PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

The incredible resilience of our members dealing with the devastating floods

I start the week by acknowledging the incredible resilience of our members who are dealing first-hand with the ongoing effects of the devastating floods in NSW. The Law Society is deeply aware that many members, their families and staff have been impacted, and will continue to provide the relevant assistance to those directly affected. Lawcover is also able to offer impacted businesses assistance under their Financial Hardship Policy if there are difficulties meeting upcoming Professional Indemnity Insurance premium payments and/or a refund on any registration fees to any of Lawcover’s recent or upcoming risk management events/seminars held in those affected areas.

Earlier today, I was privileged and excited to speak on behalf of the state’s solicitors at the swearing in ceremony for the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW, the Honourable Andrew Bell. The administration of justice in this state will be in safe hands under his stewardship. I wish His Honour every success as Chief Justice, particularly as he guides the courts through the ongoing challenges of the pandemic.

I also congratulate Juliana Crofts', the Solicitor-in-Charge at the Port Macquarie Legal Aid Office on her recent appointment as a Local Court Magistrate. This appointment is part of the Attorney General’s 2021 commitment to funding eight additional magistrates to ease the pressure on the Local Court. Ms Crofts work as a Legal Aid solicitor has been widely recognised; in 2017, she was awarded the Highly Commended in the Michelle Crowther PSM Excellence Award by the NSW Law Society’s Government Solicitors Committee and in 2019 she was awarded the Government Lawyer of the Year Award by the Women Lawyers Association of NSW and the Criminal Law Division Award for Service Excellence by the Director of Criminal Law, Legal Aid NSW. 

The Law Society Executive have continued with their credential visits over the past couple of weeks, meeting with the Chief Commissioner of the Industrial Relations Commission, Chief Judge of the District Court, Chief Judge of the Land & Environment Court and Vice President of the Fair Work Commission. These meetings are an essential part of the Law Society’s advocacy on behalf of the profession and are an opportunity for us to listen to how we might best support the Court and in turn, how the Court may best support our members.

Last week, I was pleased to host a dinner at the Law Society acknowledging the contribution of the NSW Reserve Legal Panel, across all three services: the Army, Navy and Air Force. The Law Society has a proud association with the NSW Reserve Legal Panel and many of our members have put their legal skills to good use while serving as Reservists. As the former Judge Advocate General – Australian Defence Force, the Hon. Justice M J Slattery RANR, said in 2015, “Australia’s profession of arms and the profession of law have long enriched one another”.

On that note, our thoughts are with the courageous lawyers who live and work in Ukraine and we stand in solidarity against Russia’s unprovoked attack on the democratic state and its citizens, which menaces the rule of law and basic human rights. 

Joanne van der Plaat, President, Law Society of NSW