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Plenary sessions, Thursday 14 March 2024


Keynote: Hugh Mackay AO - Survival of the Kindest

9am, Thursday 14 March 2024 | 1 CPD point in core area 2

Renowned psychologist and author Hugh Mackay delves into human nature, stressing the significance of social connections, especially in workplace communities. He explores the repercussions of disconnection on mental health, emphasising the importance of nurturing supportive networks for resilience and emotional stability. His insights inspire reflection on the value of human relationships.

Hugh Mackay AO

Hugh Mackay is a social psychologist and researcher, and the bestselling author of 24 books, including nine novels. His latest non-fiction book, The Way We Are, will be published in May 2024. Hugh has had a 60-year career in social research, and was also a weekly newspaper columnist for over 25 years. He established and ran The Centre for Communication Studies in Bathurst from 1975-1990, and was one of the founders of The St James Ethics Centre (now known as The Ethics Centre). He is currently an honorary professor in the School of Medicine and Psychology at ANU. Among other appointments, he has been deputy chairman of the Australia Council for the Arts, chairman of the board of trustees of Sydney Grammar School and an honorary professor at Macquarie, Charles Sturt and Wollongong universities. He is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and the Royal Society of NSW. In recognition of his pioneering work in social research, he has been awarded honorary doctorates by five Australian universities. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2015.


Legal Ethics Hypothetical

10:30am, Thursday 14 March 2024 | 1.5 CPD point in core area 1:

Robert Reis (ACT Law Society Professional Standards Manager), Katie Binstock (Partner, Thomson Geer Lawyers, Canberra) and Athol Opas (barrister, Blackburn Chambers) will join forces as a panel to discuss legal ethical issues based on an imaginative and possibly entertaining hypothetical scenario.  This is a new ethics presentation format for 2024 and all attendees will be encouraged to contribute to the discussion as the panel works through the hypothetical scenario.

Ethics Hypothetical Scenario

Athol Opas, Barrister, Blackburn Chambers 

Athol practices mainly in commercial law and also in general civil law and occupational discipline.  Athol was called to the Bar in 2017.  Before being called to the Bar, Athol worked as a solicitor in Canberra for 18 years, working in small and large Canberra firms, in a national law firm, and as a Commonwealth government in-house lawyer.  Athol served for several years on the ACT Law Society Council, and was president of the ACT Law Society and a director of the Law Council of Australia.  Athol has served on various committees of the ACT Law Society and ACT Bar Association, and he is a current member of the Law Society’s Legal Profession Act and Ethics Committee.  Athol has been recognised in Doyle’s Guide in Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution and for Commercial Leasing. 

Rob Reis, Professional Standards Manager, ACT Law Society

Rob has responsibility for Chapter 4 investigations into allegations of misconduct by practitioners including conflicts of interest, breach of confidentiality and trust account misappropriation and defalcation. Rob has been in this role since the commencement of the Legal Profession Act in 2006, and prior to that was in private practice from 1985. In addition to his statutory role Rob also presents risk management and trust account seminars. He is also a sessional lecturer at the University of Canberra and a tutor in Ethics for the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the Australian National University.

Katie Binstock, Partner, Thomson Greer

Katie is a partner at Thomson Greer, specialising in succession, elder, regulatory, and administrative law. In succession law, she excels in estate planning, administration, and litigation, crafting comprehensive estate plans and guiding clients through disputes. She navigates elder law matters such as guardianship applications and elder abuse suspicions. In regulatory and administrative law, Katie advises on complaint management, investigations, and appeals, representing clients in Tribunals and Courts. With a commercial and solutions-driven approach, she resolves disputes effectively.

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