A courtesy reminder to RSVP if you have not already, for our biennial signature event “Celebrating Women in the Judiciary” to be held at the University, Union and Schools Club 18th July. Details and registration are noted below together with other events that may be of interest. The Hon John Hatzistergos, previous NSW Attorney General, is pictured below with attending appointees from our 2010 celebrations. Please click here to view the photo gallery from the previous event. We do hope that you are able to join us and distinguished guests.

Thank you for the prompt and fabulous response in renewing your memberships, and those that have recently joined. We are also pleased to see an increase in Corporate Memberships and delighted that Australia’s oldest bank Westpac, has decided to renew their corporate membership with us. Annual membership renewals were due as of 1^st July. If you have not already renewed your membership, I encourage you to do so, to ensure we continue to effectively represent and support women in law in NSW. If you are not yet a member, please consider joining. For further information on joining or to renew your membership please contact our office or visit our website. Please click here for the Membership Form.

I join Helen Conway, Director of EOWA, in welcoming the passage of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Amendment Bill 2012 through the House of Representatives on 18 June. We have come a long way over the years in this regard, however, there is still much more work to be done. We look forward to working with our members, colleagues and affiliates to achieve better gender equality. Further information and the latest data can be viewed at www.eowa.gov.au I also extend an invitation to attend the second Gender Equity in the Workplace Summit – ’Women in the Pipeline: Making it Happen’ Twilight Networking Event, to be held at The Mint Sydney on 24^th July. The event is hosted by UN Women and the Australian Human Resources Institute with the Westpac Group; and following the Summit, a keynote address by EOWA Director Helen Conway. Please click here for registration details. 

I look forward to seeing you on the 18^th July.

Kind regards,

Rebecca Barry
President

10 July 2012

PRINCIPAL SPONSOR

‘Celebrating Women in the Judiciary’

6-8pm Wednesday 18^th July 2012
Union, University & Schools Club of Sydney 
25 Bent Street, Sydney 

It is with great pleasure that we acknowledge the achievements of women in law, and the following appointments to the bench in the last two years in NSW at our biennial signature event.

•  Justice Christine Adamson, Supreme Court of NSW
•  Justice Judith Anne Rees, Family Court of Australia
•  Judge Donna Woodburne SC, District Court of NSW
•  Judge Elisabeth Olsson SC, District Court of NSW
•  Magistrate Megan Greenwood
•  Magistrate Karen Stafford
•  Magistrate Margaret McGlynn
•  Magistrate Louise McManus

Please join us and distinguished guests in celebrating the achievements of women in the law. Please click here for further details and registration. 

A Woman of Independence, Integrity and Determination

 Judith Jacqueline Cohen AO

7/2/1926 – 10/5/2012

By her daughters, Judge Susan Cohen and Sally Scott

In a full and varied life, both personally and professionally, Judith Cohen achieved much and influenced many.  She was both a mentor and a role model before either term gained prominence.

She could be formidable when presiding over a courtroom of lawyers or their union or employer clients.  To friends and family she would assert her opinions, as if definitive, yet she made and retained many long and strong friendships, and her family remained very proud of her.

Raised in an extended Jewish family in Sydney, her parents, Abraham and Esther Selig, and some very strong-minded aunts, instilled in her values of family and community, together with her Jewish identity and a strong social conscience. Please click here to read more.

Call for applications — Charlie Perkins Scholarship Trust visit to Cambridge and Oxford, and possibly Harvard and NYU

Following the success of the November 2011 trip to the UK, the Charlie Perkins Scholarship Trust and the Aurora Project are delighted to announce the opening of the application period for another exciting opportunity to participate in an overseas visit to Cambridge and Oxford universities in the UK in October this year. The visit may also include Harvard and New York University in the US. To be considered, applications should be emailed to fi.belcher@auroraproject.com.au by 5pm on Wednesday 1 August 2012. You may also email Fi Belcher if you have any queries.

We are seeking applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university undergraduates (including those in their honours year) who have completed at least one year of their course of study and have the potential to become Charlie Perkins Scholars in the future – see http://www.perkinstrust.com.au/html/about.html for more details on the Charlie Perkins Scholarships to Oxford and Cambridge. The trip is also open to university graduates who wish to undertake further study. The successful applicants will be chosen primarily on the basis of academic achievement (Distinction average or higher), but also on the basis of their potential to become leaders in their field of study and in their communities. Preference will be given to students in their final years of study

Criminal Law Conference

Sydney, 1, 2 and 3 August 2012

Dockside, Balcony Level, Cockle Bay Wharf, Darling Harbour Sydney

Topics include:

• Police Exceeding Powers
• Muldrock, Sentencing and Beyond
• Sexual Assault- Defendants and Victims
• Recovering Costs and Criminal Matters
• Adducing Evidence for the Defence
• Documents and Fingerprints
• Recent High Court Case – R v Burns HCA
• Intensive Corrections Orders

Speakers will include The Hon. Greg Smith SC MP NSW Attorney General, The Honorable Tom Bathurst, