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Uniting the profession through shared values
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Last Thursday marked the culmination of the Law Society’s membership campaign for the 2025-26 practising year: Uniting the profession. Without your continued support, this task would not be possible. I sincerely thank each of you for your contribution to strengthening our profession through your participation in the largest and most influential legal membership association in Australia. Continue reading >
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Renew your practising certificate now
If you haven’t renewed your practising certificate by 30 June, you will be unauthorised to engage in legal practice from 1 July. Renew your practising certificate here. Any questions? We are here to help. Contact the Law Society Registry on (02) 9926 0333 or by email at registry@lawsociety.com.au.
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Guidance for solicitors: Use of sensitive images in family law proceedings
The Law Society of NSW, informed by the Family Law Committee, has developed a new resource to assist solicitors to consider, in their independent exercise of forensic judgment, whether to include sensitive images in evidence in family law proceedings. In family law matters, the use of sensitive images is not uncommon, and may in some circumstances have probative value. However, the decision to use them must be made with careful consideration. To read our new resource, please see our website.
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Deep dive into contingency and succession planning
The Law Society of NSW has recently updated the on-demand interactive course: Deep dive into contingency and succession planning. The course delves into various aspects of contingency and succession planning in legal practice, providing practical guidance to help law practice principals plan for the unexpected, as well as for a smooth transition into retirement. The self-paced course is now free to Law Society of NSW members and can be claimed towards mandatory CPD. In addition to the course, practitioners can consult various resources on contingency and succession planning available on the Law Society’s Practice Support Hub. Access the course on LawInform and start planning today.
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The Law Society of NSW's Lawyer Mediator Accreditation Scheme (LMA Scheme): exclusive to solicitor members
We now offer a straightforward path to accreditation, allowing members to distinguish themselves in the market as both practising solicitors and qualified mediators. LMA Scheme membership will assure people seeking mediation that they are in the hands of an expert problem solver, someone backed by legal experience and stringent professional standards. Solicitors currently accredited as mediators, or those who have successfully completed an approved mediator training in the last six months, are invited to apply. More information can be found here.
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2025 Mock Law Competition: call out for volunteers
The countdown is on for the 2025 Mock Trial and Mediation Competitions, and we're excited to invite you to be a part of these prestigious programs. As one of the Law Society's longest-running and most popular competitions, Mock Law provides a unique opportunity to shape the future of the legal profession and we need your expertise to make it a success. Ready to get involved? Register here.
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Ceremonial sitting to welcome Judge Jane Marquard
On behalf of the Hon. Chief Justice Alstergren AO, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) invites members of the profession to attend a Ceremonial Sitting on Thursday 5 June 2025 at 9:30am (AEST) in Courtroom 13.1, Level 13, William Street Registry, 80 William Street, Woolloomooloo, NSW to welcome her Honour Judge Jane Marquard. The Court also invites members of the profession to join the Court for morning tea afterwards. For those unable to attend the sitting in person, the ceremony will be live-streamed here.
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New Commissioners appointed to the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW
The Minister for Industrial Relations, the Hon. Sophie Cotsis MP, has announced the appointments of Mr Anthony Howell and Ms Alison McRobert as Commissioners of the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW. Click here to read the announcement.
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Staying Well in the Law: Physical Wellbeing - Fitness, Wellbeing, and Nutrition
Wednesday 21 May 2025
REGISTER HERE
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Confidence in the Courtroom - Criminal Law – in-person workshop
Saturday 24 May 2025
REGISTER HERE
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Productivity in Practice - Connect, Create, Collaborate: The MS Teams Experience
Wednesday 4 June 2025
REGISTER HERE
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Next-level lawyering: Mandatory rule 6.1 – live webinar
Thursday 12 June 2025
REGISTER HERE
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Practice Management Course: June 2025 – online
Wednesday 18, Thursday 19 and Friday 20 June 2025
REGISTER HERE
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May Service Directory
The LSJ Online Service Directory for May is now available. Here you will find advertisements for agency and referrals, practices for sale and purchase and much more, plus all missing wills' notices. Read more.
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Advocacy in action
This month, the Law Society NSW responded to the Office of Local Government’s Review of the NSW Companion Animal Laws. Our submission, informed by our Environmental Planning and Development and Rural Issues Committees, highlights the importance of clear ownership responsibilities and obligations, supported by compliance and enforcement mechanisms. It makes several suggestions, such as clarifying certain provisions of the Companion Animals Act 1998 (NSW) relating to the liability of owners, developing codes of practice for responsible pet ownership, expanding sanctions and investigative powers available to the council, and further clarification around differential treatment for working dogs compared to breeding or companion dogs.
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Supreme Court bails user group memorandum
A recent meeting of the bails user group highlighted a series of concerns that have arisen in the context of significantly increasing numbers of release applications being made to the Court. This increase in the workload of the Court has seen the need to sit a bails list every day of the week with some weeks requiring a second list to cope with the numbers. This has also created significant pressure on the legal representatives of applicants, particularly the ALS and Legal Aid, as well as the ODPP and the CDPP. The Court and these interested parties, as well as the private legal representatives, clearly have a common interest in ensuring that delays are reduced and where possible avoided entirely. Read full memorandum.
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Changes to Lodgment Rules: 100 per cent online plan lodgment
The Lodgment Rules will soon be changed to require all deposited plans and strata plans to be lodged for registration electronically, through NSW LRS Connect. The new requirement is planned to take effect from 1 July 2025. Anyone wanting to lodge a completed paper plan through the NSW LRS Lodgment Office in person should do so before the changes take effect. Read more.
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Policy regarding the use of interpreters and the provision of funded interpreters
The Industrial Relations Commission has published a ‘Policy regarding the use of interpreters and the provision of funded interpreters’ on its website, available here.
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
A world without lawyers: is automated decision-making the future?
By Laina Chan >
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EMPLOYMENT LAW
Finding the nexus: how to request or deny flexible working arrangements
By Giuseppe Carabetta and Samantha Hinderling >
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