Law Council's President's DinnerCaption: Attorney-General, Senator the Hon George Brandis QC, LCA President, Fiona McLeod SC, and Shadow Attorney-General, the Hon Mark Dreyfus QC, MP. More than 150 legal professionals and distinguished guests attended the Law Council’s annual President’s Dinner at the National Gallery of Australia on 30 November 2017. Law Council President, Fiona McLeod SC, reflected on an influential year at the Law Council, which included successful advocacy outcomes in issues including: advocating for the reversal of cuts to Community Legal Centres, supporting marriage equality and the Senator Dean Smith bill, opposing mandatory minimum sentences in Federal legislation, arguing against amending s18C of the Racial Discrimination Act and defending the judicial independence of the AAT and the courts. Ms McLeod also acknowledged the Law Council’s Legal Aid Matters campaign and the Council’s efforts to halt the ratification of the Australia-China extradition treaty in addition to success in regards to integrity issues and whistle-blower reform. Other areas of influence included work on slavery and human trafficking, business and HR, counter-terrorism reforms, advocacy for the courts and family law reform. “It can seem removed from the intellectual work of Law, to do the media rounds, to be in the bustle of the discourse, to argue the point in the dirty hubbub of democracy’s street fights - but the more we talk, the more robust and present are the arguments in the public domain, and people understand why they matter, then governments will be more inclined, whether coerced or in self-interest, or through noble cause, it doesn’t matter - to act accordingly,” Ms McLeod said. “And people will perhaps have a greater sense of what their own rights are, or at least how to find out.” Read more here. Caption: Member of the LCA Executive, Konrad de Kerloy, Fiona McLeod SC, Pauline Wright, Morry Bailes and Geoff Bowyer. Legal aid and rule of law champion David Neal wins 2017 President’s AwardCaption: Fiona McLeod SC, Law Council President and Dr David Neal SC, 2017 President's award winner. On 30 November 2017, LCA President, Fiona McLeod SC, presented the 2017 President's Award to Dr David Neal SC at the Law Council's annual President's Dinner. The President’s Award is awarded to an individual who has been an 'outstanding example to the Australian legal profession and to those who might seek to join its ranks.' “David Neal has made outstanding contributions to the Law Council, the Victorian Bar and to law reform in this country. He has been influential in the development and improvement of law and the administration of justice,” Ms McLeod said. Dr Neal noted, "I am greatly honoured to have been nominated by my home bar council the Victorian Bar for this award & then doubly honoured by the decision of the national representative body, the Law Council of Australia to award this prize to me." Read more. Australia leaps forward on human rights with marriage equality bill Complete unconscious bias training The online training module presented by the Law Council’s exclusive provider of unconscious bias training for legal practitioners, Symmetra, exposes valuable and practical insights regarding how and where biases emerge in the opinions and decisions of legal professionals. In this interactive course, practitioners can learn about the concept of unconscious bias, how it affects their business and industry, and equip themselves to help overcome potential biases in the future. You can take the Unconscious Bias Fundamentals for Legal Practitioners training today in one hour and earn a CPD point in the process. Convention on the Rights of the Child On 20 November 2017, the Law Council provided a submission to the Attorney-General’s Department on Australia’s Draft Report to the UN Committee on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The Australian Government is due to report to the Committee in January 2018 on its implementation of the CRC in Australia as part of a periodic review process. The Law Council’s submission raised concerns about Australia’s laws, policies and practices in relation to matters including mandatory sentencing laws, the age of criminal responsibility, widespread and systematic abuse in juvenile detention centres, restrictive bail laws, children in out-of-home care, mandatory detention of asylum-seeking children and the persistent under-funding of legal aid. Proposed Extradition Treaty and Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
The Law Council considers that the proposed treaties as currently drafted do not contain sufficiently robust protections regarding those likely to be extradited to Jordan or
prosecuted subject to a request for legal assistance. The Law Council therefore opposes Australia’s ratification of the proposed Treaties. In addition, the Law Council considers that the proposed Treaties exacerbate, rather than allay, concerns about potential adverse impacts created by the current extradition and mutual assistance regimes. In its submission therefore, the Law Council directs its recommendations towards improving safeguards in the proposed Treaties as well as the Extradition Act 1988 (Cth) and Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 1987 (Cth). AdvocacyCurrent inquiries and consultations - as of 1 December 2017.
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Events Event wrap up: Hot Topics Event Caption: From left to right – Brenton Lochert (Comcare), Gary Jeffery (Comcare), John Mrsic (Barrister – 4th Floor Selborne Chambers), The Hon Justice David Thomas (AAT President) & Sophie Callan (Barrister – 12 Wentworth Selborne Chambers). Upcoming events 2018
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