Future Leaders Committee Election
About voting
All communications, nomination forms and voting will be conducted completely online. To ensure you do not miss out on any important information, please make sure that you have registered a current, working email with the Society and you have added Queensland Law Society and the domain @bigpulse.com to your safe sender list.
You can only vote once. The ballot will have instructions to complete and submit your vote.
The day voting closes – soon after 4pm AEST Thursday 29 February 2024.
From Friday 1 March 2024.
Each candidate is to provide to QLS their photo and a statement of no more than 150 words setting out:
- the candidate’s service to Future Leaders members, the legal profession or service to the community (or both);
- the area of law in which the candidate practises or wishes to practice; and
- any special interests which the candidate has, whether inside or outside the legal profession.
Each candidate’s photo and profile will be displayed on the QLS website from 14 February 2024 in the order drawn by lot automatically in accordance with the Election by-laws, and members will be directed to these profiles when considering voting. Outside this, please see our QLS Election Media Protocol 2024 for rules and ideas for campaigning.
The 2024 Future Leaders Committee Election will be hosted by BigPulse, a web-based online service provider.
BigPulse will send a link to the members on the Roll of Electors via their nominated email address to vote electronically. Emails will be sent from the domain name bigpulse.com.
When voting opens on 21 February 2024 you will receive:
- an email –which will invite you to click on a unique link to vote online.
You can only vote once.
The 2024 Future Leaders Committee Election will be hosted by BigPulse, a web-based online service provider.
BigPulse will send a link to the members on the Roll of Electors via their nominated email address to vote electronically. Emails will be sent from the domain name bigpulse.com.
Please consult with your IT support provider to add QLS and BigPulse to your Safe Senders List.
If you are eligible to vote please check the spam and trash folders of your mailbox to see if the email was diverted to spam.
If you have a work email registered, please engage with your IT Team to determine whether it has been blocked by the firm’s firewall.
If you have changed employment, moved or changed contact details since 5 February 2024, it is possible your previous email address is registered on our system and your ballot link has been sent to that email address. Please contact elections@qls.com.au to update your email address and mobile phone number for the election.
In summary, if you have not received your email invitation to vote, please:
- ensure your system has not routed the email to another location such as a junk folder;
- consult with your IT support provider to add QLS and BigPulse to your Safe Senders List or to check quarantined emails;
- contact elections@qls.com.au for further assistance.
Once you submit your vote you cannot change it. Due to the strict confidentiality settings and that all votes are confidential, there is no way for QLS to identify your ballot and change your vote. Please consider and review carefully before you submit your vote.
General
There have been only very small changes since the last election:
- candidates on the online ballot will be digitally randomised to ensure fairness to all candidates (Robson Rotation); and
- if a candidate wishes to withdraw their nomination, it must be done up until 5 day after the close of nominations.
The two year elected term has remained the same.
The colours silver and blue were chosen as they reflect QLS’s corporate colours.
The FLC charter has been updated to ensure the FLC is elected and chosen by the FLC cohort and FLC respectively.
When the FLC has its first meeting in July 2024 it will elect its office bearers and consider the needs, experience, skills and representation of its Committee. If a segment or cohort is not represented on the committee, the FLC can two appoint members from the FLC cohort to fill any gaps.
The annual appointment of two members are made by December each year to take effect 1 January of the next year.
There are spots for 6 ordinary committee members of the Future Leaders Committee – blue group. The Future Leaders Membership will be voting in the Future Leaders Committee.
At its first meeting in July 2024, the Future Leaders Committee will appoint office bearers in accordance with the FLC Charter.
There is no nomination form for office bearers as the Charter sets out that the QLS Future Leader membership elects 6 ordinary committee members for the Future Leaders Committee – blue group.
At its first meeting in July 2024, the Future Leaders Committee will appoint office bearers in accordance with the FLC Charter
We understand in the current climate people may be between jobs. To that end you do not need to be currently employed to be eligible to be involved in the Future Leaders Committee (FLC) election. However you do need to hold a current practising certificate in order to be a full member of the Society.
