A shifting culture towards equal opportunity
for women in law

There has been a rise in the number of female barristers being briefed on matters over the past three years, according to the latest equal opportunity data released by the Law Council of Australia.

The Law Council’s Equitable Briefing Policy Annual Report 2018-19 has found that briefs to female barristers increased by two per cent during the reporting year, with women now receiving 27 per cent of all briefs, on track to surpass the target of 30 per cent before the next reporting period.

Law Council President, Pauline Wright, said that the data reveals a welcome shift in culture.

“The Law Council launched the Equitable Briefing Policy in 2016, with the aim of tracking equal opportunity within the profession. The latest data shows evidence of positive moves within the profession, especially for female junior barristers who are receiving more briefs,” said Ms Wright. Read more.

Advocacy

Inquiries and consultations as of 23 September 2020.

• Crimes Legislation Amendment (Economic Disruption) Bill 2020, Parliamentary Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee.
• Australia’s Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Bill 2020 and Australia’s Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2020, Parliamentary Senate Standing Committees on Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade.
• Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan Review, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
• An Investigation into the effectiveness of ATO communications of taxpayers' rights to complain, review and appeal, Inspector-General of Taxation.
• Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violence, Parliamentary House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs.
• National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention, Attorney-General’s Department / National Commissioner.
• National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention Bill 2020 and the National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2020, Parliamentary Senate Standing Committees on Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade.
• Industry Consultation on Financial Products and the Personal Property Securities Act (Cth), Attorney General’s Department.
• Review of the Lands Acquisition Act 1989 (Cth), Department of Finance.
• Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, Royal Commission.
• A new National Disability Strategy – Stage 2 consultations, Department of Social Services.
• Review of Part 14 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 – Telecommunications Sector Security Reforms, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.
• Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement: Consultation on a Possible New Geographical Indications Right, IP Australia.
• Review of Judicial Impartiality, Australian Law Reform Commission.
• Review into the Framework of Religious Exemptions in Anti-discrimination Legislation, Australian Law Reform Commission.
• Guidance for digital check-in providers collecting personal information for contact tracing, Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
• Review of the Legislative Framework for Corporations and Financial Services Regulation, Australian Law Reform Commission.

• Major reforms to the Foreign Investment Review Framework - September 2020, The Treasury.

• Review of ‘declared areas’ provisions of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (Supplementary submission).

• Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

• Digital platform services inquiry 2020-2025, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

• Phase 2 of the Review of the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth) Act, National Indigenous Australians Agency.

• Draft Practical Compliance Guideline PCG 2017/4DC2 ATO compliance approach to taxation issues associated with cross-border related party financing arrangements and related transactions, Australian Taxation Office. 

News and Media 

Media releases and statements:

• A guide for lawyers to help with Elder Abuse released, 23 September 2020. 
• A shifting culture towards equal opportunity for women in law, 18 September 2020. 
• Law Council raises concerns about government's extension to temporary insolvency emergency measures, 11 September 2020. 

​Key coverage:

• Spy agency wants terror laws extended, The Australian, 22 September 2020
• More jobs, less pay for female barristers, The Australian, 18 September 2020.
• Top Australian judges on China watch, Australian Financial Review, 16 September 2020.
• Fears raised on relaxed insolvency laws extension, Lawyers Weekly, 15 September 2020. 
• Law Council report says 'insidious and pervasive' domestic violence problem, Canberra Times, 12 September 2020. 

Events

October

• 20 October 2020 - ILS International Law and Practice Course 2020 Lecture Four
  Host: International Law Section
  Time: 5.00pm - 6.30pm AEST
  Location: Webinar via Zoom

November

• 2-27 November 2020 - IBA 2020 Virtually Together Conference
  Host: International Bar Association 
  Location: online
   
• 17 November 2020 - ILS International Law and Practice Course 2020 Lecture Five
  Host: International Law Section
  Time: 5.00pm - 6.00pm AEST
  Location: Webinar via Zoom