Climate Change Law Panel

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Members

Ruth Higgins SC (Convener)

Bret Walker SC

Noel Hutley SC

Tim Game SC

Sarah Pritchard SC

Richard Lancaster SC

Robert White

Sebastian Hartford Davis

Kate Lindeman

Janet McKelvey

Natasha Hammond

James Mack

Professor Lesley Hughes

Professor Martijn Wilder AM

Michele Kearns (Clerk)

Greg Tolhurst (Bar Association Staff Member)

Inquests & Inquiries Committee

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Members

Kristina Stern SC (Chair)

Peggy Dwyer (Deputy Chair)

Adam Casselden SC

Lesley Whalan SC

Sophie Callan SC

David Lloyd SC

Donna Ward

Georgina Wright

Kirsten Edwards

Rob Ranken

Joanna Davidson

Nick Kelly

Callan O’Neill

Jake Harris

Emma Sullivan

Elizabeth Pearson, Richard Easton and Ellyse Matterson (Bar Association Staff Member)

Accessibility Panel

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Members

Robert Dubler SC (Chair)
Kate Eastman SC
Valerie Heath 
Craig Everson 
Tina Jowett 
Sean Docker 
Angela Petrie 
Brenda Tronson 
Nipa Dewan 
Matthew Cobb-Clark 
Jeh Coutinho (Clerk)

Elizabeth Pearson, Horatia Hopper and Ellyse Matterson (Bar Association Staff Member)

Wellbeing

Terms of reference

• Encourage members of the NSW Bar to live a balanced and healthy lifestyle through education and by providing the opportunity and encouragement to participate in organised sporting, social and recreational activities

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Members

Kylie Nomchong SC (Chair)

Michelle Painter SC

Peter McGrath SC

Kevin Connor SC

Tim Castle SC

Luigi Lungo

Dauid Sibtain

Mark Sneddon

Matthew Hutchings

Kate Ratcliffe

Turvey To

Cynthia Cochrane

Kellie Edwards

Geoff Farland

Ben Mee

Savitha Swami

Sarah McCarthy

Chris Winslow (Bar Association Staff Member)

PCC #4

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Members

Dominic Toomey SC (Chair)

Ian Coleman SC

Peter Cummings SC

Edward Cox SC

Patrick Flynn SC

Mark Anderson

Luke Brasch

Andrew Naylor

Eric Balodis

Roger Harper

David Rayment

Nicholas Eastman

Nick Kabilafkas

Ben Kremer

Lisa Doust

Amy Douglas-Baker

Robert Yezerski

Greg Antipas

Jill Gatland

Rachael Dart

Sonia Tame

Talitha Hennessy

Kate Lindeman

PCC #3

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Members

Dr Ruth Higgins SC (Chair)

David Williams SC

Gail Furness SC

Peter McGrath SC,

Nicholas Owens SC

Andre Zahra SC

James Emmett SC

Sophie Callan SC

Yaseen Shariff SC

David Patch

Peter Newton

Elizabeth Welsh

Andrew Fox

Angela Petrie

Clarissa Amato

Peter Maddigan

Declan Roche

Nick Kirby

Conor Bannan

Callan O’Neill

Stephanie Patterson

Claire Palmer

PCC #2

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Members

Anna Mitchelmore SC (Chair)

Robert Sheldon SC

Nick Kidd SC

David McLure SC

Simon Buchen SC

David Thomas SC

Richard Sergi

Justin Young

Sean Hughes

Mark Seymour

Donna Ward

James Arnott

Melanie Cairns

Nicholas Broadbent

Rob Ranken

Lorna Sproston

Zoe Hillman

Emma Beechey

Jocelyn Williams

Belinda Baker

Rose Khalilizadeh

PCC #1

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Members

Edward Muston SC (Chair)

Robert Hollo SC

Ingmar Taylor SC

Matthew Darke SC

Kate Morgan SC

Vanessa Whittaker SC

Michael Izzo SC

Elizabeth Raper SC

Madeleine Avenell SC

Peter Russell

Kieran Ginges

Sera Mirzabegian

Charles Colquhoun

Patrick Knowles

Daniel Klineberg

Catherine Gleeson

Jo Little

Simon Fitzpatrick

Radhika Withana

Georgia Lewer

Emma Bathurst

Vanja Bulut

Georgina Westgarth

Practice Development

Terms of reference

• Facilitate the exchange of information between barristers, clerks and practice managers relating to all aspects of practice development.
• Promote the work of barristers to solicitors, in-house counsel and clients.
• Deal with such other practice development matters as are referred to it by the Bar Council or the Executive for consideration.

