PRESIDENT'S REPORT Jocelyne Boujos President, The Law Society of Western Australia
Welcome to the October edition of Brief. WA Mental Health Week 2021 Every year, both RU OK? Day (9 September) and WA Mental Health Week (9-16 October) remind us of the importance of mental health and wellbeing and the need to reach out and provide assistance to, and seek support from, our colleagues, family and friends. We all experience life’s ups and downs, but some may be struggling and not know how to reach out for help. Your genuine support can make a difference whatever they are facing, big or small. I would therefore like to encourage everyone to reach out to someone they think may be troubled. It’s not always easy to have these conversations, but it could change a life. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us all, in both our personal and professional lives. Never has it been more important to be mindful of mental health and wellbeing as the boundaries between work and home are increasingly blurred, and new challenges arise, to create distance between work and non-work activities. The Law Society brings together a strong community of supportive professionals to whom you can reach out. There are effective strategies for mindfulness and stress management that can be explored in the Law Society’s Continuing Professional Development programme or by visiting our website. We also provide our LawCare WA health and wellbeing service for members, which includes an assistance programme and free counselling sessions. Important Note: This October edition includes a mental health and wellbeing special feature, which provides not only helpful advice and tools for creating a positive work and life balance, but also provides some entertaining reading that will inspire you. A good read not to be missed!
Elections for 2021 Law Society Council The Council of the Law Society plays a pivotal role and sets the strategic direction of the Law Society, and, with the guidance and recommendations of the Law Society’s committees, acts as the voice of the legal profession through submissions and regular liaison with government, the courts and other stakeholders.
I believe it is essential that the Council of the Law Society continues to be representative of our membership: solicitors from small, medium and large firms, sole practitioners, and barristers who all practice in the many diverse areas of law. Voting will open on Wednesday, 27 October, with ballot papers transmitted to eligible members electronically by independent voting services organisation CorpVote. Ballots will close at 3.00pm WST on Wednesday, 10 November. I strongly encourage all eligible members to engage with the voting process. Please look out for further information on the Council elections in the coming weeks.
Law Society Committees 2021 is also a biennial review for the Society’s Committees (a ‘spill’), as you would have no doubt seen in Friday Facts. I thank all members who have expressed their interest to remain on a committee and am I excited that Expressions of Interest have been received from new members who are interested in getting involved in the important policy work that the Society undertakes. Committee membership is an opportunity to contribute to improving the laws of Western Australia and the administration of justice, and can be immensely rewarding. It is also a great way to connect with your colleagues in your practice area in a friendly professional environment.
Law Society Annual General Meeting The Law Society’s Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday, 18 November 2021 at 5.15pm on Level 26, QV1 Building, 250 St Georges Terrace – the offices of Herbert Smith Freehills. Please mark this in your calendars, and I look forward to seeing as many members as possible there for our meeting, followed by drinks and refreshments. I wish you all a safe and happy month of October, and as always, would love to hear from you, our members. Please contact either me directly, any other member of the Executive or the Law Society’s Chief Executive Officer, to share with us your ideas, feedback and concerns.
End of Year Celebration – Book Now The Law Society’s annual End of Year Celebration is fast approaching! The event will be held on Friday, 3 December 2021, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm at the Anzac Club on the stunning rooftop balcony overlooking the Terrace.
The End of Year Celebration is always a Our members come from our broad and diverse fantastic evening, so I encourage you to book legal profession in Western Australia, and so now on our website to secure your place.
2 | BRIEF OCTOBER 2021
Congratulations I warmly congratulate Kendra Turner who has won the 2021 Australian Young Lawyer Award, commended for her outstanding contribution to the legal profession through her work to promote diversity and inclusion both within and outside her workplace. Earlier this year, Kendra was also named winner of the Law Society of Western Australia’s 2021 Junior Lawyer of the Year Award as well as the Women Lawyers of Western Australia Junior Woman Lawyer of the Year Award for her continuous and outstanding contributions to the profession and the community. We are delighted and proud Kendra has received this significant accolade for her outstanding contribution, and thank the Law Society’s Young Lawyers Committee for the nomination.
Advocacy Update Since the last edition of Brief, the Society has continued to advocate for important law reform to enhance the business of the legal profession, improve access to justice and benefit the Western Australian community. The Uniform Law Bills remain referred to the Standing Committee on Uniform Legislation and Statutes Review, hopefully by the time this issue of Brief is published the Committee will have reported. The Administration Amendment Bill 2021 (Bill) (to increase the statutory legacy and so bring WA into line with other States after decades of inertia) has passed the lower house and is now in the Upper, which while encouraging is as far as the Bill went in the last session of Parliament. Since the last issue, the Law Society has also made numerous submissions and provided comment on various issues directly to decision makers and stakeholders including: Provisional Assessments by Taxing Officers Electronic Mortgages Model Provisions for Enduring Powers of Attorney Construction of a Mandatory Reporting Requirement for Lawyers (Victorian consultation) Update on the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill Nominations to the Legal Costs Committee Information Sharing in the Children’s Court LCA revised Death Penalty Statement The Society is also very busy preparing a submission on the draft Workers Compensation legislation and the Law Reform Commission’s review of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA).
