COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING

In 2022, I was honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for my substantial contributions to the legal profession in New South Wales. My commitment is evident through my service on the Law Society of NSW Council, the continued success of Lawyers Learning for Charity, and my ongoing support for solicitors in NSW.

 

My longstanding involvement with Lawyers Learning for Charity began during my time as President of the Eastern Suburbs Law Society. Initially focusing on personal injury law, it quickly became a success, drawing up to 180 participants.

 

The unique and entertaining nature of the seminar, along with distinguished guest speakers, ensured its popularity year after year. The seminar was unconventional, welcoming lawyers with champagne and a violin trio, and featuring engaging quizzes and entertainment. Campbell McComas once impersonated the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Quebec, revealing his true identity at the end of his presentation.

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The Eastern Suburbs Law Society continues to host Lawyers Learning for Charity annually, having raised well over $300,000 for charitable causes. I'm proud of the event's continued success, now managed capably by Melissa Tsui and Melanie Stern.

 

For nearly two decades, I also chaired the Injuries Damages Committee, advocating for the welfare of personal injury lawyers and injured individuals. During my time on Council, I was the Law Society’s representative on the Professional Negligence Users Group of the Supreme Court, where we worked on Practice Note, improvements to the procedure, and expert conclaves. Although I support the current Supreme Court Practice Note, I believe changes are needed in the District Court of NSW regarding expert conclaves.

 

As a former long-term member of the District Court Civil Users Committee, I strongly advocated against aligning with the Supreme Court's approach but was unsuccessful. This decision added significant costs for plaintiffs, warranting potential law reform.

 

Another critical issue I've championed is legislative change in the area of costs. Solicitors face disadvantages in costs assessment, exemplified by a strict one-year limit to file an Application for Assessment from the date of the invoice. This leaves solicitors with limited options when allowing clients to pay by instalments. This situation doesn't serve clients or practitioners and calls for legislative improvements.