No Images? Click here 18 October 2019 Nicholas van Hattem has been declared elected as the Law Society of Western Australia’s President for 2020. Mr van Hattem is the Law Society’s current Senior Vice President. Mr van Hattem said, “I am honoured to be the President of the Law Society for 2020. It has been a privilege to serve as Senior Vice President in 2019. I look forward to continuing to help the important work of the Society." Law Society President Greg McIntyre SC said, “I congratulate Nicholas on his appointment as President of the Society in 2020. I look forward to working with the newly constituted Council and Executive in 2020 as Immediate Past President.” »Read more The following members were declared to be elected to the following positions on the 2020 Council. Jocelyne Boujos, Senior Vice President, Rebecca Lee, Junior Vice President and Treasurer, Rebecca Bunney, Daniel Coster, Mark Hemery, Craig Slater and Brooke Sojan as Ordinary members. Nominations for election to the 2020 Law Society Council closed on Wednesday, 16 October. Voting will open on Wednesday, 30 October 2019. Members eligible to vote will receive an email ballot provided by CorpVote, an independent voting services organisation. Members will be asked to elect one Country Member for a two year term and three Junior Members for a one year term. Voting will close on Wednesday, 13 November 2019. Look out for candidate statements and photographs in the November edition of Brief. AnnouncementsLegal Practice Board Notice – Use of the title Special CounselAfter conducting an enquiry into the use of the term “special counsel”, the Legal Practice Board has decided to take no action prohibiting or otherwise restricting its use. However, the Board cautions firms to be mindful of their legal obligation not to mislead the court, members of the public, other practitioners and their clients regarding the skill or expertise purportedly held by solicitors employed by the firm and reserves the right to deal with matters where that obligation is shown to have been breached. »Read the notice The Law Society had written to the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia recommending that there be no changes to the use of the title "special counsel" in WA. Law Council Equitable Briefing Policy ReportFemale barristers are starting to receive more briefs and are more often recommended for work by their colleagues in new or current matters, according to new Law Council of Australia data. But the Law Council’s Equitable Briefing Policy Annual Report 2017-18 shows female barristers still lag behind male colleagues when it comes to the number and value of briefs. »Read more Law Council Update
WA Cricket Association – Exclusive Member BenefitsTake advantage of this limited Join the WACA's Champions Club before 31 October and receive:
2020 Law Society Diary and Directory – Now AvailableThe Law Society's 2020 Diary and Directory is now in stock and available to order. This stylish and versatile planner also includes detailed reference material for the profession, including listings of law practices, barristers courts and tribunals. Continuing Professional DevelopmentA View from the BenchThursday, 7 November 2019 | 5.30pm – 7.00pm Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to hear from judicial officers of WA's three main courts and the SAT (His Honour Judge Alan Troy, District Court; Acting Principal Registrar Natalie Whitby, Supreme Court; Magistrate Deen Potter, Magistrates Court; and Senior Member Mr David Aitken, State Administrative Tribunal). This annual seminar is one of our most popular among both newly-admitted and experienced practitioners. There is no better time to get the best tips from the source. Our highly experienced speakers will provide advice on:
Ethics on Friday: Journalists and Legal EthicsFriday, 8 November 2019 | 1.00pm – 2.00pm We have secured journalist Geof Parry from Channel Seven to co-present Journalists and Legal Ethics with former Law Society President, Craig Slater (Barrister, Francis Burt Chambers). This is a rare opportunity to hear from a journalist and a member of the Law Society’s Ethics Committee on the ethical rules you should keep in mind when assisting your client, dealing with journalists and considering the public interest. Join us and be educated on:
EventsThursday, 5 December, 5.30pm – 7.30pm | The Westin, 480 Hay Street, Perth Join friends and colleagues as the legal profession gathers to celebrate another successful year. The End of Year Celebration at the contemporary Westin Perth provides the opportunity to thank you for your engagement with, and support of, the Law Society throughout the year. It promises to be an evening of collegiality, refreshments, delicious canapés and music, so get a group from your workplace together or fly solo, but don’t miss our final event of 2019! Sponsored by Law Mutual (WA)Risk Management SeminarsPractice Management – Accountability, Responsibility and Limits to Authority Professional Liability Risks and Controls in Litigation To register for the above seminars please complete the registration form and send to cpd@lawsocietywa.asn.au. 2019/2020 Country Practitioners Risk Management ProgrammeWEBINARS – Country Practitioners Only Dealing with Difficult Clients: a Practical Guide to Positive Client Relationships6 November 2019 Communication Risk – How to Identify and Reduce Exposure
Matter Management Guidelines – Providing
To register for the above seminars please complete the registration form on the Country Practitioner Webinar Programme and return to cpd@lawsocietywa.asn.au. Membership PrivilegesWin One of Five Double Passes to After The WeddingThanks to Rialto Distribution we are giving our members the chance to WIN in-season double passes to see After The Wedding. Acting powerhouses Michelle Williams and Julianne Moore star in this powerful drama where appearances are only skin deep. A woman who runs an orphanage in Calcutta (Williams) is offered a generous sum of money by a philanthropist in New York (Julianne Moore) and the two women have more in common than meets the eye. After The Wedding releases nationally on Thursday, 24 October. Please email membership@lawsocietywa.asn.au with your name and contact details for your chance to win. To access the members only privileges page, use password: 2019LawSociety Pro BonoAll applicants have been means tested and assessed by Law Access as being vulnerable people with great difficulty self-representing. If you are able to provide any assistance, please email lawaccess@lawaccess.net.au
External EventsDistrict Court Open DayThe District Court of Western Australia will hold an Open Day on Sunday, 17 November 2019. Talk to judicial officers and staff, visit courtrooms and custody centre, learn about jury duty and participate in a mock jury empanelment. »View the flyer UN Day LectureThursday, 24 October 2019 | 5.00pm – 6.15pm | Federal Court of Australia, Court 1 The UN Day Lecture series is an annual initiative of the UNCITRAL National Coordination Committee for Australia (UNCCA) to highlight the work of UNCITRAL for practitioners and students. »Register here |