Vic Bar for Students

Applications for the Indigenous Law Students' Clerkship 2024 close soon!

The Victorian Bar is offering up to six paid clerkship positions to Indigenous law students, which will involve four consecutive weeks of rotation at the Bar, the Federal Court of Australia, Supreme Court of Victoria and County Court of Victoria. It would be of interest to Indigenous law students considering a career in law, not only as a barrister. Applications close on Monday 4 December.

Further information can be found here:https://www.vicbar.com.au/sites/default/files/2024%20Indigenous%20Law%20Students%27%20Clerkship%20Program%20-%20Information%20Booklet.pdf

Next Tuesday, Melbourne Law School will host the annual the Sir Anthony Mason Lecture. It will be delivered by Chief Justice Stephen Gageler AC (who was Sir Anthony’s associate), on the topic "The New Constitutional Scholarship in Australia".

The event began in 1995 – the year Sir Anthony Mason retired as Chief Justice of the High Court – and celebrates his outstanding contribution to the legal profession and the common law of Australia.

Register for free here:

Sir Anthony Mason Lecture - with the Honourable Justice Stephen Gageler AC | Humanitix Get tickets on Humanitix - Sir Anthony Mason Lecture - with the Honourable Justice Stephen Gageler AC. Melbourne Law School . Tuesday 31st October 2023. Find event information.

TOMORROW: Victorian Women Lawyers are hosting a panel discussion and networking session about coming to the Bar, featuring barristers Franceska Leoncio, Priya Wakhlu, John Maloney and Evelyn Tadros.

It should be a great event - sign up here: https://vwl.asn.au/events-3/

Thank you La Trobe Law Students' Association (LSA) for the invitation to your Careers Connect Fair. It was a great opportunity to chat with students about pathways to a career at the bar.

Some of the images from this year's Victoria Law School shadowing program wrap up day. Once again it was great to host the students, as they see what a career at the bar might be like.

Well done to all those who participated in today's VicBar Student Shadowing Program Moots. You all did a fabulous job. (Photo: just one of our fabulous groups of participants). We hope you all enjoyed your day.😊

Two events coming up that may be of interest:

On 19 September, Melbourne Law School hosts a talk by Professor Katy Barnett about the history and development of the law relating to animals, and questions like whether the King really own all the swans. Register here: https://events.unimelb.edu.au/MLS/event/30609-the-weird-and-wonderful-world-of-animals-and-the

On 21 September, the RMIT host an evening with Yoorook Justice Commissioner Kevin Bell, Professor Melissa Castan and Leanne Miller to discuss Indigenous truth-telling and the work of the Commission. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/a-legal-community-event-on-indigenous-truth-telling-tickets-705028538337?aff=oddtdtcreator

A Legal Community Event on Indigenous Truth-Telling The Yoorrook Justice Commission: A Legal Community Event on Indigenous Truth-telling

Congratulations to all the The Victorian Bar Foundation Student Achievement Award and Mentoring Program winners for 2023 we hope you learnt a lot from your experience. We would love to hear your stories.

Media Release — Vic Bar recognises Hume students’ excellence | Victorian Bar Seventeen of Hume’s brightest students have been recognised by the Victorian Bar for academic excellence in legal studies.

The Victorian Bar's shadowing program for university students is in full swing!

20 Victoria University students recently completed their placements. Read more here: https://www.vu.edu.au/about-vu/news-events/news/court-insiders-vu-law-students-shadow-melbourne-barristers

And on Monday, 20 Deakin University students started their placements. The first day included advocacy training, Q&A with a panel of practicing barristers, a "You Be The Judge" session presented by the Sentencing Advisory Council, and a visit to the Judicial College of Victoria.

Court insiders: VU law students shadow Melbourne Barristers This week, 20 Victoria University (VU) law students completed a one-month barrister shadowing program in partnership with the Victorian Bar.

Barristers Dr Andrew Newman, Daniel Nguyen, Sebastian Reid, Rachel Amamoo and Rabea Khan answer questions from students participating in the Victorian Bar's shadowing program for university students.

