PUBLICATIONS

Hearsay Contributions

• First comments in Hearsay
  5 October 2018 Thank you for entrusting me with the task of leading the Society as President — it means a lot to me, and I sincerely hope I can meet your expectations. Congratulations to all those who continued, started,… Read more: First comments in Hearsay
• Ceremonial sitting for retirement of ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, Jon White SC
  19 October 2018 Practitioners will be pleased to see the end in sight for the Court rebuilding work, with the commencement of operation of the new courtrooms of the Supreme Court. I attended the new Court’s first formal event on… Read more: Ceremonial sitting for retirement of ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, Jon White SC
• Legislative Assembly members considering Chief Minister Barr’s proposal to severely limit compensation available to injured road users
  8 November 2018 It is comforting to know that the majority of Legislative Assembly members are prepared to give proper and thoughtful consideration to Chief Minister Barr’s proposal to severely limit compensation available to injured road users. The Assembly’s Committee… Read more: Legislative Assembly members considering Chief Minister Barr’s proposal to severely limit compensation available to injured road users
• Welcome to Justice Chrissa Loukas-Karlsson and Magistrate Louise Taylor
  19 November 2018 On Thursday night the Society had the pleasure of giving a formal welcome to our newest judicial officers, Justice Chrissa Lukas-Karlsson and Magistrate Louise Taylor. Justice Loukas-Karlsson was appointed in March this year, and has already proven… Read more: Welcome to Justice Chrissa Loukas-Karlsson and Magistrate Louise Taylor
• Coat of arms absence in new Supreme Courts
  30 November 201 Recently there has been some disquiet expressed to me about the absence of a coat of arms on the wall in our new Supreme Court rooms. One view is that the coat of arms is a sign… Read more: Coat of arms absence in new Supreme Courts
• Law Council meetings
  14 December 2018 The Law Council of Australia represents the Australian legal profession on national issues through the various law societies and bar associations. On 1 December the LCA held its AGM in Canberra. Arthur Moses SC was elected as… Read more: Law Council meetings
• Off the plan sales, meeting with Chief Public Attorney of the Philippines, Dr Persida V Rueda-Acosta, and heritage timbers in Courtroom One
  25 January 2019 You may have noticed some media lately about buying real estate “off the plan”. I urge all conveyancing lawyers to ensure that their clients understand any special conditions that allow for delay, alteration of the final built… Read more: Off the plan sales, meeting with Chief Public Attorney of the Philippines, Dr Persida V Rueda-Acosta, and heritage timbers in Courtroom One
• Amending the unfair Motor Accidents Injuries Bill, and speeches to commence the legal year
  8 February 2019 It is of some comfort that the ACT Greens have recognised that aspects of the proposed Motor Accidents Injuries Bill will operate unfairly. They have called on the government to amend it and to provide the “guidelines”… Read more: Amending the unfair Motor Accidents Injuries Bill, and speeches to commence the legal year
• Harassment in the work place, and retirement of magistrate Karen Fryar AM
  8 March 2019 At last month’s Intensive CPD, among many very worthwhile seminars, was “Working with Monsters”. Dr Rebecca Michalak very capably illustrated the “dark side of the law industry”, where employees of legal firms have had to work under… Read more: Harassment in the work place, and retirement of magistrate Karen Fryar AM
• Christchurch tragedy, and Elder Abuse
  22 March 2019 On behalf of the Canberra legal community, I extend sincere sympathy to our friends and neighbours in Christchurch NZ for their tragic and terrible loss. Having barely survived an earthquake, it is just too cruel for them… Read more: Christchurch tragedy, and Elder Abuse
• Petition against Motor Accidents Injuries Bill, passing of retired Chief Justice Jeffery Allan Miles AO, and Law Council meetings
  5 April 2019 The Barr Government is continuing on its ill-advised course with the introduction of the Motor Accident Injuries Bill 2019. The Law Society strongly opposes the proposed changes, which will leave Canberrans injured in road accidents much worse… Read more: Petition against Motor Accidents Injuries Bill, passing of retired Chief Justice Jeffery Allan Miles AO, and Law Council meetings
• Blackburn Lecture by retired magistrate Karen Fryar AM on “pro bono”, presentation by retired Chief Justice of the ACT Supreme Court, the Honourable Terence Higgins AO QC, on the workings of the PNG legal system, and the constitutional basis for the Manus Island case
