Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Gallop AC to deliver annual Charles Xuereb Oration on mental health and wellbeing in the law

It’s now been 14 years since former West Australian Premier Geoffrey Gallop fronted a media conference and announced that he would be standing down as that state’s leader and leaving politics to receive treatment for depression.

His courage in speaking so openly and publicly about his personal battle with depression and the impact on his family was universally applauded for providing hope to the many Australians suffering from depression or other mental illness.

In the years since then, Geoffrey Gallop has become a strong advocate for mental health issues, using his public profile to raise awareness of mental illness and tackle the stigma that surrounds it.

So, I am delighted to announce that on 12 October 2020, Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Gallop AC will deliver the Law Society’s annual Charles Xuereb Oration on mental health and wellbeing in the law.

The event will be held during Mental Health Month -  a fitting time to commemorate the life and work of the late Charles Richard Xuereb. Charles Xuereb was a gifted solicitor, a generous mentor, and an eloquent advocate for the wellbeing of the legal profession. He passed away two years ago, on 20 September 2018, after a long battle with cancer.

I hope you can join us online for this important annual event.

In other news, I was delighted to learn that the Society’s member magazine, LSJ, has been nominated in six categories at the 2020 Mumbrella Publish Awards, including for “Association or Member Organisation Publication of the Year”. The winners will be announced at a virtual award ceremony on 5 November 2020. Congratulations to LSJ Editor Claire Chaffey and her talented team!

And finally, a reminder to those members seeking to nominate for the Upcoming 2020 Council Election.  The completed Nomination Form for election to positions on Council, in the required form, must be received by the Company Secretary of the Law Society no later than 4pm today, Monday 21 September 2020.

Richard Harvey, President, Law Society of NSW

< Go back