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Members

Ian Hemmings SC (Chair)

Michelle Painter SC

David Thomas SC

Tom Brennan SC

Christopher Peadon

Robert Carey

Philip Wallis

Renee Bianchi

Geoff Farland

Sonia Stewart

Michele Kearns (Clerk)

Paul Walker (Clerk)

Alastair McConnachie (Bar Association Staff Member)

New Barristers

Terms of reference

• Promote the pursuit of excellence through targeted Continued Professional Development, camaraderie through social events and other traditions of the general Bar amongst NSW barristers under 6 years
• Assist NSW barristers under 6 years to build and develop their practices
• Make submissions to the Bar Council regarding issues and matters that affect the interests of barristers under 6 years seniority
• Otherwise support the work of the Bar Council as and when needed

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Members

Georgina Westgarth (Chair)

Corrie Goodhand

Stephen Ryan

Emily Graham

Wen Wu

Karen Petch

Eliot Olivier

Brendan Jones

Elizabeth Esber

Nicholas Bentley

Tomislav Bicanic

Ryan Coffey

Alison Hammond

Jordan Widjaja

Megan Caristo

Anna Moule (Clerk)

Bali Kaur (Bar Association Staff Member)

Legal Aid

Terms of reference 

• Advise and make recommendations to the Bar Council and its Executive on all aspects of the relationship of the Association and its members to publicly funded legal assistance providers. 
• Advise the Bar Association membership on issues relating to the provision of legal aid services. 
• Consider Legal Aid Commission policies and consult with the Commission in the interests of the Association's membership. 
• Liaise with all Committees of the Association concerned with the provisions and administration of legal aid and other forms of legal assistance. 
• Advise, and/or prepare, representations to be made on behalf of the Association or individual members in relation to dealings with government and other bodies concerned with the provisions of legally aided services.
• Make its best endeavours to obtain a review of the fair remuneration payable to counsel in Legal Aid work, bearing in mind the fact that there has been no increase in some fees payable to Counsel in Legal Aid matters for almost a decade.

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Members

Dean Jordan SC (Chair)

Craig Smith SC (Deputy Chair)

Alex Radojev

James Trevallion

Emily Ito

David Price

Christopher Lawrence

Kellie Stares

Jane Paingakulam

Scott Fraser

Emmanuel Kerkyasharian

Duncan Brakell

Michelle Swift

Clyllyn Sperling

Jeffrey Clarke

Nerissa Keay  

Robert Armitage

Rose Khalilizadeh

Talia Epstein

Thomas Liu

Ellyse Matterson and Elizabeth Pearson (Bar Association Staff Member)

Innovation & Technology

Terms of reference

• Identify, investigate and monitor new technological developments that may change the nature of a barristers work and their practice;
• Educate members on the latest technology and ensure members are properly equipped to use and embrace developments that may boost efficiency and productivity;
• Assist members with incorporating the latest technology into their practice;
• Ensure members are aware of digital security requirements and guard against potential breaches of data security;
• Promote and ensure the ethical use of digital devices and services including social media, cloud based file sharing, data security, storage and deletion, hardware and software; and
• Provide advice to Bar Council on matters relating to technology as requested.

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Members

Michael Green SC (Chair)

Angela Bowne SC

Greg Waugh SC

Tamir Maltz

Ben Kremer

Beth Oliak

Therese Catanzariti

Anton Hughes

Ben Mee

Richard Scheelings

Wen Wu

Savitha Swami

Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz

Jordan Widjaja

Jackie Charles (Clerk)

Academic member

Carolyn McKay (USYD)

Horatia Hopper and Elizabeth Pearson (Bar Association Staff Member)

Industrial, Employment, Health and Safety

Terms of reference

• Engage with barristers practicing in the industrial, employment and health and safety areas and to ensure a sense of collegiality and best practice amongst those members
• Organise seminars/lectures/discussions to deal with developments in industrial, employment and health and safety law
• In consultation with the president, to act as a liaison between the Bar Association and its members and the various courts and tribunals engaged in industrial, employment and health and safety matters
• Assist the Bar Association in dealing with government on industrial, employment and health and safety matters

