Inbrief

Tonight: General Meeting of the Bar

A general meeting of the Bar will take place tonight at 5.15pm in the Common Room to discuss the proposed changes to Barristers’ Rules concerning cross-examination. In accordance with the...

Legislation to note: amendment to the Local Government Act 1993

The NSW Government has introduced the Local Government Amendment (Elections) Bill 2008. The object of this Bill, as�stated in the explanatory notes,�is to amend the Local Government Act...

LawAccess receiving 900 calls per day

On 3 April 2008 Attorney General John Hatzistergos was asked a Dorothy Dixer about LawAccess NSW, the free legal assistance and advice service. The attorney told the Legislative Council that: "Demand...

Federal Court of Australia - Revocation of Practice Note No 20

On 2 April 2008 the chief justice of the Federal Court�revoked Practice Note No 20: Guidelines - Disclosure by Insolvency Practitioners of Fees to be Charged, which�was issued on 18...

Federal Court Tax List directions: notice to practitioners and litigants

The Federal Court of Australia has issued a notice to practitioners and litigants setting out revised arrangements for the management of tax cases. These will be coordinated regionally, within a...

All eyes on Adelaide as curtain comes up on family law conference

A celebrity lawyer, a Canadian Superior Court judge and a Johns Hopkins University professor are just some of the keynote speakers set to address about 1000 lawyers from across Australia this week as...

Justice Boland appointed to the Industrial Relations Commission

The�Honourable Justice Boland has been appointed�as president of the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales, commencing on and from 9 April 2008.

4 April 2008

Strata Management Legislation Amendment Bill 2008: call for submissions

A consultation draft of the Strata Management Legislation Amendment Bill 2008 has been released, proposing changes to the Strata Schemes Management Act 1996 and the Home Building Act 1989.

According...

Law reform gets a mention at the Australia 2020 Summit

Constitutional reform and appointments to the judiciary and federal-state relations are some of the legal issues that have made it on to the governance agenda for the prime minister's Australia 2020...

National review of occupational health and safety laws

The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, has announced a national review into model Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Laws.� The panel has been asked to...

Legal practitioners’ scale of costs

The High Court, Federal Court, Family Court and Federal Magistrates Court have established a Joint Advisory Committee (JCAC) to inquire into, and make recommendations on, any variations in the...

Goodlife Health Club waive joining fee for Bar Association members

The Goodlife Health Club at No.1 Martin Place have an exclusive offer for members of the Bar Association. Join before April 30 2008 and the joining fee will be waived (saving $250) and your first two...

Legislation to note: Criminal Case Conferencing Trial Bill 2008

The Criminal Case Conferencing Triall Bill 2008 has been introduced into the Legislative Council. The object of the Bill, as provided in the explanatory notes is to provide for a trial scheme of...

Bar Council business for March 2008

Governance

Matters�reported elsewhere in In Brief are omitted from this summary of Bar Council business. Bar Council regularly considers requests by the attorney general, the courts and other...

Upcoming events hosted by the Society of Trust and Estate Planning Practitioners (STEP)

Members of the Bar Association are invited to the following events, organised by the Society of Trust and Estate Planning Practitioners (STEP).

STEP Address, by Dr John de Groot: "Recent Family...

Question time in parliament: autopsies

Attorney General John Hatzistergos has been asked during question time in the Legislative Council about long delays in completing autopsies at the Glebe Institute of Forensic Medicine and the...

Ceremonial sitting for the opening of Sydney West Trials Courts

On Monday, 31 March 2008�Judge Ellis of the Dictrict Court sat in a ceremonial sitting with�three other judges of the District Court, together with Hon Justice Whealy, to mark the inaugural...

Papers to note: Diverting mentally disordered offenders in the NSW Local Court

Section 32 of the Mental Health (Criminal Procedure) Act 1990 enables magistrates in summary proceedings to divert offenders from the criminal justice system and dismiss their charges either...