Today marks a milestone in the road back from COVID-19 with the state’s school students returning to school full time today, businesses starting to re-open, and workplaces preparing for employees to return to the office in a COVIDsafe, staged manner.

Our courts are also preparing to ease lockdown measures, albeit with strict physical distancing guidelines in place. The Supreme Court will resume some face-to-face civil hearings from 1 June and criminal jury trials from 29 June 2020. Jury trials will also resume on a limited basis in the Sydney District Court, Parramatta District Court and the Newcastle District Court. However, in order to avoid congestion in District Court premises and courtrooms, there will be no change to the Court’s policy that all lists in the Court’s criminal jurisdiction, including arraignments and readiness hearings, are to be conducted by use of a virtual courtroom.

And in a major boost for the NSW economy, clubs, pubs and restaurants will be allowed to seat 50 patrons from 1 June, coinciding with the resumption of regional travel within NSW.

While we are seeing some relaxing of the strict lockdown measures, the NSW Government is still urging people to continue to work from home, particularly those in the Sydney metropolitan area, to avoid congestion on the roads and ensure physical distancing on the public transport network. This means, for the time being, many of us will continue to work remotely.

As we have done from the onset of the pandemic and throughout the lockdown, we will continue to keep our members informed of any relevant changes relating to COVID-19 and the practice of law.

In line with the easing of restrictions, our “Daily Update” e-newsletter will now revert to a twice-weekly e-newsletter. From this week, members will receive a “COVID-19 Update” in their inbox each Wednesday and Friday afternoon. Of course, we will continue to keep our dedicated COVID-19 portal updated with information as it comes to hand for the benefit of members.

Like all workplaces, we are putting safe work measures in place at our Phillip Street premises to prepare for the reopening of some services in the coming weeks in line with advice from the appropriate authorities. I will update the profession in due course.

Until then, stay well.

Richard Harvey, President, Law Society of NSW

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