The Federal Court is hosting an "In Conversation" event between Mortimer CJ and Professor Val Napolean of the University of Victoria (Canada), on recovering and revitalising indigenous laws within a post-colonial legal system.

The event is from 5.30pm-7pm on 12 September. RSVP to [email protected]

The Sir Zelman Cowan Centre at Victoria University is hosting a "Lawyers as Changemakers" series, focusing on Australian lawyers’ contributions and influence in shaping society for good, and the inspiration these stories provide to improve our communities now and into the future.

The final address of the series will be delivered by the Commonwealth Attorney-General, Mark Dreyfus KC, on 27 July on the life and legacy of Sir Zelman Cowan.

Register for free here:

Lawyers as Changemakers: Mark Dreyfus KC MP on Sir Zelman Cowen How can lawyers shape Australia for the better? Hear from Australia's Attorney-General on the life and legacy of a giant in Australian law.

If you want to know more about becoming a barrister. Visit the VicBar Student Engagement Committee's webpage to learn more

Student Engagement | Victorian Bar Information for students and teachers on life as a barrister and the pathways to becoming a barrister

Check out this remarkable speech, recently given by Justice O'Meara to the newest barristers at the Victorian Bar. It is funny, personal, and deeply moving.

(Which is not, with the greatest respect, what one usually finds on the Supreme Court website.)

The speech is not just a compelling personal story. It also contains valuable lessons for those in practice, and for aspiring lawyers. It is well worth your time.

Victorian Bar Readers’ Dinner Remarks of the Hon. Justice O'Meara, Victorian Bar Readers’ Dinner, Melbourne, 18 May 2023.

After a COVID-induced hiatus, we're pleased to announce the return of the bail moot for Law Week 2023! Book now to secure your spot at this special performance, and the chance to chat with practising barristers (including King's Counsel) afterwards.

Reserve your place for free here: https://vicbar.formstack.com/forms/chocolate_and_wine_i_thought_i_was_fine

Each year, the Victoria Law Foundation holds an "In Conversation" with a leading legal mind. (Until 2019, it was known as the VLF Law Oration). Past speakers have included Chief Justice Anne Ferguson, President Maxwell of the Victorian Court of Appeal, Laureate Professor Emeritus Cheryl Saunders, international judges, and several Chief Justices of the High Court.

You can watch recordings of the events here:

In Conversation Hear some of Victoria’s most interesting public legal figures discuss hot-button issues in our annual Conversations.

Don't forget that although Courts are doing in person appearances they are still doing appearances online. If you are interested in observing real life matters in the Supreme Court have a look at the Supreme Court website for details on how you can attend.

For students and teachers Hear all the factors judges take into account by watching real sentences, get answers to how the Court works and gain a deep insight into justice.

"When Grata Flos Matilda Greig walked into her first law school class at the University of Melbourne in 1897, it wasn’t legal for women to become lawyers. But though the legal system did not even recognise her as a person, she won the right to practice and helped thousands of other women access justice. In defying the law, Greig literally changed its face."

Learn more at this lecture delivered by Iola Matthews on 21 March at 6pm, hosted by the Royal Historical Society of Victoria. Register here:

Flos Greig, Australia’s first woman lawyer with Iola Mathews - Royal Historical Society of Victoria When Grata Flos Matilda Greig walked into her first law school class at the University of Melbourne in 1897, it was illegal for women to become lawyers. But though the legal system did not even recognise her as a person, she won the right to practice and helped thousands of other women access justic...

Two fascinating upcoming events from the Australian Academy of Law:

1. The AAL is holding a panel discussion on Victoria's Treaty Negotiation Framework on Wednesday, 1 March 2023, featuring former High Court judge Kenneth Hayne, Karri Walker and Rueben Berg. See the flyer and registration information here.

2. The AAL is holding a separate panel discussion on the proposed wording for the Voice, and on the kind of implementing legislation that could be enacted if the amendment is approved. Speakers are former High Court Chief Justice Robert French, former Chief Justice of NSW Tom Bathurst, and prominent Sydney silk Ruth Higgins. The event is being held in Sydney but will be available online
For more information about both events and to register, see

Australian Academy of Law - Events and Videos

Do you love Shakespeare? Do you love the Supreme Court Library? Of course you do!

