.
We currently have fellow positions available with our teams in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Palestine (West Bank) and Tunisia. Fellows are normally embedded within ILF’s local offices, but due to the unfolding global health emergency, fellows will work remotely for the foreseeable future. An in-country fellow role may be possible, as the situation develops and if circumstances allow.
How to apply or for more information
More information is available in this flyer.
If interested or for more information, please contact ILF at fellows@theilf.org. Applicants should send a thoughtful cover letter and resume. Qualified candidates will be contacted for interview.
Deadline for the next issue:5pm, 15th October 2020