  17 May 2019 This year Law Week was launched by the Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay MLA with some self-effacing humour and a very worthwhile reminder that we all work to protect the right to equal access to the legal system, and… Read more: Blackburn Lecture by retired magistrate Karen Fryar AM on “pro bono”, presentation by retired Chief Justice of the ACT Supreme Court, the Honourable Terence Higgins AO QC, on the workings of the PNG legal system, and the constitutional basis for the Manus Island case
• ACT Freedom of Information Act 2016 removing rights to obtain information under the Children and Young People Act 2008
  31 May 2019 Recent correspondence from the ACT Government and the Greens Party state they are united in their intention to immediately remove some of the existing rights a person has to obtain “sensitive information” about themselves held by officials… Read more: ACT Freedom of Information Act 2016 removing rights to obtain information under the Children and Young People Act 2008
• ACT  Freedom of Information Act 2016 removing rights to obtain information under the Children and Young People Act 2008
  14 June 2019 Last week the Legislative Assembly passed amendments to the Freedom of Information Act 2016 which removed some of the existing rights a person had to obtain “sensitive information” about themselves held by officials under the Children and… Read more: ACT  Freedom of Information Act 2016 removing rights to obtain information under the Children and Young People Act 2008
• Law Council in Darwin – minimum age of criminal responsibility, and presentations by Olga Havnen, CEO Danila Dilba Health Service, and by Chief Justice of the NT Supreme Court, the Hon Michael Grant CJ – both focussing on children in detention
  28 June 2019 This quarter the Law Council of Australia (LCA) meetings were hosted by the Northern Territory Law Society in Darwin. At one of these meetings, a significant policy position was reached — that the minimum age for criminal… Read more: Law Council in Darwin – minimum age of criminal responsibility, and presentations by Olga Havnen, CEO Danila Dilba Health Service, and by Chief Justice of the NT Supreme Court, the Hon Michael Grant CJ – both focussing on children in detention
• Voice to Parliament
  12 July 2019 It’s good to hear, in this NAIDOC week, that the Federal Government has finally decided to take seriously the wishes and aspirations of 250 Australian indigenous delegates who gathered at Uluru in May 2017 and made their… Read more: Voice to Parliament
• Mentoring and Blackburn Lecture
  26 July 2019 What can you do for your Law Society? Recently the very active and capable Young Lawyers Committee held their bi-annual mentoring event at which Peter Garrisson SC the ACT Solicitor-General spoke in rousing and interesting terms about… Read more: Mentoring and Blackburn Lecture
• Elder Abuse
  Missed opportunities to address elder abuse While the Society certainly wants action to be taken on elder abuse, including financial abuse, it was with some alarm that we saw yesterday the introduction in the Legislative Assembly of flawed legislation to… Read more: Elder Abuse
• New CEO and new property rules
  This week we gave a warm welcome to our new Chief Executive Officer Simone Carton. Simone comes to us with over twenty years’ experience as a CEO, and also has a legal background which will serve her well in this… Read more: New CEO and new property rules
• Bernard Collaery & Land Titles
  HEARSAY 9.9.2020 Invisible Justice? While the former President of East Timor, Ramos Horta, would give hiscountry’s highest honour to our Law Society member Bernard Collaery, ourAustralian government continues Bernard’s prosecution in relation to ourAustralian government’s bugging of an East Timor… Read more: Bernard Collaery & Land Titles

Ethos Articles

• Ethos 251 Autumn 2019
  The role of the Law Society.
• Ethos 252 Winter 2019
  As lawyers, regardless of whether we hold a practising certificate, and regardless of whether we actually appear in Court, we are all officers of the Court. There are obligations flowing from that.
• Ethos 253 Spring 2019
  Having completed a full year in my role of President, I have found it to be exciting, engrossing and at times intensely interesting.
• Ethos 254 Summer 2019
  One of the Law Society’s principal activities is lobbying for “good law”.
• Ethos 255 Autumn 2020
  Chris Donohue, President of the ACT Law Society, observes that recent changes to wig and robing rules for solicitors creates an unhelpful difference between counsel performing the same role.
• Ethos 256 Winter 2020
  Time of crisis and change.
• Ethos 256 Winter 2020 – How does our law treat our children
  Chris Donohue, President of the ACT Law Society, looks at the role of punishment vs rehabilitation in recidivism rates of young offenders.
• Ethos 257 Spring 2020
  In his introduction to the 19/20 Annual Report, President Chris Donohue looks back at an eventfuly 12 months.