Here's what's happening in August
August is busy busy busy! We’ve got both the Criminal Law and Government Lawyers conferences taking place at the start of the month (and the Personal Injuries Conference is not far behind on 1 September), as well as the QLS Excellence in Law Awards Gala! More on that below.
Watch
Nyadol Nyuon on resilience, identity and making a change in society | RMIT University
RMIT Centre for Innovative Justice Director Rob Hulls talks to Nyadol Nyuon, a lawyer and human rights advocate, who is the new Director of the Sir Zelman Cowan Centre at Victoria University, which provides legal education, training and research. Nyadol discusses her life’s trajectory, from being born in an Ethiopian refugee camp after her family fled the Second Sudanese Civil War, to becoming a commercial litigator and Senior Consultant for the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety.
Lawyers with ADHD: Neurodiversity & Mental Health
American ex-lawyer Annie Little discusses navigating the legal profession with undiagnosed ADHD, what she’s learned since her diagnosis, and what neurotypical lawyers should know about their neurodiverse colleagues. Of course, some things are a little different, being another country and legal system, but the key points are still relevant.
Read
Are law firms falling behind on TikTok?
In Lawyers Weekly, Market Expertise’s CMO Jacqueline Burns writes about how commercial law firms in Australia are missing out on “earned media” opportunities from TikTok, and explains why they should start “newsjacking.”
How lawyers keep track of all their tasks for all their matters
Reddit user Gossamer642 asked the AusLaw sub “How do you all keep track of your tasks for your matters? Do you have a different method for daily/weekly tasks as opposed to monthly?” If you, too, have this question, you’ll definitely find these answers useful!
You’ve probably seen this robot story splashed all over the news recently. For The Conversation Maria O’Sullivan asks, “Are we ready to deal with the moral and legal complexities raised by human-robot interaction?” Maria is Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, and Deputy Director, Castan Centre for Human Rights Law at Monash University.
Listen
The Callover with Joshua Creamer
The latest guest on The Callover podcast is Joshua Creamer. Josh is a barrister specialising in human rights class actions and native title. He is a proud descendant of the Waanyi and Kalkadoon people from North Western Queensland, received the National Indigenous Legal Professional of the Year Award in 2017 and sits on the Board of Legal Aid Queensland. On this episode, Josh shares his insights into the barriers faced by First Nations people when entering the legal profession or interacting with it, and what can be improved. He also provides some great resources for young lawyers looking to educate themselves about the plight of Indigenous Australians.
Who should be held legally liable for accidents involving e-scooters?
NSW is the last jurisdiction in Australia to allow e-scooter rentals as of July. E-scooter laws vary across the country, not just in relation to liability in the case of an accident, but also the speed limits, whether they can be ridden on footpaths, bike lanes, or roads, and many other aspects. ABC Radio National talks to Julia Miller, who was injured by an e-scooter rider, and her personal injury lawyer, Alice Robinson.
Do
QLS Excellence in Law Awards Gala
Join your colleagues from around the state as we come together and celebrate legal talent on 20 August! It’s going to be a fantastic night, with 11 award categories accompanied by dinner, drinks and dancing. Check the link above to see if you know any of the finalists and to buy your ticket!
There is a vacancy on the QLS Council! Click the link to read more details, but basically Council is currently inviting expressions of interest for the role of Councillor, so if you think that sounds interesting, why not express your interest? Our youngest-ever Councillor Bridie Edwards was elected last year for the 2022-23 Council after being admitted in June 2020, so don’t worry if you think you are too young or it’s too early in your career. You just need to hurry because it closes at 4pm on 9 August!
Nominate someone for the LCA Australia Young Lawyer Awards
Nominations for the Law Council of Australia’s 2022 Young Lawyer Awards are open! Do you know a fellow young or early career lawyer or organisation who has made a continuous and outstanding contribution to the profession and the community? Then make sure you nominate them before 5pm on 12 August!