The road to recovery and the future of law and innovation in the profession

Change of leadership in NSW

On behalf of the state’s legal profession, I would like to congratulate the Hon. Dominic Perrottet MP, on being elected as our state’s 46^th Premier. I wish the Premier and his new crisis cabinet, the COVID and Economic Recovery Committee, every success in leading NSW out of the pandemic lockdowns and reopening the economy as safely as possible. Premier Perrottet has to date made minimal changes to Cabinet so the Hon Mark Speakman SC will carry on as the state’s Attorney General. I look forward to continuing our engagement with Mr Speakman on important areas of law reform. I would also like to thank Mr Perrottet’s predecessor, the Hon. Gladys Berejiklian MP, and acknowledge her leadership during the pandemic and her many years of service to our state.

Future of law and innovation in the profession

After a pandemic enforced break last year, our annual conference on the future of law and innovation in the profession (FLIP) is shaping up to be a huge virtual experience. To date, we have more than 600 members of our profession registered for the full day program. Jordan Furlong, an internationally renowned legal sector analyst, author, speaker, and consultant will deliver the keynote address on “How Legal Innovation Changes Everything About Accessible Justice”. I will be moderating a panel discussion on the “Future of online and remote hearings post pandemic” with panellists including the Hon. Chief Justice William Alstergren, (FCFCOA) during which we will reflect on the experience of remote courts and their users. We will examine the COVID-19 experience and provide guidance on a technology-enabled future court, including how technology adoption can impact open justice, procedural fairness and impartiality. The session will also include the findings of a judicial survey undertaken during COVID-19 by our FLIPStream research team at UNSW Law & Justice. The Law Society has also conducted a member survey on a post-COVID justice system. I look forward to communicating the findings gleaned from the Society’s survey at a later date.

Charles Xuereb Oration

I hope you can join us online at 4:30pm today for the annual Charles Xuereb Oration, an annual event that pays tribute to the life and work of the late Charles Richard Xuereb. The oration will be delivered by Professor Ian Hickie AM on “Navigating mental health in the COVID era”.

The road to recovery

Today marks a significant milestone in our pandemic experience. With lockdown restrictions starting to lift, please enjoy your new found freedoms, and stay safe.

Juliana Warner, President, Law Society of NSW