So why not come along to "Shakespeare in the Supreme", a rehearsed play reading of "Twelth Night by experienced actors from BottledSnail Productions and the Melbourne legal community. Tickets are free - the first performance has sold out, but there are a few tickets left for the second and final performance on Thursday (16 February). Register at

Shakespeare in the Supreme Law Library Victoria and BottledSnail Productions present Shakespeare in the Supreme, a series of rehearsed play readings.

Here's another great resource from our friends at the Judicial College of Victoria: "Scholarship for the Legal Community". These are easily digestible summaries of recently published academic writing on a range of topics. Do you want to know when a sentence will be "manifestly excessive"? Or what compensation should be awarded where the defendant's conduct made no real difference? Look no further!

Check the summaries out here:

Scholarship for the legal community. | Judicial College of Victoria Judicial College of Victoria. Wisdom shared.

Just a reminder that applications for the Victorian Bar Indigenous Law Students' Clerkship close TODAY!

This year, the Bar is offering up to six paid clerkship positions to Indigenous law students, which will involve four consecutive weeks of rotation at the Bar, the Federal Court of Australia, Supreme Court of Victoria and County Court of Victoria.

The Program would be of interest to Indigenous law students considering a career in law, not only as a barrister. Further information about the program can be found here:

www.vicbar.com.au

The Australian Law Reform Commission is hosting the inaugural Michael Kirby Lecture on law reform. Michael Kirby, a former justice of the High Court well known to all law students, was also the inaugural Chairman of the ALRC.

The inaugural Lecture will be delivered by federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus KC MP on Monday 5 December at 5pm.
Free registration for in in person or online attendance is here:

Inaugural Michael Kirby Lecture | ALRC Monday 5 December 2022 at 5.00pm AEDT Federal Court of Australia, 305 William Street, Melbourne, or via live streaming This annual lecture celebrates the law reform legacy of the Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG both as the inaugural Chairman of the ALRC and as one of Australia’s leading jurists. The 2022...

This one's for law nerds (which includes all of us, right?)

Interpretation NOW!, published by the ATO, offers an evergreen resource on statutory interpretation, a critical skill for both law students and practitioners. Through weekly, one page "episodes", it deals with all aspects of statutory interpretation in a concise, fun, and helpfully hyperlinked way.

Check it out here: www.interpretationnow.com

A thought provoking article about the potential risks of flexible working for young lawyers:

‘Flexibility is not cost-free’, partners warn junior lawyers Partners across the country are worried that we may be losing an entire generation of leaders in law, because WFH allowances mean emerging professionals will be missing crucial learning opportunitie

The 2022 Minds Count Foundation Lecture is on next week, 27 October. The lecture "provides a forum for the legal community to come together and discuss the issues faced as a profession regarding mental health and psychological safety". The lecture will be introduced by Chief Justice James Allsop, and potentially Jagot J of the High Court.

Established in August 2008 as the Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation, the Minds Count Foundation helps build greater awareness around depression, anxiety and mental health in the Australian legal community.

More info and tickets here:

Minds Count Foundation Annual Lecture 2022 Join us as King & Wood Mallesons former Chief Executive Partner Berkeley Cox teams up with solicitor Margaret Cai to deliver the keynote.

Deakin Law School is hosting what should be a fascinating lecture next week - "From Mabo to the Uluru Statement from the Heart - Lessons learned and where to from here?" Hear from a legend of the Victorian Bar, Dr Bryan Keon-Kohen (who acted for Eddie Mabo) and other eminent speakers, followed by drinks and canapes.

Register for free here:

From Mabo to the Uluru Statement from the Heart Come and hear our expert panel as they discuss this important topic, supported by Deakin Law School as part of its 30th Anniversary.

The war in Ukraine has raised a range of complex international law issues. On 19 October, Felicity Gerry KC will host a free online seminar with panel of experts considering issues raised by the conflict - such as compliance with the laws of armed conflict, trans-national commercial arrangements and compliance with newly-imposed sanctions, the impact of human rights norms on the international commercial landscape, and various options and proposals for prosecuting high-level military and political leaders for international crimes.

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