More information
To be involved you need to be a full member of the Queensland Law Society, which means holding a current practising certificate to practise as a Solicitor in Queensland. If you are a government lawyer and don’t presently hold a practising certificate, you are welcome to apply. Don’t forget that you need to be a member before the Roll closes on 9am AEST 5 February 2024. Please note that insurance members, ILP members, honorary, associate and student members are not eligible to participate in the election.
More information
If you are currently a full member of the Society and meet the eligibility, you can still get involved, even if you are overseas. See the question “who can nominate or vote” for more information.
Members are elected to Committee for a period of two years beginning 1 July 2024 and concluding 30 June 2026.
It is anticipated that FLC members will be required to attend between 6 and 11 meetings over the course of a year. Each meeting will be approximately 1.5 hours in length.
It is expected that FLC member will be reading the relevant documents (agenda, plans, minutes, etc.) in advance of the meetings and strategic planning day.
Only those who are full members on the Roll of Electors as of 9am AEST Monday 5 February 2024. To ensure you are on the Roll and that your details are up to date, please contact 1300 367 757 or email the Records Team.
You will be ineligible to nominate if you:
- are of impaired capacity as defined in the Powers of Attorney Act 1998;
- are not a full member of the Society as of 5 February 2024;
- are 36 years of age or over and have more than five years post admission experience as of 30 June 2026;
- are an insolvent under administration;
- have been convicted of a serious offence, as defined in schedule 2 to the Legal Profession Act 2007; or
- in the five years prior to the election, have been convicted of two offences under the Legal Profession Act 2007 or any regulation made under that Act.
Members who are eligible to support/second a nominee and eligible vote are those who are, as of 5 February 2024:
- a full member of the Society; and
- are 35 years of age or under; OR
- have less than five years post admission experience
If you are born or admitted on or after the cut off dates set out below, you are eligible to participate in the FLC Election 2024 as follows:
| Cut off dates to nominate, support (nominations) and vote | Cut off dates to support (nominations) and vote ONLY |
DOB | On or after 1 July 1990 | On or after 6 February 1988 |
OR | OR | |
Date of admission | On or after 1 July 2020 | On or after 6 February 2018 |
The Future Leaders Committee runs for a two year term starting 1 July 2024 and finishing 30 June 2026. It is therefore important that candidates who nominate are indeed eligible Future Leader Members for that two year duration. This is why it is a requirement in the nomination form that you fulfil the criteria as being 35 and under or under 5 years PAE as of 30 June 2026.
Members who wish to support nominees or vote, only need to be eligible as being 35 and under or under 5 years PAE as of 5 February 2024 (the date when nominations open).
On 5 February 2024, all eligible Members will receive an email for the Notice of Election. The Notice of Election will be customised to confirm whether you are eligible to:
- nominate, support/second a nominee and vote; OR
- support/second a nominee and vote.
After 5 February, you are welcome to confer with your colleagues as to whether they have received the notice or alternatively you may contact election@qls.com.au to confirm that your three supporters are eligible to participate and support your nomination in the FLC election.
It is very important that during the election period you have registered a working, current email and mobile phone with the Society. To update your details, please contact Records on ph 1300 367 757 or records@qls.com.au
When nominations open on 5 February 2024, all members eligible to nominate and vote will be sent an email which will include a link to the nomination form. You can then confer with your colleagues who have received the email notice for seconding your nomination, or alternatively you may contact election@qls.com.au to confirm that your supporters are eligible to participate and support your nomination in the Future Leaders Committee Election.
You will need three supporters. The nomination form must also be furnished with a bio (no more than 150 words) and a headshot (between 100KB and 1MB file size).
The nomination form must be completed in full and received by the returning officer by 4pm AEST Tuesday 13 February 2024.
From 14 February 2024, the bio and headshot of all eligible candidates, in the order drawn by electronic lot, will be published on the QLS website.
No, unfortunately the Election By-Laws require that we make the nomination form available when we send out the Notice of Election. Keep your eyes peeled from 9am, Monday 5 February 2024 for the Notice of Election and link to the nomination form.
