It was pleasing to see NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman has promised to respond to calls from the profession for more funding for Legal Aid in NSW by the 2020 Budget or sooner. Appearing at the Budget Estimates hearing in State Parliament last week, the Attorney General acknowledged that private practitioners doing legally aided work have not received a pay increase for 12 years and that the NSW rates are low compared with other states and well below market rates.

Members would be aware that the Law Society has been advocating for some time now for both an increase in the pay rate and the time claimable to undertake legal aid matters. We look forward to continuing our dialogue with the Attorney General about securing this additional funding sooner rather than later.

On another issue, the call to submit expressions of interest in serving on our various committees next year went out recently. The Law Society’s policy, regulatory and liaison committees perform valuable work across a range of areas of law and provide an opportunity for members to actively contribute to the work of the Law Society. Our policy committees draw upon the expertise of volunteer members to prepare our policy submissions to government on key law reform issues while our regulatory committees make important decisions in relation to the various regulatory functions the Law Society performs for the profession.

Committees tend to meet on a monthly basis during the course of the year, as well as dealing with various matters in between meetings. We rely greatly on the expert advice of our committees and our organisation is vastly stronger for the input we receive.  Whatever your area of expertise, I encourage you to spend a few minutes this month registering your interest in serving on a committee in 2020. I have served on Law Society committees for many years and am constantly amazed at the dedication and professionalism members show in contributing to the legal profession in this way.

Finally, thank you to those solicitors who have taken part in the Law Society’s research on the needs and experiences of lawyers practising in NSW. Your input will help us shape the Law Society of NSW, now and into the future.

Elizabeth Espinosa, Law Society President

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