Yarn Up

For community legal centre Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff only to meet and discuss key policy and practice issues.

Monday, 25 February 2019
9.00am-4.00pm

Gilbert + Tobin
Level 35, Tower Two, International Towers
200 Barangaroo NSW 2000

Convenor: Zac Armytage

Register here

2.1 Legal Services:

Sexual Harassment 

Facilitator: Pip Davis (Assistant Principal Solicitor, Women’s Legal Service NSW)
Presenters: Sharmilla Bargon (Solicitor, Redfern Legal Centre) and Maria Nawaz (Law Reform and Policy Solicitor, Kingsford Legal Centre) 

Rooms 3.02-3.03

The new reality is that male identity built on a fantasy of submission and power is no longer acceptable for women or, indeed, for mainstream society.’ — The Sydney Morning Herald, 19 December 2018. Hear about submissions to the Human Rights Commission Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in the Workplace.
Possible CPD*: Substantive Law, Advocacy

2.2 Professional development:

Cultural Safety – Issues Impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Staff and Clients

Facilitator: Bobbi Murray (Aboriginal Access Worker & Cooperative Legal Service Delivery Program Coordinator, Central Coast Community Legal Centre)
Presenter: Paul Wright (National Director, ANTaR)

Room 3.01

This session will focus on Change the Record campaign and justice reinvestment issues from an ANTaR perspective and ANTaR’s priorities in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs space – agreement making, constitutional reform, and closing the gap. 

Possible CPD*: Professional Skills / Ethics 

2.3 Network Meeting:

Coordinators & Directors Network

Facilitators: Arlia Fleming (Managing Principal Solicitor, Elizabeth Evatt Community Legal Centre) and Robert Pelletier (Executive Officer, Macarthur Legal Centre)
Guest: Mia Zahra (Program Manager, Legal Aid NSW)

Rooms 3.10-3.12

This is the follow up session from the previous network meeting. Legal Aid NSW will provide an update of key issues.

2.4 Legal Services

Legal Ethics

Facilitator: Daniel Turner (Solicitor, Welfare Rights Centre)
Presenter: Linden Barnes (Senior Ethics Solicitor, Law Society of NSW)

Rooms 3.07-3.09

An update on issues related to legal ethics from the NSW Law Society.

Possible CPD*: Ethics

3.1 Network meeting

Prisoners’ Rights Working Group

Convenors: Carolyn Jones (Senior Solicitor, Women’s Legal Service NSW) and Camilla Pandolfini (Senior Solicitor, Public Interest Advocacy Centre).
Speaker: Eleanore Graham, from the Inspector of Custodial Services, will speak about their inspection into Health Services in custody.

Rooms 3.10-3.12

For community legal centre staff who visit clients in prison, work for, or have an interest in prisoners’ rights to share their experience, discuss current issues and contribute to policy development. 

Possible CPD*: Substantive Law

3.2 Network Meeting

Admin/Finance Group 

Convenor: Kerrith Sowden (Finance and Operations Manager, RACS) 

Room 3.01

Community legal centre administration and finance officers share relevant systems informatiomn and associated policies.

Possible CPD*: Practice Management

3.3 Network meeting

Communications Network

Convenor: Finn O’Keefe (Communications and Volunteer Manager, Redfern Legal Centre)
Facilitator: Darren Smith (Communications Officer, Community Legal Centres NSW)

Rooms 3.02-3.03

Information, skills, and knowledge sharing for people in the sector working  in media, communications, digital, fundraising, IT, etc. Bring your questions and ideas.

3.4 Legal Services

Public Interest Advocacy Centre 

Rooms 3.07-3.09

Facilitator: Jonathon Hunyor (CEO, Public Interest Advocacy Centre)
Presenter: Laura Lombardo (Principal Solicitor, Public Interest Advocacy Centre)                                                                                                                                                                    

Litigating for change — lessons learned from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre’s recent discrimination and police accountability cases.

