Message from the Chair

Use COVID-19 lessons to positively influence
your leadership

Australian Law Management Group

The decisive actions of some political leaders and the fallout for many firms from COVID-19 has challenged many business assumptions and provided lessons and inspiration for law firms as they seek to emerge from the pandemic with new and better ways of operating for employees and clients, writes Keegan Luiters. Read more

COVID-19 Conundrums
 Consideration needed on the question of ‘presence’

Legal Practice Section

It seems that no matter how fast I type, I can’t match the speed with which things are changing as a result of COVID-19. At the time of writing, succession lawyers
are grappling with how we might address the issues thrown up where there is a legislative requirement for witnessing and for it to occur ‘in the presence of’, particularly with respect to affidavits, wills, powers of attorney, advance health directives and superannuation binding death benefit nominations. Read more.

Statutory Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth)

Australian Environment & Planning Law Group

The Law Council provided a submission to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment in response to the second statutory review (the Review) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (the EPBC Act or Act), including the Review discussion paper. Read more.

Australian Law Management Hub

Australian Law Management Group

LPS members can see the latest edition of the Australian Law Management Hub here.

Congratulations - Jennifer Batrouney AM QC

The Chair of the Charities & Not for Profits Committee from the Legal Practice Section, Jennifer Batrouney AM QC, was awarded a medal in the Queen’s honours’ list. The award was in recognition for significant service to the law, to the legal profession, and to women lawyers.

Well done and congratulations from the Charities and Not for Profits Committee, the Legal Practice Section and the Law Council of Australia for your significant contribution. 

Young Environment Lawyer of the Year Award

Australian Environment & Planning Law Group

The Australian Environment & Planning Law Group from the Legal Practice Section presented the Young Environmental Lawyer of the Year Award 2020 to Hubert Algie from Keller's Australia.

A lawyer with the Melbourne based, specialist environment law firm Kellehers Australia, Mr Algie not only works in a busy legal practice, but is an active contributor to the Law Institute of Victoria through the Planning and Local Government Committee, the Environmental Issue Committee and the Property and Environmental Law Section Executive Committee. He is also a member of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association (VPELA) Young Professional Group. Read more

New Superannuation Lawyer's Award

Superannuation Committee

During the Superannuation Conference in March in Adelaide, Sanela Osmanovic a Senior Associate from HWL Ebsworth, was awarded the New Superannuation Lawyer Award for 2020 for her essay on "Executive accountability and remuneration regimes within Australian superannuation funds and the insights which can be drawn from the United Kingdom pension fund context".

Victorian Young Property Lawyer of the Year Award

Nominations Now Open!

Australian Property Law Group

The Australian Property Law Group from the Legal Practice Section welcomes nominations for the Victorian Young Property Lawyer of the Year Award. It is designed to recognise and encourage the talent and achievements of young property law practitioners in Victoria.

Nominations close on Friday 17th July 2020. Read more

Superannuation Conference 2020

The Superannuation Committee of the Legal Practice Section completed another successful event in Adelaide in March 2020 at the Pullman Hotel in South Australia. This year the conference theme was “BEAR necessities”, being a reference to the Royal Commission recommendation for the “Banking Executive Accountability Regime”. Read more

• Advice Fees in Superannuation.
• Financial Regulator Assessment Authority.
• Trustees of Registrable Superannuation Entities (RSE) should hold no other role or office.
• Enforceability of Financial Services Industry Codes.
• Recommendation 4.1 – No Hawking of Financial Products.
• Implementation of ASIC Enforcement Review Taskforce – Directors’ Powers.
• Implementation of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Enforcement Review Taskforce – Breach Reporting.
• Recommendation 4.2 – Restricted use of the Terms ‘Insurance’ and ‘Insurer’.
• National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Small Amount Credit Contract and Consumer Lease Reform) Bill 2019 (No. 2).
• CP 325 Product Design and Distribution Obligations.
• Superannuation Regulator Roles – Amendment to Sections 55 and 56 of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993.
• Enhancements to Unfair Contract Term Protections.
• Statutory Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
• Australian Environment & Planning Law Group made a submission to the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements.
• Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) Bill 2020.
• 2020 Review of the Emissions Reduction Fund.
• Litigation Funding and the Regulation of the Class Action Industry
• Charities & Not for Profits Committee made a submission to the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements.
• Resources Sector Regulation Draft Report
• 2020 Technology Investment Roadmap
• Inquiry into the Australian Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic