On Wednesday, members received my email announcing BCL’s acquisition of 200 Queen Street, Melbourne. The purchase will ensure the sustainability of our unique BCL chambers model well into the future. A "town hall" meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 30 July 2024, at 4:30pm in the Neil McPhee Room to address any questions you may have about this important development. If you would like to submit questions prior to the meeting, please complete the form here, and we will endeavour to answer them on the evening.
At our monthly meeting last night, Bar Council worked efficiently through its agenda of largely regular business. We approved a further three-year agreement for the provision of library services to the Bar by the Law Library of Victoria, approved a pilot scheme for the provision of financial counselling services to our members who find themselves in financial strife, and reviewed the BCL Chambers Rules of Occupancy and established a BCL Liaison Committee to act as a conduit between tenants and BCL. We continue to make decisions necessary to implement the changes that we have made to the Bar Exam and Readers’ Course, and I am happy to report that this work is proceeding well and on time. Members who wish to know more about the business of Bar Council can read the minutes of our meetings in the Members’ section of the website.
I hope everyone enjoyed the King’s birthday long weekend and the short week that has followed. On behalf of the Bar, I congratulate our members who were recognised on Monday in the King’s Birthday Honours List: the Honourable Kevin Harcourt Bell AO KC appointed an Officer in the General Division (AO) in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the judiciary, law, and human rights through education and reform; and his Honour Judge Michael Patrick Bourke AM appointed a Member in the General Division (AM) for significant service to the judiciary, to the law, and to the community.
On Monday, Sam Hay KC and I met with the Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes and members of her staff. The meeting was arranged as part of the Strategic Plan Working Group’s consultation process and was an excellent opportunity for us to discuss the role of the Independent Bar and how it can work most effectively with Government to further the administration of justice.
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2)
The Attorney-General of Australia has announced that Simone Bingham has been appointed as a judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia effective 03 June 2024.
The Bar Dinner, held last Saturday evening, was a great success. The move to the glorious Great Hall at the National Gallery of Victoria and a Saturday night worked well to elevate spirits. Of course, no Bar Dinner is a success without a great speaker, and we were all privileged to hear a truly great speech, delivered with warmth and humour, from the Honourable Justice Robert Beech-Jones. His Honour reminded us how privileged we are to be members of the Victorian Bar and explained why it is so important that we ensure, as far as possible, that the composition of our membership fairly reflects the public that it serves. Our Bar Office staff put in great effort to ensure the evening went smoothly. I would like to make special mention of Stephen Porter and Roisin Ryan, from our Events and Communications team, who plan and execute these large events with poise, calm, and an eye for detail.
His Honour Magistrate Michael Gurvich His Honour Magistrate Andrew Waters
A welcome sitting to mark the appointments of his Honour Magistrate Michael Gurvich and his Honour Magistrate Andrew Waters will be held in Courtroom 1, Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, 233 William Street Melbourne on:
Last Friday evening, I had the pleasure of attending the NSW Bar & Bench Dinner. It was a lively event, and the speeches were excellent, especially that of the guest speaker, the Honourable Justice Beech-Jones of the High Court of Australia. For those of you attending the Victorian Bar Dinner tomorrow evening, you are in for a treat. I thank the President of the NSW Bar, Dr Ruth Higgins SC, and the NSW Bar Council for their hospitality.
On Wednesday at lunchtime, I attended a ‘town hall’ style meeting conducted by the Strategic Plan Working Group in the Neil McPhee Room. It was interesting to participate in the conversation and hear from members about what the Bar’s focus should be over the next five years. On behalf of the Bar Council, I thank the Strategic Plan Working Group and all members who attended.