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Members

Bruce Hodgkinson AM SC (Chair)

Yaseen Shariff SC (Deputy Chair)

John Fernon SC

Ian Neil SC

Elizabeth Raper SC

Ian Latham

Anthony Britt

Andrew Gotting

Bruce Miles

Jamie Darams

Anna Perigo

Bilal Rauf

Maurice Baroni

Richard Easton (Bar Association Staff Member)

Human Rights

Terms of reference

• Monitor legislation and prospective legislation and policy for its impact on human rights
• Provide opinion to the Bar Council, the Criminal Law Committee and the president on human rights issues
• Deal with such other matters as are referred to it by the Bar Council or the Executive for consideration and report
• Raise awareness among members of the profession and public of human rights issues

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Members

Naomi Sharp SC (Co-Chair)

Simeon Beckett (Co-Chair)

Craig Lenehan SC

Miiko Kumar

Kate Barrett

Louise Goodchild

Trent Glover

Bora Kaplan

Carmel Lee

Rob Davies

Charles Gregory

Corrie Goodhand

Madeleine Bridgett

Celia Winnett

Douglas McDonald-Norman

Academic members

Daniel Joyce (UNSW)

Andrew Byrne (UNSW)

Richard Easton (Bar Association Staff Member)

First Nations

Terms of reference

• Represent the NSW Bar Association and its members on legal policy and practice issues relating to First Nations and First Nations people including:
  • reviewing policies and procedures for the Bar Council and NSW Bar Association to ensure First Nations and First Nations peoples’ perspective are considered where relevant; 
  • advocating for the rights of First Nations and First Nations people on systemic issues of policy such as Indigenous incarceration, discrimination and the impact of domestic violence on First Nations communities. 
• Encourage and support First Nations people to consider a career in the law and at the Bar; 
• Support First Nations people who are members of the profession;
• Organise educational seminars for members regarding issues relating to First Nations affairs;
• Develop and monitor the implementation of the Association’s Reconciliation Action Plan; and
• Provide advice to Bar Council on matters relating to First Nations affairs as required.

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Members

Anthony McAvoy SC (Chair)

Andrew Smith (Deputy Chair)

Chris Ronalds AO SC 

Janet Manuell SC 

Eric Wilson SC

Susan Phillips

Simeon Beckett

Nicholas Newton

Louise Goodchild

Paul Bolster

Natasha Case

Charles Gregory

Damian Beaufils

Sian McGee

Horatia Hopper and Elizabeth Pearson (Bar Association Staff Member)

Family Law

Terms of reference

• Represent the interests of the NSW Bar with all stakeholders in the family law sphere and, to this end, to maintain engagement with each of the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia on a regular basis
• Support and encourage members of the NSW Bar who practice in the family law sphere, including by the provision of CPD opportunities
• Maintain an active participation in developments in the family law sphere, including in the development and reform of legislation and practice rules
• Support and maintain engagement by those who practice family law with the Bar Association and its broader membership.

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Members

Michael Kearney SC (Chair)

Hon Stephen O’Ryan QC

Peter Cummings SC

Suzanne Christie SC

Mark Anderson  

Christopher Lawrence

Michael Weightman

John Longworth

Mary Rebehy

Claire Cantrall

Sarwa Abdelraheem

Ellyse Matterson and Elizabeth Pearson (Bar Association Staff Member)

Education

Terms of reference

The Education Committee provides advice, support and guidance to the Bar Council, the Executive Director, the Professional Development Department and other departments of the New South Wales Bar Association in respect of the educational activities of the NSW Bar, and implements on Bar Council’s behalf:

• the NSW Bar Exam, conducted twice a year by the Professional Development Department with the assistance of the Bar Exam sub-committee;
• the Bar Practice Course, run twice a year by the Bar Practice Course Director and Professional Development Department;
• the tutor / reader programme, conducted for the first year of each new barrister’s career at the bar;
• the mentoring programme conducted each year by the Professional Development Department for barristers who have completed the tutor/reader programme; and
• Continuing Professional Development, a programme run throughout the year by the Professional Development Department.

