Adoption of Equitable Briefing Policy by the NSW Government

09/07/2008

In June 2004 Bar Council formally adopted the Law Council's Model Equal Opportunity Briefing Policy for Female Barristers and Advocates, which draws upon a policy drafted by the Equal Opportunity Committee and approved by the Bar Association on 23 October 2003.ï¿½The NSW Attorney General's Department formally adopted the policy, but there was no endorsement from the government as a whole.

For a number of years, the New South Wales Bar Association has made representations to government urging the adoption of such a policy. In March this year the president wrote to the attorney seeking his support for wider government adoption of the policy so that all government departments are required to adhere to it when engaging counsel and more generally in any tendering for legal services.ï¿½ The attorney has now advised that yesterday state Cabinet endorsed "a new equitable briefing policy" which will require all government agencies to "actively seek female counsel in selecting barristers".ï¿½ View the media release issued byï¿½Attorney General Hatzistergos>

The government is yet to announce the detail of the policy, or mechanisms for monitoring its government-wide implementation.ï¿½ ï¿½ Further details will be provided once they are available.

9 July 2008

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