No Images? Click here 3 May 2019 Read Your May Edition of Brief Online NowThe May edition of Brief is now available to read online. In this edition, we look ahead to Law Week 2019, taking place this month. Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM, speaker at the Law Week Breakfast, is featured on the front cover (more information on the Law Week Breakfast can be found in the 'Events' section of this Friday Facts). Also inside are articles on Trusts, Ethics, Improving Written Submissions and Current Issues at the Legal Profession Complaints Committee, as well as the latest Quirky Case and Drover's Dog column. Start reading now! Announcements2019 Lawyer of the Year Awards – FinalistsThe Law Society is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2019 Lawyer of the Year Awards in the following categories: Practitioners with more than five years’ experience: Cheryl Chan Practitioners with less than five years’ experience: Najette Alaraibi Congratulations to all finalists. The award recipients will be announced at the Law Week Awards Night on Friday, 17 May – there's still time to register for this event and be there as we acknowledge the finalists and present our Lawyer of the Year Awards: visit our website to book now! Ministerial Expert Panel on Voluntary Assisted DyingThe Ministerial Expert Panel (MEP) on Voluntary Assisted Dying was set up following the WA Parliament Joint Select Committee on End of Life Choices report, My Life, My Choice. The MEP has prepared a discussion paper and is seeking submissions in response. The closing date for submissions is Friday, 24 May 2019. Views may be submitted via an online questionnaire or alternatively can be submitted via email to VADconsultations@health.wa.gov.au. Submissions that are considered by the Panel will be published online, unless you request that your submission remains confidential. Have You Recently Changed Job or Address? Don’t Miss Out on Important InformationTo ensure that the Law Society has your most current information as we approach the membership renewal process, please take two minutes to login to the member portal at members.lawsocietywa.asn.au and click on the 'My Details' icon to update your details. For log-in assistance, please contact (08) 9324 8692 or membership@lawsocietywa.asn.au. Law Council UpdateAn update of 29 April 2019 from the Law Council of Australia is available here. EventsJust Over One Week to Go!Monday, 13 May 2019 | 7.15am – 9.15amKeynote Address: Law, Lawyers and Human Rights Celebrate the opening of Law Week with breakfast at the Parmelia Hilton, Perth, and recognise the contributions made by members of the legal profession to the WA community. Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM, President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, will present a keynote address on Law, Lawyers and Human Rights. The Law Society is delighted to once again host the Attorney General’s Community Service Law Awards at the event. Make sure your firm is represented at this important event for the WA legal profession! Rosalind Croucher AM With thanks to Law Week supporters and sponsors: Inter-Profession Networking EventWednesday, 22 May 2019 | 5.30pm – 7.30pm Join the Law Society’s Young Lawyers Committee and young professionals from Young Chartered Accountants (YCA) on 22 May at the next Inter-Profession Networking Event. Speaker Michael Berkeley-Hill from Berkeley-Hill Legal will speak to attendees on the importance of building a network early on in your career, and how it can significantly improve your chances of landing your dream job in a competitive market. Michael will tell his personal story of how good networking has taken him around the globe, including to positions in New York and London. Registration is only $20 and includes canapés and refreshments, and the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals. Numbers are limited, so book now! For Country LawyersCPD Day for Rural, Regional and Remote PractitionersFriday, 17 May 2019 | 8.30am – 5.20pm | Parmelia Hilton, Perth After a successful first year, the Law Society is once again hosting a CPD day for RRR lawyers in Perth during Law Week 2019. Acknowledging the tyranny of distance, this CPD day is offered free for Country members of the Law Society and heavily discounted for Country non-members at $200 for the entire day and provides 6 CPD Points across all four competencies. Law Library Services for Regional PractitionersPractitioners in regional areas of Western Australia are welcome to use the services provided by The Law Library. Articles and cases can be sent via email for $22 per document. Library staff can also carry out searches of legal databases including Lexis Advance, Westlaw AU and CCH Intelliconnect on behalf of regional practitioners. Contact Details Opening Hours Library Catalogue Charges for Photocopying, Printing, Document Delivery and Interlibrary Loans Library fees are prescribed by the Legal Profession (Law Library Fees) Rules 2017 and are set out in Part 2: Schedule of Fees. To make a payment, a pre-paid account must first be set up with The Law Library. This can be done by VISA or Mastercard and can be arranged over the phone or by email. Location The Library is a shared resource for the judiciary, government legal officers and members of the legal profession. It is not open to the public. Continuing Professional DevelopmentWestern Australia Police Force – Body Worn Camera ProgramMonday, 6 May 2019 | 12.30pm – 2.00pm This seminar is also streamed live as a webinar The use of Body Worn Cameras by law enforcement personnel is becoming increasingly prevalent. WA Police recently announced that it will implement a staged rollout of body cameras in June 2019 with the goal of outfitting all front-line police officers with cameras by 2021. Join Darren Henstock, A/Inspector, Program Manager – Digital Policing Program, WA Police Force, who will provide important updates on the rollout of the devices, their capabilities and the anticipated opportunities that this foundational project will offer. Membership PrivilegesNew National Partnership with Virgin AustraliaThe Law Society is delighted to partner with Virgin Australia on a new member privilege offering. Law Society members and companions will enjoy exclusive offers on airfares to over 600 domestic and international destinations. Added benefits include a Discounted Lounge Scheme with a joining fee of $200 (normally $250) and annual membership fee $325 (normally $420) which provides access to all Virgin Australia Domestic lounges. The joining fee will be waived for Law Society members until 30 June 2019 – please use the contact email address for details on how to join. Members also enjoy access to Fly- Ahead, Economy X and three months Complimentary Pilot Gold Velocity Status Acceleration, which allows travellers to experience the best of Virgin Australia’s premium products and services and be fast-tracked to full Velocity Gold membership. Use the contact email address for further details on how you can access these benefits. Please visit the Law Society’s website to find out more and for guidance on how to Win Movie Tickets to See Gloria BellTo celebrate the release of Gloria Bell, currently in cinemas, the Law Society is giving members the chance to win an in-season double pass to see the film. From Academy Award winning director Sebastián Lelio comes a sophisticated romantic drama that shows love can strike at any time, relationships are never simple, and nothing can get you down as long as you keep dancing. Please email membership@lawsocietywa.asn.au with your name and contact details for your chance to win. We Want Your FeedbackDo you know of a business that would be interested in joining our Membership Privileges Programme? Is there a product or service you would like to be added to our Membership Privileges? If you have any feedback or suggestions, please email membership@lawsocietywa.asn.au. 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 AnnouncementsPragma's 3rd Annual Law Week Quiz NightAs part of Law Week, Pragma is hosting a Quiz Night to raise funds for one of Western Australia’s community legal centres, The Subiaco Justice Centre Inc. The centre provides legal advice and representation to disadvantaged persons and seeks to improve access to justice in new and innovative ways. With the support of the Law Society and the Piddington Society, the Quiz Night will be held on Tuesday, 14 May 2019. »Find out more William Ah Ket ScholarshipThe 2019 William Ah Ket Scholarship is now open for expressions of interest. Expressions of interest to submit an essay are open until Friday, 31 May 2019. The deadline for submitting an essay is 9 August 2019. UNCCA Annual May Seminar – CanberraThe United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) National Coordination Committee for Australia is a private sector initiative bringing together lawyers, academics and students to support the work of UNCITRAL in Australia, with a formal mandate from the UNCITRAL. In 2019, panels of academics, legal professionals and government representatives will debate issues from Cross-Border Insolvency, MSMEs and Judicial Sale of Ships followed by an update on current works in trade law on Friday, 10 May 2019. »Find out more |