Inbrief

Comcare changes threaten workers’ rights and workplace safety: ALA

The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has warned that state and territory-based workers’ compensation schemes are in danger of being abandoned by employers if changes to the Comcare scheme are...

Statement from the ABA on addressing Indigenous imprisonment rates

The Australian Bar Association has issued a statement regarding the unacceptable rates of Indigenous incarceration, which were highlighted by the Productivity Commission’s report, Overcoming...

ABA voices concern over Timor Leste dismissals

The Australian Bar Association has joined the Judicial Conference of Australia in expressing deep concern over moves last month by the government and parliament of Timor Leste to dismiss foreign...

Coming up in CPD next week

A number of seminars will be held in the Common Room next week:

Wednesday, 3 December:"60 tips in 60 minutes". Presented by Nigel Cotman SC, Garry McGrath SC, Philippe Doyle Gray and Nicolas Kirby....

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...

Bar Library hours over the Christmas-New Year period

The Bar Library will close at 6.00pm on Friday, 19 December 2014 and reopen at 9.00am on Monday, 19 January 2015. The library will be open from 9.00am to 5.00pm from 19-23 January 2015 and resume...

Web watch: Law Review Commons

Law Review Commons bills itself as the largest collection of free and open law review scholarship, with more than 200 titles and 150,000 articles (overwhelmingly North American). The Real-Time...

Retirement of Judge David Halligan

Judge David Halligan of the Federal Circuit Court is soon to retire and the court will hold a ceremonial sitting to mark the occasion on Friday, 5 December 2014 at 4.30pm on L3 of the Garfield...

Indigenous imprisonment is a national crisis: LCA

Law Council of Australia president-elect, Mr Duncan McConnel, has issued a media release deploring Indigenous imprisonment rates, which have doubled since the time of the Royal Commission into...

No evidence that drug seizures reduce drug-related harm

The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) has released a report on narcotics, entitled Supply Reduction Policy and Drug-related Harm. It found no evidence that "increases in drug...

Results for the election of the 2012 Bar Council

Pursuant to Rule 11.8.3 of the Bar Association Constitution, the following were elected to the 2012 Bar Council. Declaration of Bar Council Ballot and the Tally of ballot papers can be viewed here.

Victorian Bar announces silk appointments

The Victorian Bar today welcomed the appointment of 18 new senior counsel. Learn more here.

Coming up in CPD next week

A number of seminars will be held in the Common Room next week:

Wednesday, 3 December:"60 tips in 60 minutes". Presented by Nigel Cotman SC, Garry McGrath SC, Philippe Doyle Gray and Nicolas Kirby....

Tomorrow: Legal History Discussion Group meeting

The Forbes Society's Legal History Discussion Group will hold a meeting tomorrow, 26 November 2014, commencing at 5.30pm in the Bar Common Room. Professor Shaunnagh Dorsett of UTS will present a...

Tonight in CPD

A seminar will be held in the Common Room tonight at 5.15pm:"60 Web Sites in 60 Minutes" presented by Nigel Cotman SC, Philippe Doyle Gray, Nicolas Kirby and James Mack. For full details please...

It's time to discuss changes to drug laws

The Criminal Law Committee of the New South Wales Bar Association released a discussion paper in relation to drug law reform today. The chair of the Criminal Law Committee, Stephen Odgers SC said:...

Attention bar yogis

There are only four yoga classes remaining in 2014. Whether you're a regular student or a novice you are most welcome to come along. BYO your own mat. Tuesday @ 1pm in the Common Room. For more...

ALRC Report 124: Equality, Capacity and Disability in Commonwealth Laws

The Australian Law Reform Commission’s Final Report Equality, Capacity and Disability in Commonwealth Laws (ALRC Report 124), was tabled in the Australian Parliament today. The report makes 55...

Public Defenders Criminal Law Conference

The Public Defenders Criminal Law Conference 2015 will be held on 21-22 February 2015 at Taronga Zoo. Registration is now open. To register, please click here.

Coming up in CPD next week

A seminar will be held in the Common Room next week at 5.15pm on Tuesday, 25 November:"60 Web Sites in 60 Minutes" presented by Nigel Cotman SC, Philippe Doyle Gray, Nicolas Kirby and James Mack. For...

Ombudsman's review of police terrorism powers

The NSW ombudsman has completed a report on police use of terrorism-related preventative detention and covert search powers. The Terrorism (Police Powers) Act 2002 gives police and the NSW Crime...

Timor Leste sacks foreign judges in closed session of parliament

Justice Steven Rares, president of the Judicial Conference of Australia, has censured the Parliament of Timor Leste for dismissing the country's foreign judges during a closed session in late...

Cultural diversity and the law

Diversity

The Australian Institute of Judicial Administration (AIJA) and the Migration Council of Australia will host the 2015 Cultural Diversity and the Law Conference, to be held in Sydney on...

Federal Circuit Court Bankruptcy Law User Group Meeting

The Federal Circuit Court of Australia invites members to a meeting of its Bankruptcy Law User Group on Monday, 1 December 2014 at 4.30pm in L20 Conference Room, Queens Square. Learn more here.

Committee on the ICAC examines prosecutions

The New South Wales Parliament's Committee on the ICAC, chaired by Greg Smith SC MP, has released a discussion paper, Prosecutions Arising from Independent Commission Against Corruption...