Inbrief

Resolution and Resilience: ADR in the Global Recession, 29 – 31 May 2009, Melbourne Sofitel

(ADVERTISEMENT) As Australasia’s pre-eminent ADR event, the conference will focus on dispute resolution in the current economic downturn and� how ADR professionals can best meet the needs...

Changing of the guard on Bar Council and the Executive

Following her appointment to the Land and Environment Court, Rachel Pepper has resigned from the Bar Council and from her position as secretary of the Bar Association. Paresh Khandhar has replaced...

Appointment of acting judge in the Supreme Court

The governor-in-council has approved of the reappointment of the Honourable Justice Schmidt to act as a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales for the period commencing on** 2 May 2009 and...

Law Council of Australia urges lawyers to sponsor AustLII

The president of the Law Council of Australia, Glenn Ferguson, has written to members of the legal profession, encouraging them to sponsor AustLII, which he describes as "an essential tool for many...

@LCA: The monthly newsletter of the Law Council

The April 2009 issue of the Law Council's monthly newsletter, @theLCA, is now available online. This edition features stories on Fiji, the increase in international demand for Australian legal...

UWS moot team enjoys success in Hong Kong

The New South Wales Bar Association co-sponsored a University of Western Sydney team, which represented Australia at the Commonwealth Moot Competition, held recently in Hong Kong. This report was...

IAMA National Practitioner Certificate in Mediation Course

The Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia (IAMA) will present again the National Practitioner’s Certificate in Mediation course in Sydney. The six day course, which meets the...

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

The following cases will be published in a forthcoming volume of NSWLR:

Lemery Holdings Pty Ltd v Reliance Financial Services Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 1344 Bofinger and Another v Kingsway Group Pty Ltd...

Federal Court issues Fast Track Directions

The chief justice of the Federal Court has issued Practice Note No 30: Fast Track Directions which commenced on 24 April 2009. The aim of the Fast Track Directions is to provide a framework in which...

Responsible Gambling Awareness Week (11-17 May)

Not everyone associates legal issues, crime and recidivism with problem gambling, but according to research undertaken by the Productivity Commission (1999), legal outcomes from problem gambling...

Managed investment trusts: the new withholding tax regime

The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) invites members to an address by Brendon Lamers of Babcock & Brown with Mark Friezer of Clayton Utz entitled 'Managed Investment Trusts: The New...

Australian prosecutors condemn the dismissal of Fijian DPP

The Australian Association of Crown Prosecutors has released a statement condemning the recent actions of the military government of Fiji in forcibly removing and summarily dismissing the DPP, Mr...

Call for comments on AAT review of taxation of costs

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal is conducting a review of the way in which costs are taxed. Where a costs order has been made and the parties are unable to agree on the amount, the costs may be...

New attorney-general of Tonga

John Cauchi, a member of the Bar Association, has been appointed as the new attorney-general of Tonga, effective 18 May 2009.� One of his duties will be to establish an independent office for...

Speeches to note: address by Spigelman CJ to the Commonwealth Law Conference in Hong Kong

Chief Justice Spigelman AC delivered a speech entitled "The Hague Choice of Court Convention and International Commercial Litigation" at the Commonwealth Law Conference in Hong Kong on 7 April. The...

Papers to note: report into the conviction of Phuong Ngo

The Report to the Chief Justice of New South Wales of the Inquiry Held under Section 79 of the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 into the conviction of Phuong Canh Ngo for the Murder of John Newman...

Society of Construction Law Australia set to launch in Sydney on 22 May

The Secretary of the newly formed Society of Construction Law Australia, Rashda Rana, invites members of the New South Wales Bar Association practising in construction law to the Sydney launch of the...

High profile speakers will shine the spotlight on animal law

Members are invited to attend animal law seminars on Tuesday, 5 May 2009, **to be **hosted by Voiceless, an independent non-profit think tank dedicated to alleviating the suffering of animals in...

Workcover guidelines for medical examinations and claiming benefits

The WorkCover Authority of New South Wales has gazetted guidelines made under the Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998. The guidelines set out procedures for independent...

Reminder: swearing in ceremony for Robert Forster SC

On Monday, 4 May 2009 there will be a ceremonial sitting for the swearing-in of Robert Forster SC as a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. The ceremony will be held in the Banco Court,...

Reminder: swearing in ceremony for Rachel Pepper

Tomorrow morning****, on 1 May 2009, there will be a ceremonial sitting for the swearing in of Rachel Pepper as a judge of the Land and Environment Court. The ceremony will be held on Level 13, Banco...

Sydney community sector workshop: Protecting human rights in Australia

The Australian Human Rights Commission is conducting further workshops to encourage participation in the National Human Rights Consultation. The Sydney workshop will be held at the Australian Human...

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

The following cases will be published in a forthcoming volume of NSWLR:

Vines v Australian Securities & Investments Commission [2007] NSWCA 75 R v Petroulias [2007] NSWCCA 134 MacDonald v...

AG Hulls says Victoria has a more balanced approach to bikie gangs

Victorian Attorney-General Rob Hulls has criticised the legislative response to bikie gangs in New South Wales and South Australia.

"Focusing on membership of bikie gangs, rather than the criminal...

NSW AG announces first president of the Children's Court

District Court Judge Mark Marien SC will become the first president of the Children’s Court of NSW, Attorney General John Hatzistergos announced today. The proposed appointment is part of the...