Dialogue: A roundup of recent Society meetings & conferences

A roundup of recent Society meetings & conferences

ROSEMARY PRIDMORE, EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Homeless Legal Donor Circle Impact Update 4 May 2022

The President, Justin Stewart-Rattray attended a presentation by a Panel (headed by the Honourable John Sulan QC) as to impact of the Homeless Legal Service on homelessness in South Australia.

Meeting with the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement 11 May 2022

The CEO of the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (ALRM), Mr Chris Larkins spoke about issues currently being experienced by the ALRM at a meeting with Justin Stewart-Rattray and Stephen Hodder. The issues included funding to the ALRM and legal aid services generally; court services in remote areas and conflicts; and the importance to Aboriginal children of raising the age of criminal responsibility.

Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Treasurer 14 June 2022

At the invitation of the leader of the Liberal Party, David Speirs and the Shadow Treasurer, Matt Cowdrey, Justin StewartRattray and Paul Black (Co-Chair of the Accident Compensation Committee) met with these members of the Opposition to discuss the Society’s submission in relation to the Return to Work (Permanent Impairment Assessment) Bill 2022.

Joint Rules Advisory Committee 16 June 2022

Justin Stewart-Rattray, Alex Lazarevich (Chair of the Civil Litigation Committee) and Philip Adams represented the Society at a meeting of the Joint Rules Advisory Committee. Various potential amendments to the Uniform Civil Rules were discussed, along with a proposal by the Society that a Commercial and Expedited Commercial List be introduced (to be further considered by JRAC) and additions to the draft Uniform Special Statutory Rules 2022 drafted by the Director of Ethics and Practice and proposed by the Society, in relation to the freezing of funds in legal practitioners’ trust accounts under Court Order.

Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee 17 June 2022

Representing the Society in an appearance before the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee, Justin Stewart-Rattray and Richard Bradshaw (Co Deputy Chair of the Aboriginal Issues Committee) spoke to the Society’s written submission, which had been informed by the Aboriginal Issues Committee.

Quarterly Law Council Directors’ and associated meetings 18 – 19 June 2022

Justin Stewart-Rattray and Stephen Hodder variously represented the Society at quarterly meetings of Directors of the Law Council of Australia (LCA), CEOs of Law Societies, Joint CEOs (Law Society and Bar Association), Law Society Presidents and the Conference of Law Societies, which were held in Darwin. Dr James Popple, newly appointed CEO of the LCA, was introduced to the Constituent Body representatives and attended various meetings. Matters discussed included the production by the Law Society of NSW of a new edition of the profile of solicitors; the LCA’s Equitable Briefing Policy; coercive control trauma informed practice; bystander training; unconscious bias training; and anti-money laundering (the view of the new Federal Government on the inclusion of the legal profession not yet known).

ANU Panel on Facial Recognition 27 June 2022

The President-Elect, James Marsh stepped up at very short notice (in place of a very ill Justin Stewart-Rattray) as a Panel Member at a forum on the use of facial recognition technology, which was convened by the Australian National University. The Adelaide City Council’s consideration as to whether to purchase facial recognition software for use with new cameras to be installed in Rundle Mall provided the impetus for the forum. Shortly before the forum, the Council voted against doing so. The Society noted the need for appropriate legislation, restrictions on the purposes for which the technology could be used, data security and rights of review. B July 2022 THE BULLETIN 37