Inbrief

Yoga Classes at the Bar

Yoga classes for New South Wales Bar Association members start on 28 April 2008�- Tuesday 7:15am. Wednesday 4:45pm. Friday 1pm. Cost: $150 for 10 week (10 class) term OR $20 casual class. Learn...

What women lawyers really think - of each other

Not wanting to shy away from a difficult issue, the American Bar Association's ABA�Journal�surveyed women lawyers to find out whether they preferred to work with men or other women....

Bouquets for the Bar Association in the 42nd Australian Parliament

Bob Debus MP, former attorney general of New South Wales, now minister for home affairs, has delivered his maiden speech in the Australian Parliament. Mr Debus listed the priorities for his new...

Papers to note: A Review of Legal Professional Privilege and Federal Investigatory Bodies

The final report by the Australian Law Reform Commission into legal professional privilege and federal investigatory bodies has been tabled in the Australian Parliament.�The ALRC�has...

New Bar Council contact for the Far North Coast

Geoff Radburn is stepping aside as the new Bar Council regional contact on the NSW Far North Coast. He will be replaced by Jonathon Priestley of Lismore Chambers. Mr Priestley's may be contacted at:... Read more >

Cases selected for reporting in NSWLR by the editor, Bret Walker SC

The following cases (16) will be headnoted, verified and published in a forthcoming volume of NSWLR.

Burwood Council v Jally Development Pty Ltd [2007] NSWLEC 543 (Biscoe J) (07.08.07) (50014/2007)... Read more >

Justice Scalia on the constitutionality of torture

Justice Antonin Scalia of the United States Supreme Court has granted BBC radio a wide ranging interview, in which he comments on, among other things, Guantanamo Bay, constitutional interpretation,...

Apology to Indigenous Australians must mark the beginning of a new era, says the LCA

The Law Council has welcomed today’s apology by the Australian�Parliament for past injustices to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as a significant step forward in the...

Phone conferences for Common Law directions hearings

The Supreme Court has announced new arrangements for�telephone conferences, commencing�Tuesday, 11 March 2008. Learn more >

12 February 2008

Screening of Australian Parliament’s apology to the Stolen Generation

At 9am on Wednesday, 13 February the New South Wales Bar Association will�screen the Australian Parliament’s formal apology to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Stolen Generation in...

Right to practise as barrister or solicitor in federal courts and courts exercising federal jurisdiction

Practitioners are reminded of section 55B of the Judiciary Act 1903 which concerns the right to practise in federal courts and courts exercising federal jurisdiction.

The High Court’s web site... Read more >

Uncommenced provisions of the Crimes Amendment Act 2007

The uncommenced provisions of the Crimes Amendment Act 2007 will come into effect on 15 February 2008.

The provisions concerned relate to the following:

• replacing “malicious” as a fault...

Speeches to note: consistency in sentencing

The Hon J J Spigelman AC, chief justice of New South Wales, has delivered�the keynote address to the National Judicial College of Australia's Sentencing 2008 conference on 8 February. Among the...

Counter-terrorism and human rights

The Westminster Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights has published�the findings of its hearings into Britain's latest Counter-Terrorism Bill.

11 February 2008

Crown prosecutors and public defenders on secondment

Paul Cattini, crown prosecutor, has been seconded to the NSW Public Defenders�Office for the period commencing 1 January 2008 and expiring on 30 June 2008.�In a reciprocal...

Appointments to the Law and Justice Foundation

Nye Perram SC has been appointed to the board of the Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales for the period commencing 10 January 2008 and expiring on 8 October 2010.

Geraldine Daley has also...

Invitiation to the unveiling of Bob Bellear portrait

On Wednesday,�12 March 2008 at 5.15 pm in the Bar Association Common Room, the association will be honoured to unveil a portrait of Bob Bellear at his swearing in to the District Court.�

Queen's counsel appointments in South Australia

The South Australian Bar Association has announced the appointment of Michael Greig Evans, Simon Patrick O’Sullivan and James Peter Pearce as queen's counsel.

8 February 2008

Retirement of the Hon Justice Lance Wright

A�ceremonial sitting of the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW will take place at 9.30am on Friday, 22 February 2008 to mark the retirement of the president, the Hon Justice Lance Wright....

Web update: online crime statistics

The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has launched an online interactive data service, which allows users to�cross reference�statistics for a specific crime and�local...

Recent House of Lords decisions

The following opinions of the lords of appeal�are available on the House of Lords web site:

Pilecki (Appellant) v Circuit Court of Legnica, Poland (Respondents) (Criminal Appeal from Her...

NSW WorkCover surplus reaches $812m: Audit Office report

The Audit Office of New South Wales has issued volume one of its 2008 Report to Parliament. Included among the commentaries on government agencies are the NSW WorkCover Scheme and Justice Health.

Papers to note: the unfinished business of the Bringing Them Home report

The Parliamentary Library in Canberra has produced a timely and�informative Background Note on the report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander...

UNSW memorial ceremony for Gordon Samuels

The University of New South Wales will host a memorial ceremony for the late the Hon Gordon Samuels AC on Monday, 25�February 2008, between 5.00pm and 7.00pm. The ceremony will be held in...

Position vacant: chief executive officer, Legal Aid Commission

The Legal Aid Commission is a statutory body at the forefront of the provision of legal aid and other legal services including community education programs to the disadvantaged members of our...