In its activities, the Education Committee supports attainment of the objectives set out in the New South Wales Bar Association’s Strategic Plan from time to time, which as at 27 July 2017, includes:

• the continuing education of barristers;
• the development of transformational knowledge and skills so that barristers can compete in the environment of increasing internationalization of the law;
• equality and diversity of the NSW Bar membership; and
• supporting readers and the junior bar.

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Members

Robert Hollo SC (Chair)

Sally Dowling SC

Patrick Griffin SC

Ed Muston SC 

Michael Izzo SC

Tiffany Wong SC

Perry Herzfeld SC

Philip Hogan

Sean Docker

Gillian Mahony

Lester Fernandez

Sharyn Hall

Peter Maddigan

Imtiaz Ahmed

Callan O’Neill

Louise Hulmes

Alison Hammond

Academic member

Professor Alex Steele (UNSW)

Bali Kaur (Bar Association Staff Member)

Diversity and Equality

Terms of reference

The Diversity and Equality Committee leads the development, implementation and promotion of strategies, policies and initiatives designed to attract, retain and nurture members of the NSW Bar who are reflective of the community they serve. The committee fosters best practice, diversity, inclusion of difference and equality of opportunity for its members. It seeks to ensure that people who wish to join the bar and its members are treated equally and not disadvantaged by their unique attributes which contribute to the overall advancement of the profession. Through education, the committee aims to promote diversity, the value of difference, eliminate prejudice and bias and encourage equality and collegiality among the members of the bar.

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Members

Kate Eastman SC (Chair)

Melissa Fisher (Deputy Chair)

Robert Lethbridge SC

Robert Dubler SC

Miles Condon SC

Brenda Tronson

Melanie Cairns

Renee Bianchi

Nipa Dewan 

Stephen Tully

Sarah Warren

Tarik Abdulhak

Sonia Tame

Uche Okereke-Fisher

Jeh Coutinho (Clerk)

Elizabeth Pearson (Bar Association Staff Member)

Criminal Law

Terms of reference

• Address legislative changes and proposals for such change in the criminal law, as and when they arise  
• Provide advice to Bar Council and prepare submissions as and when required.

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Members

Stephen Odgers SC (Co-Chair) 
Gabrielle Bashir SC (Co-Chair)
John Stratton SC 
Matt Johnston SC 
Richard Wilson SC 
Frank Veltro SC
Kieran Ginges 
Nathan Steel 
Lester Fernandez 
Kellie Stares 
Pauline David 
Paul Coady 
Helen Roberts
Duncan Brakell 
Ben Bickford
Elizabeth McLaughlin 
Nerissa Keay 
Christopher Parkin 
Rose Khalilzadeh 
Georgina Westgarth 
Linda Barnes
Academic member
Nicholas Cowdery QC (UNSW)

Richard Easton (Bar Association Staff Member)

Costs and Fees

Terms of reference

• Monitor the regulation of legal costs
• Monitor and where appropriate investigate issues concerning barristers’ fees and fee recovery
• Advise Bar Council as requested or as the committee considers appropriate concerning legal costs and related subjects - such matters may include regulation of the profession, orders for costs, court rules, ethics, practice management, relations with solicitors and clients, relevant developments in this or other jurisdictions, fee recovery, costs assessment, law reform and promotion of the public interest
• Prepare and maintain general information suitable for provision to members on the Bar Association website or otherwise concerning legal costs and fee recovery. These may include model documents for costs disclosure and costs agreements
• Coordinate and provide professional development seminars and resources for barristers with respect to legal costs or related subjects
• Work with members of the Bar Association and Bar Council on matters relating to legal costs

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Members

Mark Walsh SC (Chair)
Michael Eagle 
Philippe Doyle Gray 
Janet McDonald 
Michelle Castle 
David Stewart 
Luke Fermanis 
Katherine Oldfield 
Emma Beechey 
Matt Karam 
Michael Wells 
David Smith 

Richard Easton (Bar Association Staff Member)

Common Law

Terms of reference 

The Common Law Committee is comprised of barristers with an interest in and practice encompassing all aspects of the common law particularly damages or compensation for personal injuries, from employers' liability, to motor accidents, occupiers' liability, medical and other professional negligence, workers compensation and defamation. 

