Inbrief

Next meeting of the Bar Book Club

Wellbeing

The next meeting of the Bar Book Club will be on Wednesday, 30 April 2014, in the library at 6.00pm. The book is The Razor’s Edge by W Somerset Maugham freely available at your local...

Arts Law Centre Comedy Night

Wellbeing

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...

MAA Medical Assessor Guidance Note Number 10

In order to promote accurate and consistent medical assessments the Motor Accidents Authority has issued Medical Assessor Guidance Note – Number 10, Digestive system: Stomach and Duodenum...

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...

Sydney Conference this Saturday - Last chance to register

The NSW Bar Association's Sydney CPD Conference will be held this coming Saturday at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney. Speakers include: The Hon T F Bathurst, Chief Justice of NSW, The Hon Justice...

TOMORROW: In the 'Hot Tub': Expert Conferences and Concurrent Expert Evidence in Native Title

Tomorrow evening's seminar will be presented by Vance Hughston SC and Tina Jowett and will be chaired by Susan Phillips. For full details, please download a flyer here.

TONIGHT: The Role of Counsel Assisting

This evening's seminar will be presented by Jeremy Gormly SC and chaired by Ben Katekar. For full details, please download a flyer here.

Original TV broadcast of 12 Angry Men now on YouTube

On 20 September 1954, almost sixty years ago, the original version of 12 Angry Men (not starring Henry Fonda) was broadcast live on US television to an audience of millions, as part of the CBS-TV...

TONIGHT: Advocacy and Practice in the Land and Environment Court

This evening's seminar will be presented by Sandra Duggan SC and Ingrid King and will be chaired by Brenda Tronson. For full details, please download a flyer here.

One for the diary: the Asia Pacific Coroners' Society

The Asia Pacific Coroners’ Society will hold its annual conference in Melbourne from 11 – 14 November 2014. It will bring together coroners from across Australia and the Asia Pacific region as...

Cameras in the courtroom

Attorney General Greg Smith SC has floated legislation that would encourage greater media access to broadcast final proceedings – such as verdicts and sentences in criminal cases – except in a...

Government releases exposure draft of changes to Racial Discrimination Act

The Coalition's Party Room this morning approved draft amendments to the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. These include, among other things, the repeal of section 18C of the Act, as well as sections...

The American experience with mandatory sentencing

NSW politicians who support mandatory sentencing would be well advised to see the film Gideon's Army, which premiered yesterday at Sydney's Big Picture Film Festival. It profiles three public...

Papers to note: Penalties for Corporate Wrongdoing

Last Friday, 21 March 2014, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission released Report 387: Penalties for Corporate Wrongdoing. The report examines whether penalties administered contained...

Pop-up creche for childcare launch: 3 April 2014

Member services and benefits

Want to know more about the Bar Association’s new childcare scheme, but can’t get your hands on a babysitter? Children are welcome to attend the launch of the new...

TONIGHT: The New Trans-Tasman Judicial Area - Life after entry into force of the Trans-Tasman Proceedings Act

Tonight's seminar will be presented by Justin Hogan-Doran and chaired by Dr Christopher Ward. For full details, please download a flyer here.

Silks of 2013 make generous donations

Philanthropy

It is a long-standing tradition that each year the newly appointed silks donate a gift to one or more charities. The 2013 silks raised a total of $88,700, with the Wayside Chapel and...

STEP address: bankruptcy and superannuation

PROMOTED BY STEP

The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) invites you to an address by Peter Bobbin, managing principal (Sydney), Rockwell Olivier on bankruptcy and superannuation. The...

Stalemate on mandatory sentencing

Yesterday, the Legislative Council's amendments to the Crimes Amendment (Intoxication) Bill 2014 were rejected by the lower house. Premier Barry O'Farrell denounced the amendments, saying "Labor is...

Yoga interrupted

The morning yoga session on Tuesday, 25 March 2014 has been cancelled. A morning media briefing by Chief Justice Bathurst will be held in the Common Room. The lunchtime session will be unaffected.

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...

Mandatory sentencing - a change for the better

Law reform and public affairs

Amendments to mandatory sentencing legislation passed in the Legislative Council last night represent an improvement on the government’s bill, the president of the...

District Court Practice Note 14

On 17 March 2014 the chief judge of the District Court revoked Practice Note 14, following an amendment to Rule 6.2 4(b)(i)(A)-(B) of the UCPR.

2014 John Koowarta Reconciliation Law Scholarship

The Law Council of Australia has awarded two recipients the 2014 John Koowarta Reconciliation Law Scholarship: Ms Samara Hand and Ms Laura Vincent. The scholarship, established in 1994, commemorates...

Work experience offered by members of the bar

It is not uncommon for members of the bar to be approached by law students and recent graduates seeking ‘work experience’. Internships or work experience offer genuine learning opportunities. It...