Possible CPD*: Substantive Law

4.1 Network Meeting

Care & Protection Network

Convenor: Kenn Clift (Solicitor, Intellectual Disability Rights Service)

Rooms 3.10-3.12

The care and protection network provides an opportunity for CLCs to discuss relevant care and protection practice and law reform issues.

Possible CPD*: Substantive Law

4.2: Community Legal Centres NSW ICT Project

ICT Project Update

Facilitator: Alice Jones Rabbitt (ICT Project Coordinator, Community Legal Centres NSW) and Rafael Mazzoldi (Web & CRM Developer, Community Legal Centres NSW)

Rooms 3.02-3.03

An update on the development of new online systems for community legal centres in NSW. This session will showcase websites that have been developed to-date.

4.3 Service Sustainability

Family Law Family Violence Programs

Facilitator: Tim Leach (Executive Director, Community Legal Centres NSW)

Rooms 3.02-3.03

This session is an opportunity for centres running FLFV programs to discuss funder expectations and share approaches to reporting and target setting.

4.4 Legal Services

Facilitator: Katrina Ironside (Chair, Community Legal Centres NSW)
Presenter: Anna Cody (outgoing Director of Kingsford Legal Centre and newly appointed Dean of Law at Western Sydney University).

Rooms 3.07-3.09

Difficult Conversations with Clients. Anna shares her long experience of working with clients in a community legal setting.

Possible CPD*: Professional Practice

5.1 Care & Protection Network Training 

Facilitator: Kenn Clift (Solicitor, Parents with an Intellectual Disability, Disability Rights Service)
Presenter: Juliana Demetrius (Assistant Ombudsman, NSW Ombudsman's Office)

Rooms 3.10-3.12

Juliana will speak on making complaints about FACS decisions and the FACS/Ombudsman Joint Report Card.

Possible CPD*: Practice Management

5.2 Service Sustainability

Facilitator: Vijhai Utheyan (Community Legal Centres NSW) and Alice Jones Rabbitt (ICT Project Coordinator, Community Legal Centres NSW)

Room 3.01

Tips and tricks for using Office 365. Bring your laptops to improve your knowledge and use of Office 365.

5.3 Service Sustainability

Evaluation Framework for NSW

Presenter: Laurel Draffen (Capacity Building Coordinator, Community Legal Centres NSW)

Rooms 3.07-3.09

How do you demonstrate your centre makes an impact? Community Legal Centres NSW is developing an Impact Evaluation Framework in consultation with community legal centres in NSW. Find out about the project and how you can get involved. 

5.4 Service Sustainability

Data Consistency and CLASS Update Training

Presenters: Polly Porteous and the CLASS Training Team

Rooms 3.02-3.03

NACLC will provide an overview of their Data Consistency Project, including findings from national consultations on interpreting new data standards used in CLASS. The CLASS Team will test some clearer descriptions of each service type and share draft resources for further feedback.

Anna Cody has resigned her position as Director of Kingsford Legal Centre to take on the role of Dean of Law at UWS, commencing in early April. This is a loss to KLC and our sector but an exciting opportunity for Anna.

For well over 20 years, Anna has been a fearless campaigner for our sector.  She has held most positions including Chair and delegate to the Legal Aid and NACLC Boards. Her experience, strategic vision and passionate advocacy for our clients and our sector will be sorely missed. We all wish Anna the very best into the future and look forward to opportunities to continue our work with her in her new role. 

Farewell drinks are being held for Anna at the Strawberry Hills Hotel from 5pm to 7pm on Tuesday 26 February, directly after the Quarterlies.

Feel free to come along and pass on the invitation to your networks.

6.1 Induction for New Workers

Presenters: Various presenters from Community Legal Centres NSW  

Rooms 3.02-3.03

Introduction to the community legal sector induction for new workers and volunteers.

