Inbrief

Positions vacant at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal

The Commonwealth attorney-general invites expressions of interest for a number of appointments to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal at the level of deputy president, senior member and member in all...

Judge Hulme SC appointed to the Supreme Court

On Monday, 2 March 2009 there will be a ceremonial sitting for the swearing-in of Judge Robert Hulme SC as a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Attorney General John Hatzistergos will...

Robing in the Federal Magistrates Court (Qld)

Counsel appearing before the Federal Magistrates Court do not wear robes or wigs. Except, it seems, in Queensland. A reader has informed In Brief that, pursuant to a local practice, counsel should...

NSW Government launches public forums on crime and sentencing

The New South Wales Government has launched a series of public forums on sentencing. A study by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research and the NSW Sentencing Council released last year found a...

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

The following five cases will be published in a forthcoming volume of NSWLR: Russell v The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Sydney [2008] NSWCA 217 Scicluna v NSW Land and...

Refugee and Migration Review Tribunals publish their research

What is the Vietnamese Government's attitude to Christians? Have ordinary parishioners been harassed by the government? Answers to these questions and more may be easily accessed by practitioners and...

Photos of High Court dinner and bows now available for purchase

Photos of the 2009 High Court ceremony for senior counsel, as well as the Australian Bar Association dinner, are now available for purchase from the photographer's web site.�

**18 February 2009...

Report shows City of London still a global centre for legal services

The chair of the Bar of England and Wales, Desmond Browne QC, has welcomed a report showing the continuing strength of London's legal services sector and the contribution made by the bar. ...

Speeches to note: judicial reasoning

On 7 February 2009 the National Judicial College held its conference: "Judicial Reasoning, Art or Science?" In his opening address, Chief Justice Robert French observed that analysing the reasoning...

You are invited to the 36th Australian Legal Convention

Members are invited to attend the Law Council’s 36th Australian Legal Convention, which will be held in Perth **from 17-19 September 2009. **The chief justice of the High Court will deliver the...

Mentoring Indigenous Law Students Program

The Indigenous Barristers Trust is currently seeking mentors for its Mentoring Indigenous Law Students Program. The purpose of this program is to provide opportunities for barristers to share their...

Invitation to a debate: freedom of expression must include the licence to offend

Intelligence Squared Australia (IQ�), invite members to attend their 2009 season of debates. The next topic will be "Freedom of expression must include a licence to offend", which will take...

Australian Women Lawyers: some upcoming events

Australian Women Lawyers and WLA NSW will be co-hosting a cocktail party to celebrate the handover of the AWL patronage from the Hon Mary Gaudron QC to Chief Justice Diana Bryant of the Family Court...

Supreme Court of Canada webcasts

The Supreme Court of Canada now provides webcasts of its proceedings, subject to certain� restrictions. Users must submit an online Request to Use Supreme Court of Canada Photographs, Videos or...

ALRC launches a blog on Commonwealth secrecy laws

The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) is holding a national two day phone-in and online discussion on reform of Commonwealth secrecy laws. To participate in the phone-in call 1800 760 291...

Changes to Legal Aid NSW care and protection policies

The Legal Aid Board has approved some cost savings measures for the Family Law Program. These savings initiatives involve some changes to the Commonwealth Family Law Policy and Guidelines, as well as...

IAMA mediation course: places are still available

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...

End to self-regulation by the Migration Institute of Australia

The minister for immigration and citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, has announced the end of self-regulation for migration agents and the establishment of a new Office of Migration Agents Registration...

Facilities at Armidale Courthouse

Armidale Courthouse will soon undergo renovations. This work will impact upon the availability of interview rooms used by the legal profession. This notification relates specifically to the District...

Roundtable on cross-examination and sexual assault

New South Wales Attorney General John Hatzistergos will be among the distinguished guests taking part in a roundtable on cross-examination and sexual assault matters. The seminar will be chaired by...

New South Wales Bar Dispute Resolution Centre

The New South Wales Bar Dispute Resolution Centre opened on 10 December 2008. Located at level 1, Selborne Chambers, 174 Phillip Street, Sydney, it is the most convenient dispute resolution centre...

New members of the Bar Association

At meetings of Bar Council in February and March, the persons listed below were accepted as members of the New South Wales Bar Association.

Saving St James Church King Street

On 11 February 2009, at 6.00pm, St James Anglican Church King Street, commissioned by Governor Macquarie and designed by Francis Greenway, will celebrate the 185th anniversary of its consecration. As...

Assistance to those affected by bushfires

The Law Institute of Victoria has responded quickly to the Black Saturday bushfire disaster by offering half an hour of free initial advice to people with bushfire-related legal problems. Members of...

Distinguished speakers lined up for ABA conference in Strasbourg and London

The Australian Bar Association Conference will be held in Strasbourg and London **between 26 June and 1 July, 2009. **The list of speakers features eminent jurists from around the world, including...