Essentials Series

Stay informed and enhance your legal expertise with the ACT Law Society's Essentials Series. Tailored for both new and experienced lawyers, this series covers the most recent updates in law as well as foundational topics across various practice areas. Each session provides valuable insights into key issues, emerging developments and new legislation affecting the legal landscape. Whether you're looking to broaden your knowledge or stay up to date with the latest legal changes, this series ensures you're always in the know. There's something for everyone, from foundational topics to the most recent updates in law.

Thursday 27 March 2025

SCHEDULE

9:00am - 10:00am: Risk Management:  Learning from Lawcover Claims (1 point in core area 2)

10:15am - 11:15am: AML Update (1 point in core area 4)

11:30am - 12:30pm: Employment Dispute Resolution (1 point in core area 3)

2:30pm - 3:30pm: Being an Active Bystander - Changing Workplace Culture Workshop (1 point in core area 2)

DETAILS

• When: Tuesday 27 March, 9:00am - 3:30pm
• Where: ACT Law Society
• Cost: Full day in-person registrations for all 4 sessions are available: Member - $120, Student & New Lawyer Members - $75 (includes light lunch)
• Please note that the Being and Active Bystander is completely online and will be streamed onto the screen within the training room for any in-person attendees
• RSVP: 20 March

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Risk Management: Learning from Lawcover Claims

This session looks at recent cases and claims against law practices and the practice tips that can be gleaned from them, with a focus on the underlying causes of claims and the systems and processes that can be implemented to minimise the risk of claims against your law practice.

JENNIFER McMILLAN

MANAGER, PRACTICE SUPPORT SERVICES
LAWCOVER

Jen McMillan is Manager, Practice Support Services with Lawcover.  She was admitted to practice in New South Wales in 1989 and in Western Australia in 1992.  She is a Law Society of NSW Accredited Specialist in Wills and Estates and has experience in private practice, in-house with a trustee company, as an academic in the College of Law’s LLM (Applied Law) program and as a former Senior Member in the Guardianship Division of NCAT.  She is a member of the NSW Law Society’s Property Law Committee and the co-chair of its Elder Law Succession & Capacity Committee. 

DETAILS

• When: Tuesday 27 March, 9:00am - 10:00am
• Where: ACT Law Society, live streaming option available
• Cost: Members - $50, New Lawyers and Students - $25, Non-members $70
• CPD: Members will receive 1 point in Core Area 2
• RSVP: 25 March

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AML Update

 

JULIANA WARNER

PRESIDENT
LAW COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Juliana Warner is President of the Law Council of Australia and is currently chairing its AML Working Group. Ms Warner is a senior practitioner with significant experience in conducting complex disputes and representing clients in anti-money laundering and other regulatory processes. She was a partner of leading global law firm, Herbert Smith Freehills, for 30 years until her retirement on 1 July 2024 to enable her to focus on the Tranche 2 reforms and how they will affect the legal profession. She was previously President of the Law Society of NSW, a trustee of the Public Purpose Fund of NSW and a director of Law Firms Australia Pty Limited. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales.

DETAILS

• When: Tuesday 27 March, 10:15am - 11:15am
• Where: ACT Law Society, live streaming option available
• Cost: Members - Free for members, Non-members $70
• CPD: Members will receive 1 point in Core Area 4
• RSVP: 25 March

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Employment Dispute Resolution

Join us for an insightful session on the fundamentals of Dispute Resolution within Employment Law. This engaging overview will cover essential topics, including:

• Understanding the nature of conflict
• The philosophy and origins of dispute resolution in the employment context
• An introduction to conciliation and its importance
• Insights into arbitration processes within the Fair Work Commission
• The critical role of lawyers in Fair Work proceedings
• An exploration of the Fair Work Commission’s authority to impose costs on paid agents and lawyers in various dispute scenarios
• Case studies highlighting recent decisions where costs orders were issued against representatives
• Best practices and practical tips for effective client representation in dispute resolution conferences

Enhance your knowledge and skills in this vital area of law, and equip yourself with strategies to navigate the Fair Work Commission with confidence!