6.2 Network Meeting

Community Legal Education Workers (CLEW) Network 

Convenor: Duhita Lewis (CLE Coordinator, Hunter Community Legal Centre)
Presenter: Bronwyn Ambroghetti (Managing Solicitor, Hunter Community Legal Centre)

Room 3.01

Bronwyn visited Myanmar in 2018 to teach CLE. She will share her learnings from the experience. Legal Aid NSW will also provide an update from the CLE team. 

Possible CPD*: Professional Skills

6.3 Network Meeting

Law Reform and Policy Network — Sector Law Reform Priorities

Convenor: Leo Patterson-Ross (Senior Policy Officer, Tenants Union NSW) and Maria Nawaz (Law Reform and Policy Solicitor, Kingsford Legal Centre)
Facilitator: Emily Hamilton (Senior Policy Officer, Community Legal Centres NSW)

Rooms 3.07-3.09

Continuing consultation with the sector, this session will examine suggestions for law reform from community legal centres across NSW and attempt to prioritise them. 

Possible CPD*: Substantive Law

6.4 Committee Meeting

Professional Indemnity Insurance Committee (PII) 

Convenors: Ali Mojtahedi (Principal Solicito, Immigration Advice & Rights Centre) and Hilary Kincaid (Principal Solicitor, Inner City Legal Centre)

Rooms 3.10-3.12

The PII committee monitors & supports members’ compliance with the Risk Management Guide & informs members of relevant legal practice issues. Principal Solicitors (or their delegate) are required to attend. 

Possible CPD*: Practice Management

7.1 Rural, Regional & Remote (RRR) Network Meeting  

Convenor: Arlia Fleming (Managing Solicitor, Elizabeth Evatt Community Legal Centre)

Room 3.01

This network session is open to any RRR members to discuss issues particular to providing legal services in rural, remote, and regional areas. This session is open to attendance by workers from FVPLS providers and ALS providers. 

7.2: Law Reform & Advocacy

Police Powers to Conduct Strip Searches

Facilitator: Jo Shulman (CEO, Redfern Legal Centre) 
Presenters: Samantha Lee (Solicitor, Police Accountability and Government Law, Redfern Legal Centre) and Patrick Saidi (Commissioner for Oversight, Law Enforcement and Conduct Commission (LECC)).

Rooms 3.07-3.09

Concerns about police powers to conduct strip searches are currently being addressed by the Redfern Legal Centre Safe and Sound Campaign to stop unneccessary strip searches and the LECC investigation of NSW Police Force strip searches under the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW). 

7.3 Legal Services

Notifiable Data Breach Scheme

Presenters: PII Committee — Hilary Kincaid (Principal Solicitor, Inner City Legal Centre) and Alice Jones Rabbitt (ICT Project Coordinator, Community Legal Centres NSW and Sector Capacity Building Officer, NACLC)

Rooms 3.02-3.03

A discussion of the Notifiable Data Breach Scheme and its implications for community legal centres.

Possible CPD*: Practice Management, Risk Management

7.4 Legal Services

Walking Together Project

Facilitator: Ken Beilby (Principal Solicitor, Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre)

Presenter: Joanna Colautti (Solicitor, Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre)

Rooms 3.10-3.12

The Walking Together Project advocated for clients fleeing Family and Domestic Violence to assist in waiving or reducing debts. Joanna will speak about the project and the resources developed to assist other centres, as well as the newly drafted feminist framework developed by the centre. 

8.1 Quarterly Network Round-up (1.30-2.30pm)

Facilitator: Laurel Draffen (Capacity Building Coordinator, Community Legal Centres NSW)

Rooms 3.07-3.09

An overview of issues and recommendations covered throughout the Quarterlies. One person nominated from each session to provide three key points and any recommendations from each of the Quarterlies sessions.

8.2 Sector Wide Forum (2.30-3.30pm)

Facilitator: Tim Leach (Executive Director, Community Legal Centres NSW) 

Rooms 3.07-3.09

A discussion of current key sector issues.  

