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Top 10 in 12 days: What law students should know about the law today
Lawyers Weekly’s Protégé takes a look back at the last two weeks to round up the top 10 stories that young lawyers should know about the world of law today.
Naomi Neilson
1: Ruby Princess passengers launch class action
2: Family court bomber found guilty of 3 murders
Three decades ago, a man was accused of murdering four people, including a justice, a justice’s wife and a member of the Jehovah’s Witness church. The Supreme Court of NSW found him guilty for three out of the four murders and destruction of property – he set two separate bombs, both of which led to two of the deaths.
3: ‘Tsunami of complaints’: What the Heydon allegations revealed about the law
It has been a month since an inquiry revealed former justice Dyson Heydon harassed six judge’s associates and not much has changed. Four prominent legal women spoke about why sexual harassment is so prevalent in the profession, what needs to change, and – in today’s edition of Protégé – what law students should do to feel safe.
4: Former magistrate walks free from prison, child sex offences quashed
A former magistrate was granted his freedom after the Supreme Court ruled there was reasonable doubt that he sexually assaulted a young boy. To be clear, some of those charges still stand and he is still a convicted child sex offender – but with time served, and two charges slashed, Graeme Curran was able to walk free from behind bars.
Trigger warning: content includes discussions and details of child sex offences
5: Sydney firm ‘trolled’ for response to mask order
Masks are important in the fight against the coronavirus – just as keeping your political opinions away from the firm lest it comes across as inappropriate legal advice. A small Sydney firm learned this the hard way when its partner was “trolled” for asking residents in Melbourne to ditch the masks and challenge their fines in court.
6: What factors help you reach partnership early?
Speaking on The Lawyers Weekly Show, partner Kiera Peacock spoke to a colleague (and host) Jerome Doraisamy about the professional key factors that led to partnership so early in her life. Kiera is only 32 and has achieved a really extraordinary feat. Check out the podcast for tips on rising through the ranks for your own career!
7: BigLaw firm reassures graduates amid $290k underpayment reveal
Not to be ignored was the news that Gilbert + Tobin had underpaid six years’ worth of graduates almost $300,000. In a statement provided to Lawyers Weekly, the firm said it had taken steps to ensure that this would not happen to future graduates and that it was taking the matter “very seriously”, working closely with staff to back pay.
8: ‘We’re going to roast you, we’re lawyers’: NSW lawyer ordered to pay $300k
A dispute with a neighbour is distressing enough, but if your neighbour is a lawyer? In this case, one man had to contend with the threat he was going to be “roasted” due to an ongoing fight with his lawyer neighbour. It ended up on A Current Affair which then ended up before the Supreme Court of NSW in a defamation proceeding.
9: ‘You’re not doing yourself any favours by hiding’
On another of our podcasts, Jerome Doraisamy speaks to Griffith University’s counsel Maddison Harrington on being yourself in law. She said that for LGBTQI professionals, being anything other than yourself makes it even more difficult to thrive.
10: NSW Law Society welcomes new CEO
Finally, the Law Society of NSW welcomed new CEO Sonja Stewart, who brings with her extensive experience across government, academia and not-for-profit. Among her many impressive jobs is deputy secretary within the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet and deputy commissioner of the NSW Public Service Commission.
Naomi Neilson
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
You can email Naomi at:
