News & Events

18May
Featured Event

2024 Victorian Bar Dinner

All members of the Bar and Judiciary are warmly invited to the Dinner on Saturday, 18 May 2024, 7:00pm at the National Gallery of Victoria. The event is black tie and will feature guest speaker the Honourable Justice Robert Beech-Jones of the High Court of Australia.

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9Feb
In Brief

In Brief Issue #1135

On Monday, I appeared on behalf of the Victorian Bar to present our new silks to the High Court. The ceremony, held at the commencement of every new legal year, is significant. The new silks from each State and Territory stand in turn to take their bows, the Victorians wigless but wearing their rosettes and those from the northern States dressed up in their long ceremonial wigs. The Chief Justice remarked on what he described as the ‘subtle’ differences between the Bars on display in the courtroom and expressed the Court’s gratitude for the courtesy that the new silks showed the Court by their attendance. At the afternoon tea following the ceremony, the Victorian members of the High Court were especially generous with the time they spent meeting the silks and their families and friends. The silks were also supported by the presence of the Honourable Chief Justice William Alstergren AO and the Honourable Justice Simon Whelan, who attended as the representative of the Chief Justice of our Supreme Court. The ceremony was followed by a gala dinner held at the National Gallery.

2Feb
In Brief

In Brief Issue #1134

I wish you all a happy new legal year and hope that you have had a restful break. 

15Dec
In Brief

In Brief Issue #1133

On Monday, the Bar Council held a special purpose meeting to consider the Charter that governs the way we conduct ourselves as Bar Councillors, and the processes that we will follow when responding to requests for submissions from external stakeholders and government. It was a productive meeting and I particularly thank Jim Peters AM KC, a former President, who provided us with some very wise advice. I also thank all the members of the new Bar Council who are settling in and getting down to work. We are all looking forward to doing our best to work together on behalf of members.

8Dec
In Brief

In Brief Issue #1132

Last Friday and Saturday, I attended the 90th Anniversary dinner of the Law Council, its Annual General Meeting, and its final board meeting for the year in Canberra. The Law Council is continuing to advocate on many critical issues affecting both the profession and the administration of justice. Of particular importance, it has been robustly engaging with the Government about its concerns with the rushed passage of the Government’s proposed Australian Citizenship Amendment (Citizenship Repudiation) Bill 2023, the proposed extension of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing regime to lawyers, which presents risks to access to justice and the protection of client legal privilege, and the proposed reforms to costs in anti-discrimination matters. The Law Council is currently also running a campaign to boost legal assistance funding, as well as working to ensure that the proposed relaxation of the rules relating to foreign lawyers practicing in Australia are safe and appropriate.

1Dec
In Brief

In Brief Issue #1131

There has been a spate of judicial welcomes and farewells, with more to come. Last Friday it was my great privilege to speak on behalf of the Victorian Bar at a ceremony to farewell the Honourable Justice Susan Kenny AM, who leaves the Federal Court after 26 years on that bench. Her Honour has had a remarkable judicial career, commencing in 1996 when she was the first woman appointed to the Victorian Court of Appeal. As a barrister, she appeared in nearly all the leading constitutional law cases of the 1980s and ‘90s, and her other achievements and contributions to public life are too many for me to list here. She will continue as the Chair of the Australian Electoral Commission. I thank her Honour for her service and wish her well for the next chapter of her career.

24Nov
In Brief

In Brief Issue #1130

On behalf of the Bar, I extend my congratulations to the Honourable Justice Christopher Boyce, who has been appointed as a judge of appeal of the Court, effective Tuesday, 21 November. His Honour Judge Paul Cosgrave has also been appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court, with his Honour commencing on Friday, 8 December where he will serve in the Commercial Court of the Trial Division. Information regarding welcome ceremonies will be provided soon.

17Nov
In Brief

In Brief Issue #1129

This week the Commonwealth Attorney General announced the appointment of Raelene Sharp KC as the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. Ms Sharp has been a member of our Bar since 2010 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2022. On behalf of the Victorian Bar, I congratulate her and wish her every success in her new role.

10Nov
In Brief

In Brief Issue #1128

Although it has been a short week, there is much to report.

Our newly appointed silks took their bows on Wednesday before the Supreme Court of Victoria, the Federal Court of Australia, and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. It was a significant day for them and for their families and friends who were able to attend. I wish them every success and trust that they will continue to celebrate well into the new year.

3Nov
In Brief

In Brief Issue #1127

Voting for this year’s Victorian Bar Council election is currently open and closes next Wednesday, 8 November at 5:00pm. The result will be declared next Thursday evening at the final meeting of the current Bar Council. Consequently, this will be my final edition of In Detail.

27Oct
In Brief

In Brief Issue #1126

This week

The Australian Lawyers Alliance National Conference took place last weekend and I’m very pleased to report that Stella Gold was presented with the ALA’s 2023 Member of the Year Award. Shaun Marcus, National President of the ALA, praised Stella’s work on critical civil liberty and human rights cases in Victoria and specifically referred to her work during the Veronica Nelson Inquest. A fantastic achievement. Well done, Stella.