President's Message

28/06/2024

The Association has today published Cybersecurity Guidelines for barristers. The initiative recognises that cyberattacks are one of the most pressing risks we confront in the 21st century.

The Guidelines identify preventative steps that barristers should take to protect against cybersecurity threats. In the event of a cyberattack, a failure to implement at least core security measures could result in significant financial, reputational or other harm, to a barrister or their clients. Such failure may, in certain circumstances, involve a breach of the Barristers Rules and may constitute unsatisfactory professional conduct or professional misconduct.

The recommended minimum steps that all New South Wales barristers should take to protect against cybersecurity threats include installing security updates and the use of secure passwords and multi-factor authentication. Additional steps may be appropriate, depending on the nature of the barrister’s practice and the information and work data held. Each barrister should consider the particular circumstances of their own practice, and any systems implemented by their chambers, in determining the protections they deploy.

I urge all members to read the Cybersecurity Guidelines carefully and to attend cybersecurity CPDs which will be held over the coming months and notified via InBrief.

The Guidelines were drafted by the Cyber Resilience Working Group, established by Bar Council in February of this year, and comprising representatives of the Practice Development Committee, the Media and Information Law and Technology Committee and the Professional Conduct Committees. Thank you to all involved for your work.

The extensive cross-Committee work reflected in the Guidelines is but one of many achievements of the Association’s Committees over the last financial year. A key role of the 25 specialist Committees is to provide advice to the Bar Council on policy, law reform and professional conduct matters.

The Association has today also announced the membership lists for the Bar Association’s 2024/2025 Committees

While much of the Association’s work relies on its hard-working staff of 38 individuals, it is supported by the enormous voluntary contribution of our Committee members.

I sincerely thank all of our Committee Chairs, and members who have assisted on Committees, for their continued diligence across a diverse range of law reform, policy and professional conduct issues. For many barristers, time is the scarcest and most precious of things. The Association is profoundly grateful for the voluntary time and energy so many barristers contribute. It is an effort which appreciably strengthens the administration of justice in our state and nation.

The Association has recently updated its website to provide the contact details of Judicial Conduct Liaison Officers under the Bar Association’s protocols with the Supreme Court of NSW and Heads of federal jurisdictions regarding complaints against the judiciary. You may contact these individuals in confidence if you are subject to, or witness, unacceptable conduct by a member of the judiciary. Further information about this process and contact details of the Judicial Conduct Liaison Officers can be found here. You can also raise any other issues of practice and procedure occurring in Courts with a member of the Executive, who can raise these with the relevant Court.

Finally, this Monday marks the commencement of the reestablished Industrial Court of New South Wales. Welcome ceremonies for the Court will be held over the coming weeks, details of which can be found here.

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