Committee member: Board and strategic planning experience is always an advantage, however committee members who are passionate about supporting and advancing future leaders, who are available to undertake policy and planning work, attend key QLS events and have a willingness to affect change will thrive in this role.
At its first meeting in July 2024, the Future Leaders Committee will appoint office bearers in accordance with the charter.
President: The role of the President is to chair the Committee. The President becomes the Immediate Past President for a period of one year. In line with best practice corporate governance, the role of the chair is one of leading, facilitating and encouraging, rather than directing. A good chair will ensure the committee is providing leadership and vision, and working in a constructive partnership with the QLS Council. The President may be asked to represent the Committee at Council meetings and other significant QLS events and may also be required to do public speaking from time to time.
Deputy President: The role of the Deputy President supports the President and chairs the Committee or represents the Committee in the event the President is absent or unable to do so.
Vice President: The role of the Vice Presidents support the Deputy President and President and chairs the Committee or represents the Committee in the event the President and Deputy President are unable to do so.
Immediate Past President: The role of Immediate Past President acts as a support and mentor for the President and other office bearers.
For more information of the role of member and chair, please see the Future Leaders Charter.
QLS acknowledges and values diversity in thought and representation. We encourage practitioners from First Nations, regional, culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) and rainbow communities to nominate for a position on FLC. We support all members by conducting committee and other meetings by video conference and teleconference.
Each candidate is to provide to QLS their photo and a statement of no more than 150 words setting out:
- the candidate’s service to Future Leaders members, the legal profession or service to the community (or both);
- the area of law in which the candidate practises or wishes to practice; and
- any special interests which the candidate has, whether inside or outside the legal profession.
Each candidate’s photo and profile will be displayed on the QLS website from 14 February 2024 in the order drawn by lot automatically in accordance with the Election by-laws, and members will be directed to these profiles when considering voting.
Outside this, please see our QLS Election Media Protocol 2024 for rules and ideas for campaigning.
No. In keeping with privacy legislation, we are unable to release member data.
You can start campaigning as soon as you receive confirmation from QLS that your application for candidacy is accepted and can continue until the close of voting at 4pm AEST Thursday 29 February 2024.
Please note that nominations close 4pm AEST Tuesday 13 February 2024.
The election period includes the entire election process starting from the open of nominations on Monday 5 February 2024 and concluding at the end of voting at 4pm AEST Thursday 29 February 2024.
The nomination period is the period in which an eligible candidate submits their nomination to stand for Committee. During this time, the Society will assess each candidate’s nomination, advise the candidate whether their application for candidacy has been accepted and, within two business days of receipt of an accepted nomination, the Society will publish the names of eligible candidates on the QLS website in the order of nomination receipt. The nomination period begins Monday 5 February 2024 and finishes at 4pm AEST on Tuesday 13 February 2024.
The publication period is the period in which QLS will publish the names, biographies and photos submitted by eligible candidates on the QLS website in the order drawn by automatic lot in accordance with the Election by-laws. QLS election communications will invite members to view these profiles. The publication period begins Wednesday 14 February 2024 and finishes at 4pm AEST on Thursday 29 February 2024.
The day voting closes – soon after 4pm AEST Thursday 29 February 2024.
From Friday 1 March 2024.
All communications, nomination forms and voting will be conducted completely online. To ensure you do not miss out on any important information, please make sure that you have registered a current, working email and mobile phone with the Society and you have added QLS to your safe Sender List.
All communications, nomination forms and voting will be conducted completely online. To ensure you do not miss out on any important information, please make sure that you have registered a current, working email and mobile phone with the Society and you have added QLS to your safe Sender List.
Email – you will receive an email which will invite you to click on a unique link to vote online.
You can only vote once.
The 2024 Future Leaders Committee Election will be hosted by BigPulse, a web-based online service provider.
BigPulse will send a link to the members on the Roll of Electors via their nominated email address to vote electronically. Emails will be sent from the domain name qls.com.au
If you have not received your email invitation to vote, please:
- ensure your system has not routed the email to another location such as a junk folder;
- consult with your IT support provider to add QLS to your Safe Senders List or to check quarantined emails;
- contact elections@qls.com.au for further assistance.