Working with Indigenous Clients and Cultural Responsibility and Responsiveness

Working with Indigenous Clients and Cultural Responsibility and Responsiveness CPD Seminar

The ACT Law Society in collaboration with the ACT Bar Association's Women Barrister's Committee invites you to attend this important CPD seminar on cultural responsibility. The main focus of this presentation is around respectful engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. What does that look like? Understanding how trauma impacts on professional relationships. How can legal professionals work towards creating a culturally safe environment for their clients? How can we work towards being more cultural sensitive and responsive and what does that look like in practice? 

 

VANESSA EDWIGE

Vanessa Edwige is a Ngarabal woman from Emmaville, NSW. Vanessa is a registered psychologist and the Chair of the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association. Vanessa is a Director on the Board of Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia. Vanessa has worked in Redfern, NSW for most of her career working predominantly with Aboriginal children, young people, families and community providing culturally responsive psychological support for adverse childhood experiences, intergenerational trauma and supporting cultural resilience. Vanessa currently works privately writing psychological reports for people involved in the judicial system, reports for the NSW and Victorian Coroners Court, medicolegal reports and family/child assessment reports. Vanessa has been writing these reports for over 15 years. Vanessa has also worked as a Senior Psychologist Education for the NSW Department of Education for five years. Prior to this, Vanessa worked as a school counsellor, a consultant and trainer for the NSW Institute of Psychiatry, NSW Co-ordinator for Aboriginal victims of crime with the NSW Attorney General’s Department and as the Senior Researcher for the NSW Aboriginal Child Sexual assault report with NSW Attorney Generals Department. Vanessa is a member of the independent advisory panel for the NSW Public Defenders Bugmy Bar Book project and is a co-author on the Significance of Culture to Wellbeing, Healing and Rehabilitation which was commissioned for the Bugmy Bar Book Project.

 

DETAILS

  • When: 5:00pm - 6:30pm, Tuesday 20 May 2025 (registration opens at 4:30pm)
  • Where: ACT Law Society Training Room - Level 1, 5 Constitution Avenue
  • Registrations will remain open until 12pm Monday 19 May 
  • CPD: Members receive 1.5 points in core area 3
  • Cost: Free entry, or optional contribution to the 2025 ACT Law Society charity Roundabout Canberra  and The ACT Bar Associations charity Stars Foundation (contributions will be split evenly between the two charities, please note no refunds can be made)

About Law Week

Law Week is an annual event held in May across Australia to promote public understanding of the law and its role in society. Each year in Canberra the Law Society and its partners run a range of events to celebrate and engage the local legal profession, and to educate the public about the role of lawyers in our society. 

Law Week, along with the ACT Law Society Foundation, donates to a local Canberra charity each year.

If you have any questions about Law Week in the ACT, please contact Member Connect on 02 6274 0333 or memberconnect@actlawsociety.asn.au

Each year, the President of the Law Society nominates a local Canberra charity to receive funds from any charitable events run by the Society (the primary event being Law Week). In 2025, we are supporting Roundabout Canberra.

Roundabout Canberra believe every child deserves a safe start and every family deserves dignity. Powered by an incredible team of volunteers, they provide safe, high-quality, essential baby and children’s items to families in need. In 2024 alone, Roundabout Canberra supported almost 5,000 local children.

Through strong partnerships with 140 social services, they ensure children and families receive the vital support they need. By taking care of essential material needs, Roundabout Canberra free up these services to focus on the broader challenges families face—helping to create a stronger, more supported community.

If you are unable to attend any of our fundraising events and would still like to donate to Roundabout Canberra you can so via their website here. 

Law Week events include fully paid as well as free events.

Free events operate on an 'entry by donation' basis, we have listed free events with optional 'contributions', so that attendess can choose to contribute to the cost of running of the event as they see fit. 

Profits from Law Week every year are disbursed to the Law Week charity, via the ACT Law Society Foundation.

The ACT Law Society Foundation was originally seeded with three years’ worth of Law Week profit (2013, 2014 and 2015), matched by Law Society funds. Each year, around September, the Foundation's annual disbursement is paid directly to the Law Week charity. The corpus of the Foundation is grown by splitting Law Week profits between the Law Week charity and the Foundation (generally a 50/50 split, up to the disbursement amount). This arrangement ensures that the Foundation will continue to grow, allowing greater disbursements in future.

 

Event registration terms and conditions

ACT Law Society invoices have payment terms of 14 days. Fees are payable upon registration. A 1.2% surcharge may be incurred on payments processed via credit/debit card. The Society reserves the right to cancel or alter events at its discretion, and in such circumstances, attendees will be notified via email. 

Definitions — 'Registration' means any booking given to the Society in writing, on our website, or by phone. 'Member' means any member of the ACT Law Society, including associate members and honorary members. 'New Lawyer' means any member who has held a practising certificate for five years or less. 'CLC' means any member working for a recognised community legal centre, or holding a volunteer practising certificate. 'Student' means any member holding a student membership.

All cancellations must be made in writing, and all cancellations will incur a fee, however, no charge will be incurred for substituting another person. Outside of the cancellation periods given below, a $10 administration fee will be incurred for any cancellation made. If a registered attendee fails to attend without notifying the Society in writing, no credit or refund will be offered and 100% of the total cost will be retained by the Society. 

CPD Events — In the case of CPD events held at an venue other than the Law Society, no refund can be made after the RSVP date of the event. In the case of CPD events held at the Law Society, for cancellations made up to two working days prior to the event, 50% of the total cost will be retained by the Society as a cancellation fee and the balance may be used as a credit towards other CPD events or be refunded. If you choose to keep a credit it will remain valid for 12 months from the event date, after which time it will expire. For cancellations within two working days of the event, no refunds or credits will be applicable. 

Webinars — In the case of live or on-demand webinars, as connection details are sent when registration is completed, no refund or cancellation is available. 

Social events — In the case of social events, no refund can be made after the RSVP date of the event.

Attendees of events consent to filming, photography and sound recording as members of the audience. By registering and attending this event you agree to being filmed or photographed which may be used for marketing or promotional purposes

 

Registration

A. I would prefer not to contribute (in-person) Free Register
B. I would like to contribute to the charities (in-person) $10.00(GST incl.) Register
C. I would like to contribute to the charities (in-person) $20.00(GST incl.) Register
A) I would prefer not to contribute (live streaming) Free Register
B) I would like to contribute to the charities (live streaming) $10.00(GST incl.) Register
C) I would like to contribute to the charities (live streaming) $20.00(GST incl.) Register

Schedule

Speakers

Sponsors & Supporters