The committee assists the Bar Association in formulating its position on issues that affect the substantive law and procedure in these areas and, in preparing submissions and correspondence on those issues to government and non-government bodies. It also operates as a vehicle through which the concerns of members practising in the field can be brought to the attention of the association and through which the Bar Association can be informed.

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Members

Robert Sheldon SC (Chair)
Elizabeth Welsh (Deputy Chair)
Tony Bartley SC 
Simon Harben SC 
Nicholas Chen SC 
Paresh Khandar SC 
David Talintyre 
Andrew Combe 
Maria Gerace 
Eva Elbourne
Kavita Balendra
Ross Stanton 
Kayt Hogan 

Elizabeth Pearson and Ellyse Matterson (Bar Association Staff Member)

Bar News

Terms of reference

The Bar News Committee consists of the editor and other barristers. Its function is to oversee the publication of Bar News, which is the journal of the New South Wales Bar Association and is published three times per year. Contributions to the magazine usually come from members of the Bar Association but also include interesting contributions from those involved generally with the legal community. 

Each issue attempts to include pieces on recent developments, public addresses, features on life at the bar, practice developments, interviews, personality and book reviews, obituaries and humour. 

The editorial committee makes decisions on what articles are suitable for publication. Members of the committee are expected to liaise broadly with the bar and to solicit or obtain from the bar matters of interest to members. Particular aspects from the work of the association which are a special interest to members will be highlighted in the journal from time to time.

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Members

Ingmar Taylor SC (Chair)
Gail Furness SC 
Anthony Cheshire SC 
Farid Assaf SC 
Dominic Villa SC  
Elizabeth Raper SC 
Penny Thew 
Sean O’Brien
Kavita Balendra 
Daniel Tynan 
Daniel Klineberg 
Catherine Gleeson 
Victoria Brigden 
Kevin Tang
Ann Bonnor 
Belinda Baker 
Stephen Ryan 
Christina Trahanas
Douglas McDonald-Norman 
Naomi Wootton

Michelle Nisbet (Bar Association Staff Member)

Alternative Dispute Resolution

​Terms of reference

Barristers’ work is not confined to appearing as an advocate in court for a client. Barristers’ work, defined under Rule 11 of the Legal Profession Uniform Conduct (Barristers) Rules 2015, includes ‘representing a client in or conducting a mediation or arbitration or other method of alternative dispute resolution’. Under rule 36, barristers also have a duty to ‘inform the client or the instructing solicitor about the alternatives to fully contested adjudication of the case which are reasonably available to the client…’

Objectives

The committee’s objectives are to monitor, promote and educate barristers and others on various forms of dispute resolution. Specifically, the committee aims to promote expertise and excellence in available dispute resolution practices by:
In achieving its objectives, the committee focusses on serving members involved in all forms of dispute resolution outside the courtroom; including:

Offering training to members in the areas of mediation, arbitration and expert determination;

Advancing barristers’ skills and standing as advocates in alternative dispute resolution forums, through the provision of continuing professional development seminars and by expanding the training provided to junior barristers;

Providing dispute resolution policy advice to the Bar Council and assistance to members of the bar on diverse issues relating to promoting the bar as the focal point of excellence in New South Wales, including advice on ethical issues, legislative amendments, training and accreditation, recognition of excellence in the performance of dispute resolution skills and the promotion of members’ market standing;

Maintaining lists of barristers accredited or approved as mediators, arbitrators or expert determiners and providing lists to the Local, District and Supreme Court;

Assisting the Bar Association to exercise its function as a Mediation Accreditation Body;

Liaising with relevant professional bodies.

• Mediation
• Arbitration
• Early neutral evaluation
• Adjudication
• Expert determination
• Facilitation
• Conciliation

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Members

Mary Walker (Chair)
Hon Stephen O’Ryan QC 
Stephen Walsh QC 
John Fernon SC 
Gregory Burton SC
Jodi Steele SC 
Neil Jackson
Tom Davie
Michael Dawson 
Craig Carter 
Charles Colquhoun
Vanessa Thomas 
Rita Lahoud 
Joshua Grew 
Mary Rebehy
Wilson Chan 
Adele Carr 
Jesse Kennedy 
Navid Sedaghati 

Elizabeth Pearson (Bar Association Staff Member)