KRISTIE BURT

LEGAL COUNSEL
MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF THE ACT

Master Builders Association of the ACT (MBA ACT) is a member organisation and a core function provided for members is advocacy in the Fair Work Commission as well as assistance with the interpretation and administration of the Fair Work and associated modern Awards and how they apply to industry.  Kristie was admitted to practice in 2010 initially working in private practice before making the move into the building and construction industry association space as a general adviser and moving into the role of General Counsel.  In 2020, MBA ACT established MBA Legal which bridges the gap between general advice provided to members and having to refer our member to another solicitor /professional members.  MBA Legal now also offers dispute resolution services by accredited mediators.  Kristie’s passion is educating and informing industry participants in relation to their rights and obligations across a broad range of areas. 

 

RICHARD CALVER

LAWYER, IR CONSULTANT AND WRITER
CALVER LAW

Richard Calver has had over 40 years broad experience in law, having previously conducted his own legal practice in the state of Victoria, Australia, taught law at the Faculty of Law Monash University, the RMIT University and the University of Canberra as well as having had roles in government and industry.  He has had experience as a director of not for profit organisations as well as private and public companies.

Richard is now practicing in employment and contract law and is conducting his practice from Canberra. He can assist with contractual, unfair dismissal, and harassment issues which can make life miserable.

 

ADITI MOHINDRA

PRINCIPAL SOLICITOR
ACT GOVERNMENT SOLICITOR

Aditi is a Principal Solicitor at ACT Government Solicitor working predominantly in the employment law team since 2019. She has more than a decade of legal experience across ACT and Federal government and is an accredited specialist in dispute resolution with the Law Society of NSW since 2018. She has worked at private firms and Legal Aid representing private clients as well as representing Territory clients at ACTGS and other government departments, giving her a deep understanding of the various lenses involved in dispute resolution.  

 

DETAILS

• When: Tuesday 27 March, 11:30am - 12:30pm
• Where: ACT Law Society, live streaming option available
• Cost: Members - $50, New Lawyers and Students - $25, Non-members $70
• CPD: Members will receive 1 point in Core Area 3
• RSVP: 25 March

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Being an Active Bystander: Changing workplace culture workshop

Be empowered to make a difference and challenge inappropriate behaviours in the workplace. 

Queensland Law Society has developed an educational “Being an Active Bystander” workshop which helps participants to understand inappropriate conduct, the role of bystanders, workplace culture and the reporting and management of complaints. The workshop assist participants to identify what appropriate conduct is and aid in changing behaviours, to foster a positive workplace culture.
The workshop are also an educational measure employers can implement to satisfy the positive legal obligations placed on employers to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate sexual harassment from the workplace and provide a psychologically safe workplace for all employees.

Workshop Content

Inappropriate behaviour in the workplace usually fits into three areas: discrimination, sexual harassment, and workplace bullying. The workshop features recorded scenes set in the workplace, using professional actors to aid in learning and understanding what bullying, harassment and discrimination look like in different contexts and help them develop intervention behaviours to address these behaviours in a constructive and safe way.
• A 60 minute workshop
• Suitable for all staff working in a professional services environment
• Scenario based and highly interactive
• Delivered by specialist senior trained facilitators

Learning Objectives

At the completion of the workshop participants will have:
• Sharpened awareness to recognise inappropriate behaviours of bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace
• An understanding of the factors affecting the decision to intervene and respond to inappropriate behaviours
• Active Bystander tools to turn passive observation into action resulting in positive behavioural change

Due to the interactive nature of the workshop, online capacity is limited.  

Please note this session will not be recorded. 

 

STEPHANIE COWIE

LEGAL WORKPLACE AND CULTURE CONSULTANT
QUEENSLAND LAW SOCIETY

Stephanie has over ten years’ experience working as a lawyer in-house and in private practice in Australia and the UK. She has also worked in education for five years following the completion of a Masters of Education (Work and Learning Studies) and a Graduate Diploma of Secondary Teaching. Stephanie has specifically worked with learners to manage well-being and mental health, and to build cultures of inclusion. She has experience researching, designing curricula, and teaching and engaging with a range of audiences via blended/hybrid learning formats. Stephanie is an Accredited Mental Health First Aid Instructor and is passionate about wellbeing, developing lawyers, legal education and promoting positive workplace cultures.

DETAILS

• When: Tuesday 27 March, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
• Where: Online via Teams (a link will be sent upon registration)
• RSVP 25 March
• Cost (inc. GST): Members $30, Non-member $45
• Members will earn 1 CPD point in core area 2

 

 

 

Reduced rates may be available to some of our members to ensure equal training opportunities. Please make contact to discuss your eligibility.