Save the Date - Law Week Dinner with Virginia Haussegger

The Women Lawyers Association of the ACT is proud to host the Annual Law Week Dinner, with special guest, Virginia Haussegger. We invite you to save the date for Wednesday 16 May 2018. Tickets will be available for purchase shortly.

Virginia Haussegger AM is a gender diversity advocate and communication specialist. She is also an award-winning television journalist, writer and commentator, whose extensive media career spans more than 25 years. Virginia has reported from around the globe for leading current affair programs on Channel 9, the Seven Network and the ABC. For 15 years (2001-2016) she anchored the ABC’s flagship TV News in Canberra. She is widely published, both as a former columnist with the Canberra Times, and a regular contributor to the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Virginia has worked extensively across Commonwealth Government departments on both communication and gender diversity programs. In 2016 Virginia was appointed Director of a bold, new, national gender equality initiative, the 50/50 by 2030 Foundation, at the University of Canberra. In 2017 she launched an innovative gender equality news media platform, BroadAgenda, and currently serves as Chief Editor.

In 2014 Virginia was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to the community, as an advocate for women's rights and gender equity, and to the media.

Virginia is Patron of the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre. She has served on a number of boards and committees including; UN Women National Committee Australia. She currently sits on the Board of Women in Media Canberra; and is a Walkly judge for the Women in Media Leadership award.

We look forward to an insightful speech and a wonderful evening for the Canberra legal community. This event is proudly sponsored by Maurice Blackburn.

Australian Women Lawyers National Conference

The 7th Annual Australian Women Lawyers Conference will be held between 24-26 August 2018 in Sydney. The 2018 Annual Conference will be the highlight conference for female practitioners, leaders and senior professionals across the Australian legal sector.

The theme for the AWL National Conference is 'Investing in the Future'. This theme will capture current issues of innovation and technology in the law, and its use as a tool for the furthering of diversity, leadership, best practice, flexible work options, access to justice and policy and law reform. 

A program outline can be found here. The program includes Unconscious Bias Training and sessions on Wellness, Working Sustainably, Improving your Social Media Brand. New Law, Innovation & Technology, Family Law Wrap Up, and a mentoring session from International In-house Women Leaders will also be covered in this jam packed program.

The conference also has a full social program including the Gala Dinner on the Saturday night.

Early bird registrations are open until 15 June 2018 but spaces are limited so be sure to get in quick! There are student and corporate rates available as well. You can register here. 

We look forward to seeing you there!

Mentor Breakfast with The Hon. Associate Justice McWilliam

On Tuesday 13 February WLA ACT hosted its first event of 2018, a Mentor Breakfast with guest speaker the Honourable Associate Justice Verity McWilliam at Hotel Hotel in New Acton.

Associate Justice McWilliam was sworn in as the Associate Judge of the Supreme Court of the ACT in June 2017. Prior to her appointment, Associate Justice McWilliam was a solicitor at PwC and the Crown Solicitor’s Office of NSW before being called to the NSW bar and practising in the areas of commercial/equity, criminal, employment, environment/planning, public and torts law.

Around 60 attendees heard the Associate Justice speak about everything from her personal quest for the perfect mentor (there isn't one perfect mentor, but rather many less than perfect ones) to work life balance. Her Honour emphasised the importance of a five year plan, saying no to unnecessary work dinners, and reflected on the challenges of being a woman at the Bar. The Associate Justice also mentioned that one of her first steps upon moving to the ACT was to join the Women Lawyers Association of the ACT.

Women Lawyers Association of the ACT would like to extend its thanks to Hotel Hotel for their assistance in organising and running the event, and to Associate Justice McWilliam taking the time out of her busy schedule to speak to our members and for her warm, frank and engaging speech. 

Be sure to check out the photos on our Facebook page from the event. 

MLC Seminar: How to buy your first home – then pay that loan off!

We are pleased to invite you to a seminar hosted by our Principal Sponsor, MLC Advice, to be held on Wednesday 8 November at 5:30pm.

Come along to this session to learn all about getting your first home and loan, and then how to make sure you can pay that loan off and own that home mortgage free. The session will cover:

• How to avoid the Lifestyle Creep that will keep you from owning your home
• Saving a deposit for your home, including the new First Home Super Savers Scheme rules
• Special mortgage options available for lawyers
• First home buyer and stamp duty concessions, the differences between ACT & NSW
• Understanding the difference between a mortgage offset or redraw and why it’s important
• Having a plan to avoid home ownership bill shock
• How to pay that loan down, faster

Further information and registration can be found on our Events Page. 

Maddocks sponsors breakfast with The Hon Linda Burney MP

WLA ACT would like to extend our gratitude to Maddocks for generously sponsoring the upcoming Mentor Breakfast with The Hon Linda Burney MP. 

Tickets to the breakfast are available for purchase online. 

Maddocks is a WLA ACT Corporate Member and we are grateful for their ongoing support. 

Tickets on sale for Mentor Breakfast with The Hon Linda Burney MP

WLA ACT is pleased to invite you to our October Mentor Breakfast with guest speaker The Hon Linda Burney MP. Tickets are now available to be purchased online. 

Mentor breakfasts provide our members with the opportunity to hear from a prominent woman in the community and to celebrate and learn from their achievements.

Following her election to the Federal House of Representatives she was immediately appointed as Shadow Minister for Human Services.

As a proud member of the Wiradjuri nation, Linda was the first Aboriginal person to be elected to the NSW Parliament and the first Aboriginal woman to serve in the Australian House of Representatives.  Linda’s commitment to Indigenous issues spans more than 30 years.

Linda has a long held commitment the prevention of domestic violence and family violence and has detailed publically her personal experience with it. 

We note, all WLA ACT events are child friendly. 

This event is proudly sponsored by Maddocks.

Event Details

Date and time: Friday 20 October, 7.30am for a 7:45am start. 

Location: Members Dining Room 3, Old Parliament House, Canberra

Tickets: $30 for WLA ACT Members, $40 for Non-members. Includes hot breakfast. 

'The Illusion of Perfection' - Mentor Breakfast with Jennifer Wyborn

WLA ACT is pleased to invite you to our Mentor Breakfast, with guest speaker Jennifer Wyborn, Partner at Clayton Utz, to be held on Tuesday 5 September at QT Hotel.

Mentor breakfasts provide our members with the opportunity to hear from a prominent woman in the legal profession and to celebrate and learn from their achievements.

Jennifer will talk on the topic of 'The Illusion of Perfection'.

Jennifer has had an illustrious career and is currently a Partner at Clayton Utz heading up the Workplace Relations, Employment and Safety Team in Canberra. 

For further information and to book tickets, please see the events page. 

Panel Event: Juggling Career and Family, and Making Time for Self Care

WLA ACT invites you to join us for a joint panel event with Mothers Uplift Movement. Join us for a nourishing lunch and attend a discussion on the topic of: Juggling work with family responsibilities and making time for self-care.

Come and hear from our guest speakers about their experiences as working mums in the legal profession. It will also be a great opportunity to share your own anecdotes and tips and ask questions of other mums who are doing the juggle.

We look forward to hearing from the following panellists on this important topic:

• Prue Bindon, Barrister at Blackburn Chambers and WLA ACT President
• Margaret Tregurtha, General Counsel, Department of the Environment and the Energy
• Lindsay Reid, teacher at Daramalan College and formerly a Senior Associate at King & Wood Mallesons

The session will be facilitated by Liz Huang Hughes-Brown and Alicia Prest from Mothers Uplift Movement (MUM) who are also mums working in the law.

Includes a warm two-course lunch with vegetarian option. Tickets can be purchased online.