Public Sector Women in Leadership ACT Conference

The Public Sector Women in Leadership ACT conference will be held in Canberra on 15 and 16 November 2016 and may be of interest to some of you.

You can access the event website here: https://www.criterionconferences.com/event/wilact/<https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/krZEBOcvN6Rsn?domain=criterionconferences.com>

We are pleased to let you know that we have secured a special discount of $100 off the registration price for any registrant who is a WLA ACT member.  The offer code CC*WLA is now available for our members to use to receive the discount.

This discount is in addition to the current earlybird saving of $400 for registrations before 9 September 2016.

We hope that you can join us! 

Young Lawyers Pay and Conditions Survey

The time has come for our annual Young Lawyers Pay and Conditions survey! 

We are seeking ACT-based lawyers, male or female, with 5 or fewer years of post-admission experience to participate in a joint survey between the Women Lawyers Association (WLA) ACT and the ACT Young Lawyers Committee.

The survey is anonymous and will take 10-15 minutes to complete online.

PLEASE CLICK  HERE TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY. 

(or copy and paste this link into your browser http://kwiksurveys.com/s/8PrO2JUh) 

We are also offering a $100 voucher to David Jones to one lucky survey participant. Instructions on how to enter the draw is provided at the conclusion of the survey. 

The purpose of this survey is to collect data about the characteristics of individual lawyers working in the ACT, and the nature of their employment, pay and conditions. The ACT is a small jurisdiction and information about employment, pay and conditions is often unavailable in the public sphere, making it difficult for lawyers, in particular junior lawyers, to find an independent benchmark from which to negotiate their entitlements.

The WLA ACT and the ACT Young Lawyers will collate and publish the findings of the survey with the aim of providing ACT lawyers with an insight into their professional community. We will launch the findings of the survey at an event in October or November 2016 - further details to come. 

Nominations open for ACT Women Lawyers Awards 2016!

We are delighted to announce that nominations for the inaugural ACT Women Lawyers Awards are now open!

We have a great wealth of talented women lawyers in the ACT - it is time to acknowledge and celebrate them. 

Download the nomination pack containing all the information you need to nominate yourself, a colleague or your firm or organisation. Nominations are open to all ACT women lawyers. Nominees and nominators do not need to be WLA ACT members.  

You can also access this information from the awards page on our website.

The winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner on 3 November 2016 at King's Hall, Old Parliament House.  We are delighted that author, journalist and broadcaster Annabel Crabb will join us as guest speaker.

The awards will be judged by an independent selection committee consisting of:

• The Honourable Justice Hilary Penfold, Patron of WLA ACT
• Dr Helen Watchirs OAM, ACT Human Rights Commissioner
• Ms Petra Gartmann, Assistant Secretary - Office of Legal Services Coordination
• Mr Michael Miller, Director of MLC Advice
• WLA ACT President (or nominee)

We are grateful for the generous support of our sponsors to make this event possible.

Major sponsors: Lerida Estate, The College of Law, Rolfe Classic BMW, ANU College of Law, Watts McCray Lawyers and MLC Advice.

Minor sponsors: Duesburys Nexia, Gillian Beaumont Legal and Empower Resolve.

Nominations close 9 September 2016

National Indigenous Legal Conference

The ANU College of Law is hosting its 11th Annual National Indigenous Legal Conference on 5 and 6 September which will include prominent keynote speakers from the legal community to discuss current and emerging indigenous legal issues.

As part of our objective to promote inclusion and diversity more broadly, including in relation to indigenous issues, the WLA ACT is pleased to sponsor a place for one of its members to attend this two day Conference and Gala Dinner.

We encourage applications from any of our members, and particularly from our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members whose applications will be given preference.  If you are interested in applying for this sponsorship (worth $750), please email WLA ACT at contact@wlaact.org.au with the following information by COB on 19 August 2016. 

1. A copy of your CV;
2. A brief statement (of no more than 250 words) of why you would like to attend the conference, along with an explanation of why you would not otherwise be able to attend if not for WLA ACT’s sponsorship; and
3. A note from your employer (if applicable) confirming that you will be available to attend the two day conference should your application be successful.

Applications will be assessed by the Executive Committee and the winner selected based on the materials referred to above.

The winning applicant will be required to write an article for the WLA Newsletter about the Conference.  Attendees will be able to claim CPD points.

For more information on the conference, please visit: https://law.anu.edu.au/conferences/2016-national-indigenous-legal-conference

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us.

Women In Leadership Conference

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.