VICTORIAN BAR MEDIA RELEASE - YOUNG BARRISTERS IMPRESS ON THE WAY TO HONG KONG

The Victorian Bar together with its Commercial Bar Association (CommBar) is delighted to announce that Daniel Kinsey has won the Young CommBar Speaking Competition, winning return airfares and registration to attend the 2018 International Commercial Law Conference in Hong Kong to be held on 21 and 22 September.

The judging panel – Her Honour Judge Samantha Marks, His Honour Judge Joshua Wilson, and David Gilbertson QC noted that the future of the Bar was in very safe hands with all contestants demonstrating the exceptional depth of talent within the junior ranks of the Victorian Bar.

The competition was open to all Victorian barristers under five years at the Bar. Entrants were asked to prepare written submissions on the topics ‘Is Privacy Dead? Use and Misuse of Sensitive Data’ or ‘Words Without Borders: Defamation and the Internet’ and then present to the panel of judges at the Competition final last night.

With the theme of ‘Wise Counsel: Litigation & Arbitration in the Asia-Pacific Region’, the International Commercial Law Conference in Hong Kong will be opened by Australian Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macau; Michaela Browning.

The line-up of eminent Australian and international speakers includes The Hon Justice Middleton of the Federal Court of Australia, The Hon Teresa Cheng GBS SC JP Secretary for Justice of Hong Kong, Sir Rupert Jackson PC, The Hon Mr Justice Geoffrey Poon of the Court of Appeal of the High Court of Hong Kong, The Hon Justice William Alstergren, Chief Judge, Federal Circuit Court of Australia, Deputy Chief Justice, Family Court of Australia and The Hon Justice Riordan, Principal Judge of the Commercial Court of the Supreme Court of Victoria.

The program will cover a wide range of commercial litigation and arbitration topics including ‘The Rise of the International Commercial Court’ and ‘After the Apocalypse: Re-regulation of the Banking and Financial Services Industries’.

“Melbourne is a centre of international excellence in the field of commercial dispute resolution and international arbitration. In a rapidly changing and globalised legal services market, the Victorian Bar recognises the importance of engagement internationally, particularly with the Asia Pacific region.” said Wendy Harris QC, Acting President of the Victorian Bar and CommBar President.

Paul Hayes QC, Chair of the Conference Organising Committee, who hosted the event said, "The evening was an unqualified success showcasing the fabulous depth of junior talent we have at the Commercial Bar to the solicitors and colleagues from the Bar in attendance. Congratulations to the winner, Daniel Kinsey and also to all finalists; runner-up Paul Reynolds and competitors Amy Hando, Evelyn Tadros and Julie Zhou. Everyone who spoke, without exception, brightly shone, entertained, informed and impressed”.

More details of the conference are available at www.hk2018iclc.com



From left to right: Julie Zhou, Paul Reynolds, Amy Hando, Her Honour Judge Marks, Paul Hayes QC, Daniel Kinsey, Kieran Hickie, Georgia Berlic, Evelyn Tadros