Inbrief

Crime statistics for 2013 paint a positive picture (mostly)

The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has published Recorded Crime Statistics 2013.

Improving

For the 24-month period to the end of December 2013 seven of the 17 major offence categories...

Mediator Chat

The Mediation Practice Group, a sub-committee of the Bar Association's ADR committee, will be hosting a "Mediator Chat" and twilight drinks on Tuesday, 6 May from 5.30-7.00pm at Silks Cafe. The...

Invitation - See the lights of Vivid Sydney on board the Mari Nawi

All members and their guests are invited to join the Trustees of the Indigenous Barristers’ Trust for a fabulous evening celebrating Indigenous culture during National Reconciliation Week while...

Disclosure in the Equity Division

The profession is reminded that the regime in the Equity Division under Practice Note SC Eq 11- Disclosure in the Equity Division includes the prohibition on Notices to Produce and subpoenas that...

Request for judges for new national moot at UNSW

The King & Wood Mallesons Private Law Moot is a new national mooting competition being held at UNSW from 2 – 4 May 2014. The problem question is aimed at students in the latter stages of their...

Attorney General Brandis QC on national security

Attorney-General George Brandis QC yesterday delivered a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC. Under the title "Securing our Freedoms", Mr Brandis, among...

Papers to note: mandatory sentencing in Queensland

The Queensland Law Society last week launched its mandatory sentencing policy paper. The Queensland Government has introduced a number of mandatory sentences, such as for people found to be members...

Web watch: crowd sourced legal research from Canada

In Brief has stumbled across CanLII Connects - a form of crowd-sourced legal research from Canada. According to one reviewer of the site, "anyone can access these materials, but not everyone can...

Bar Yoga

The Bar Yoga class on Tuesday,15 April at 1.00pm will be the last for the duration of the Bar Practice Course. Yogis who are planning to attend should SMS Jolie on 0414 092 502 on the Tuesday morning...

TONIGHT: The New Bail Act

The new Bail Act is to commence some time soon and sets out a different regime for making a bail determination. All practitioners, especially those barristers who may be asked to do any bail...

Health Check and 'flu shot

The Health, Sport & Recreation Committee has organised for members to receive a '€˜flu shot and get their cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure tested between 4:00 and 5.30 pm on Thursday, 10...

CTP Scheme guidelines for claims handling and assessment

The Motor Accidents Authority of NSW has released its updated Claims Handling Guidelines and Claims Assessment Guidelines, which will take effect on 1 May 2014.

The Acton Lecture

The Hon Dyson Heydon AC QC will deliver the Acton Lecture under the auspices of The Centre for Independent Studies in the Banco Court, Queens Square at 6.00pm on Thursday, 10 April 2014. The topic...

Evolution or Revolution? The 16th Biennial National Family Law Conference

Registration is now open for the 16th Biennial National Family Law Conference, to be held in Sydney from 7-10 October 2014. With more than 90 international and local presenters, the professional...

Arts Law Centre Comedy Night

To support the work of the Arts Law Centre of Australia, Hearts for Arts Law invites you to their inaugural Comedy Night! Join us for a night full of laughs showcasing an impressive line-up of...

Invitation - See the lights of Vivid Sydney on board the Mari Nawi

All members and their guests are invited to join the Trustees of the Indigenous Barristers’ Trust for a fabulous evening celebrating Indigenous culture while taking in the lights of Vivid Sydney on...

Volunteer needed for the Benjamin Andrew Footpath Library

Philanthropy

The Benjamin Andrew Footpath Library needs a volunteer from the New South Wales Bar to spend a couple of hours packing books for various hostels in New South Wales at the library's...

Book launch of Key Issues in Judicial Review

Members are invited to the launch of Key Issues in Judicial Review. Edited by Neil Williams SC and published by The Federation Press, the book is a collection of papers from the recent Constitutional...

An invitation to the women of the NSW Bar

Diversity

Women barristers are warmly invited to a forum, to be held on Saturday, 5 April 2014 between 9.00am and 1.30pm in the Bar Common Room. Come and discuss ways we can continue to advance...

Hiring chamber staff through Jobsupport

The Bar Council of the New South Wales Bar Association encourages its members to consider hiring administrative staff through Jobsupport, an employment organisation that places, trains and maintains...

Media watch: Odgers SC interview with Clive Robertson

Advocacy

Stephen Odgers SC was interviewed on the Clive Robertson Program on 2UE last night regarding mandatory sentencing. A transcript is available in the Bar Library.

#Advocacy

High Court recognises change of sex to "non-specific"

This morning the High Court handed down its decision in NSW Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages v Norrie. The court held that the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1995 (NSW) does...

On the spot fines are on the rise

Attorney General Greg Smith SC has announced that Criminal Infringement Notices for offensive language and offensive behaviour have risen to $500, while continued intoxicated and disorderly behaviour...

Legal Aid News for April

Legal Aid News for April 2014 is out now, featuring articles on the Children's Legal Representation Conference; new NDIS services from Legal Aid NSW; community legal education and resources; news for...

Papers from the chief justice's sentencing symposium

Since the opening of Law Term, Chief Justice Bathurst has chaired symposiums for members of parliament and the media, to help increase their understanding of judicial decision making when sentencing....