Updates to Clause 7 of the Senior Counsel Protocol

28/03/2024

As announced in the December 2023 President’s Message, the Bar Council resolved to amend the Senior Counsel Protocol, with effect for the 2024 selection process, to include an additional essential criterion that Senior Counsel will have demonstrated commitment to the advancement of the Bar as an inclusive workplace and profession, including by the completion of at least two hours of harassment, discrimination, and bullying awareness and complaint handling training within the two years prior to the close of Senior Counsel applications.

This new essential criterion will be reflected in Clause 7 of an updated Senior Counsel Protocol which will be published prior to the opening of Senior Counsel applications for 2024. The additional essential criterion will also be addressed in an updated Guide to Practical Aspects and other material inviting applications.

Applicants should provide such information in their application which they believe will assist the 2024 Selection Committee in considering that the applicant has the qualities for appointment as Senior Counsel required by Clause 6 and the updated Clause 7 of the Protocol.

There is no prescribed training which all applicants must complete to satisfy the two hours of harassment, discrimination, and bullying awareness and complaint handling training requirement in Clause 7. However, there are a number of seminar recordings available on the Bar Association’s CPD streaming website that applicants may wish to view, including the Respectful Relations Officer Training: Webinar 1 – Enabling Environments and the Respectful Relations Officer Training: Webinar 2 – RRO Role in Practice. Appropriate record-keeping which demonstrates that an applicant has attended or viewed the Respectful Relations Officer training sessions, within the two years prior to the close of Senior Counsel applications, will satisfy the training requirement.