Law Week 2018 Review - Brief

EVENT WRAP UP

LAW WEEK 2018

Selected photographs by The Scene Team

A FOCUS ON LAW AND JUSTICE IN THE COMMUNITY The biggest and best Law Week yet!

The Law Society was delighted to showcase over 50 events for the community and legal profession across Western Australia during Law Week 2018. The Law Society hosted seven major events between Monday, 14 May and Friday, 18 May, attended by over 800 people. The focus of Law Week was on law and justice in the community, access to justice and recognition of legal practitioners who have provided exceptional service to the profession and community.

Law Week opened on Monday, 14 May with the Law Week Breakfast at the Parmelia Hilton, Perth, where over 130 practitioners enjoyed breakfast in a lively and upbeat atmosphere, in the company of special guests including the Hon John Quigley MLA, Attorney General of Western Australia.

The Attorney General discussed the State Government’s significant law reform agenda, with a particular focus on initiatives directed towards improving access to justice. You can find the Attorney General's full speech in this edition of Brief.

The Attorney General also presented the 2018 Community Service Law Awards. From a strong field of nominees, barrister David

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Blades and tenant advocacy service Tenancy WA were named individual and organisation winners respectively (pictured page 9, third row, far left, with the Attorney General). Other finalists included law firm Estrin Saul, and lawyers Thomas Scutt and Raya Stanton.

The Law Society hosted young leaders in the WA community at a Youth Civics Leadership Day on Monday, 14 May. As part of the day’s activities, students had the chance to meet young lawyers, who generously volunteered their time to explain the work they do and how they came to practise law.

On Tuesday, 15 May, National Pro Bono Day, the annual Law Access Walk for Justice attracted a record-breaking attendance of more than 450 lawyers. More than $42,000 was raised for the vital Law Access pro bono referral service, thanks to a magnificent fundraising effort from the WA legal profession.

Events for the community took place throughout Law Week, including free information sessions and legal advice. Events were hosted by organisations and firms across Western Australia, examining topics including ‘Representing Yourself at a Magistrates Court Criminal Trial’, ‘10 Things You Need to Know About the Consumer Laws That Protect You’ and ‘Cyber-Safety for Teachers’.

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The Law Society’s Young Lawyers Committee hosted a panel presentation on the subject of Access to Justice for Indigenous Peoples. Attendees at the old Supreme Court building witnessed a lively debate on issues including the right to parole, bail for Indigenous accused in regional and remote locations, access to interpreters and the leadership and positive contributions of Indigenous communities.

At the Law Society’s Social Justice Career Opportunities Evening on Thursday, 17 May, representatives from 10 not-for-profit and community organisations provided attendees with information about career pathways in the human rights and social justice areas.

The Law Society hosted three major events on an action-packed Friday, 18 May. At the Old Court House Law Museum, a soldout audience heard extraordinary stories from role model women Aboriginal lawyers. The panel discussion, titled My Culture My Story; Aboriginal Women Leaders in Law, was facilitated by Deanne Fitzgerald and the trailblazing panellists included Kelsi Forrest, Ashleigh Lindsay, Kate George and Sue Gordon AM. At the Law Society, a capacity audience of country members from across Western Australia, including Broome, the Kimberley, the Pilbara, Geraldton, Bunbury, Margaret River, Donnybrook, Narrogin,

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Albany and Esperance attended the CPD Day for Country Practitioners. Delegates heard from eminent presenters including the Hon Wayne Martin AC, Chief Justice of Western Australia and Morry Bailes, President of the Law Council of Australia, with content specially tailored to the needs of country practitioners.

The Law Week Awards Night at Bankwest Place, Perth, included the much-anticipated announcement of the Law Society’s Lawyer of the Year Awards. Congratulations to award winners Haley Allan (more than five years' experience category) (pictured page 8, top row centre with President Hayley Cormann) and Tegan Harrington (less than five years' experience category) (pictured page 7, middle row far left with President Hayley Cormann). Other finalists included Patricia Aloi, Reuben Saul Jahnke, Danielle Bechelet and Katy Welch.

Practitioners with more than 50 years’ service to the WA legal profession and the Law Society's most recently Accredited Family Law Specialists were also recognised. Guests enjoyed canapés, refreshments and good conversation, in a fitting end to another successful Law Week.

The Law Society would like to thank everyone who participated in the Law Week festivities this year. There was much to talk about and lots more on the agenda as we look forward to Law Week 2019.

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Special thanks to Law Week supporters and sponsors

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