Venue

Herbert Smith Freehills
ANZ Tower
161 Castlereagh Street
Sydney, NSW 2000
View location on map

8.30-8.45am Arrival

8.45-9.00am Welcome

Welcome To Country — Metropolitan Land Council
Welcome and Introduction from Community Legal Centres NSW

9.00-10.00am Insurance, Risk, and Work Management

Presenter: Ali Motjahedi (Principal Solicitor, Immigration Advice and Rights Centre and NSW Convenor of the PII Committee)

Ali’s presentation will cover practice issues in relation to the Community Legal Centre Risk Management Guide, indentifying Legal Service Delivery Risk, effective risk management processes, and effective legal service delivery for community legal centres.

Possible CPD*: Practice Management, Risk Management

10.00-11.30am Legal Ethics

Presenter: Neil Watt (Neil Watt Consulting)

‘Keeping it Simple: Lawyers’ Ethics is all about one thing’. A review of Legal Ethics drawn from the presentation provided at the 2018 College of Law Practice Management Course.

Possible CPD*: Legal Ethics

11.30-11.45am Morning Tea

11.45am-1.00pm Strategic Advocacy & Law Reform

Presenter: Maria Nawaz (Law Reform and Policy Supervisor / Clinical Supervisor, Kingsford Legal Centre)

Possible CPD*: Professional Skills — Advocacy, Substantive Law

1.00-1.30pm Lunch

1.30-2.30pm Family Law

Updates to domestic violence and family law from Women’s Legal Service NSW.

Possible CPD*: Substantive Law

2.30-2.45pm Afternoon Tea

2.45-4.00pm Court Etiquette: Going To Court – Prepare, Practise and Present

Presenter: Madeleine Bridgett (Barrister, 6 St James Hall Chambers)

From court etiquette to court advocacy, this presentation will cover the skills and knowledge required for lawyers when attending court.

Possible CPD*: Professional Skills

Community Legal Centres NSW indicates whether a session may be appropriate to attract Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points but takes no responsibility if the content does not meet CPD requirements. Sessions are not accredited by the NSW Law Society. Community legal centre solicitors should make their own assessment of whether the session meets their CPD requirements, and maintain their own records for meeting CPD requirements.

Further information about CPD requirements are available on the Law Society NSW website.

Requirements 

• Experience and/or interest in the area of the network 
• Commitment and availability to attend and lead network session at each Quarterly
• Willingness to be a point of contact between CLCNSW and the network 
• Assisting CLCNSW to maintain email groups of people interested in work of the network 

Preparation for Quarterlies 

• If appropriate, arrange speakers - notify CLCNSW one month in advance to enable inclusion in the program
• Advise CLCNSW of any technology or other requirements for the network meeting at least one week prior to the date of Quarterly

Facilitate network meeting 

• Prepare and distribute agenda 
• Facilitate network meeting - welcome participants, introduce guests, review any action items from previous meeting, keep agenda items to time, facilitate discussion and any decision making within time frame 

Meeting Administration 

• Ensure meeting minutes are kept
• Ensure participants sign in (registration forms provided) at each meeting 
• Distribute and collect evaluation forms - return to room folder at the end of the session 

Reporting and Accountability 

• Ensure an oral summary report of the network meeting is given at the end of each Quarterly at the Sector wide meeting
• Emailing copies of the minutes to the Network members
• Ensure meeting minutes are emailed to CLCNSW for record keeping

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge that the land upon which these meetings are taking place is land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.

With thanks to guests, event sponsors and pro bono presentations from: Legal Aid NSW, Gilbert & Tobin, LECC, ANTaR, Ombudsman’s Office, the Law Society, NACLC,NSW PII representatives and all contributing member CLCs . Thanks also to volunteers who assisted in the smooth running of the event.

We also thank Herbert Smith Freehills and Vannessa Alford for assisting with the printing of the program.