We are pleased to let you know about the Women in Leadership NSW conference on 18-19 October in Sydney, which may be of interest to some of our members.
The conference has a public sector focus and is concerned with empowering individuals and organisations within the public service to drive the advancement of women.
For more information download the program here go to the event website.
WLA ACT members will receive a $100 discount off the current registration price, in addition to the standard earlybird saving of $400 off for bookings before 5 August 2016. The offer code to claim this member discount is CC*WLA, which you enter when completing the online registration.
Domestic Violence Unit – Solicitor/Senior Solicitor Recruitment
- Unique opportunity to shape and drive a new and high profile service providing legal advice and representation to women escaping domestic violence.
- Mid-tier or Senior level role available.
- Competitive remuneration package commensurate with experiences, including generous PBI salary packaging options, leave loading and paid Christmas close down.
About the position
The Women's Legal Centre seeks a mid-tier or Senior Solicitor to join their new domestic violence service. This position will be filled on a two to three year contract.
You will be joining the Centre at a time of unprecedented change and opportunity.
As the Solicitor/Senior Solicitor, you will co-ordinate the Centre's newly established specialist Domestic Violence Unit. You will undertake and supervise significant and complex casework on a range of matters, including care arrangements for children, property disputes and protection orders. You will also develop our community outreach assistance and community legal education services and contribute to law reform projects undertaken by the Centre.
The Centre is looking for family law solicitors with a minimum of 2 years PAE, with significant representational experience. The position will be filled commensurate with experience.
Applicants must be eligible for a restricted practising certificate in the Australian Capital Territory.
Applications close Thursday 21 July 2016.
Note: being a woman is a genuine occupational qualification under s34 of the Discrimination Act 1991 (ACT). Part-time applications will be considered.
About the Centre
The Women’s Legal Centre is a small, innovative community legal centre providing specialist legal services to vulnerable women in Canberra and the surrounding region. Our main areas of practice are family law, domestic violence, victims of crime, employment and discrimination. The Centre also provides case management support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
Position description available here.
For more information please contact recruitment@womenslegalact.org or (02) 6257 4377.
Expressions of Interest sought for President of the ACAT
The ACT Attorney-General, Simon Corbell MLA, invites expressions of interest from eligible and suitably qualified people for appointment as President of the ACAT from January 2017. The President is responsible for ensuring the orderly and prompt discharge of tribunal business and ensuring that tribunal decisions are made according to law. For further information please click here.
WLA ACT encourages eligible and qualified women to apply for the vacancy, and to let us know if you intend to do so in order for us to support your application where appropriate. WLA ACT is committed to doing what it can to increase the numbers of women appointed to the judiciary and quasi-judicial and statutory positions. We believe that this is both an issue of equity for individual women, and that increasing the numbers of women judges, magistrates and tribunal members has important benefits within the Australian legal system.
WLA ACT takes this opportunity to remind members of the profession that we maintain a confidential register of women suitable for judicial and tribunal appointment so that we may take a proactive stance when vacancies become available. Please complete our online registration form if you would like to be on our confidential register.
Law Week Dinner
Law Week approaches and WLA ACT is once again proud to host the Law Week Dinner on 18 May 2016 at The Boat House by the Lake, generously sponsored by the Maurice Blackburn Lawyers Women’s Network.
Continuing the tradition of compelling guest speakers for the Dinner, this year we are thrilled to welcome Group Captain Catherine McGregor AM.
Until her resignation in December 2015 Catherine McGregor was the world's highest-ranking transgender military officer. She was also awarded an Order of Australia for exceptional service to the Australian Army in 2012. Catherine's extraordinary life has spanned decorated solider, first-class cricketer, acclaimed cricket writer and political operative, and is intertwined with her compelling personal battle that led to her decision to transition as a woman at age 56. She was named as one of Australia’s 50 most powerful women by the Australian Women’s Weekly and honoured with being named the 2016 Queensland Australian of the Year.
Don't miss this opportunity to hear Catherine. Tables of 8 can also be purchased. For members of WLA ACT, tickets are $130. For non-members tickets are $140.
Discount tickets
We are also pleased to announce that WLA ACT is offering tickets to two members at the discounted price of $40 each. The aim is to enable members who would not otherwise be able to attend to do so. It is particularly aimed at students, newly admitted lawyers, and those working in the community sector. Please email contact@wlaact.org.au an expression of interest (one short paragraph) by close of business on 6 May 2016. We will let you know shortly after that.
We look forward to seeing you for a wonderful evening at the Law Week Dinner on 18 May.
Event Details
Date and time: Wednesday, 18 May 2016, 6.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m.
Venue: The Boat House by the Lake, Menindee Drive, Barton ACT.
Cost: $130 for members and $140 for non-members.
Please click this link to purchase tickets.
ANU College of Law Prizes Evening - ACT Women Lawyers' Association Prize
Naomi Wootton (ANU) and Prue Bindon
Brooke West (UC) and Tamara Sullivan
Congratulations to Naomi Wootton (ANU) and Brooke West (UC) who were the 2015 recipients of the Women Lawyers Association ACT prize for the top achieving female law student.
We wish them continues success in their future careers.
Mentor Breakfast with Katrina Cooper
WLA ACT has the pleasure of inviting you to our first Mentor Breakfast of 2016, with guest speaker Katrina Cooper, Senior Legal Advisor at the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade.
Katrina Cooper is currently the Senior Legal Advisor at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with oversight of international and domestic law issues. She has had a varied career as a diplomat, including postings to Chile, Port Moresby and as Australia’s Ambassador to Mexico. She has also recently been announced as the next Deputy Chief of Mission to Washington DC.
Katrina will share her insights on her career as a lawyer and diplomat, and on her work with the Women in Leadership initiative at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
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.
Event Details
Date and time: Tuesday, 10 May 2016, 7.30am to 8.30am.
Venue: Assembly Room, Hyatt Hotel, Canberra.
Cost: $45 for members and $50 for non-members.
Attendees will be able to claim 1 CPD point in Core Area 3.
Please click here to purchase tickets.
Congratulations to Georgina McKay - winner of Gillian Beaumont Legal & WLA ACT Award 2016
We are delighted to announce that Gillian Beaumont Legal has selected Georgina McKay as the winner of the Gillian Beaumont Legal & WLA ACT Award 2016 to attend the AWL National Conference in Perth.
Congratulations to Georgina and thank you to all members who submitted applications and contributed to the competitiveness of this Award.
We look forward to reading about Georgina's experience at the Conference in our next Newsletter.
Thanks again to Gillian Beaumont Legal for the generous support that has made this Award possible.
WLA proud to support Skye Saunders and her book 'Whispers from the Bush'
On Friday 11 March 2016, the WLA ACT, in conjunction with Legal Aid ACT and the Women's Legal Centre, celebrated the launch of Dr. Skye Saunders’ new publication – aptly titled “Whispers from the Bush”. WLA ACT was proud to support Skye and all her hard work and dedication in raising awareness surrounding the workplace sexual harassment of Australia rural women.
Skye spoke of her experience of growing up in a country town, and how her strong connection to the bush prompted her to address the issues that rural women face in the workplace today. She touchingly remembered her late mother, whose memory she drew strength from while listening to countless rural women who were brave enough to share their story, on a subject that until now, has received little to no attention in the wider Australian community.
Skye’s book outlines how sexual harassment isn’t unique to rural environments, but how it is particularly problematic for rural women because they live in more isolated communities, where entrenched patriarchal practices, values and behaviours still exist. Skye acknowledged that while there are a number of men in rural settings who salute the contributions women make in typically ‘male oriented’ workplaces, there are a greater number of men who still use sexual harassment as a way of making women feel like they are intruders in their own workplace.
Joining Skye, were speakers Melinda Tankard-Reist; author, media commentator and women's advocate, and Belinda Barnard of the ACT Human Rights Commission. Both of these women applauded Skye for the work she had done in opening up a very difficult dialogue, and shared their own, very personal experiences with differing levels of sexual harassment in the workplace.
WLA ACT commends Skye in her efforts as an advocate for rural women. We would also like to warmly thank the women who helped Skye in her research for this much needed publication, Melinda and Belinda for taking the time to offer their own insights on a very important issue within our society, and Legal Aid for the generous use of their boardroom.
Skye’s book is available for purchase online.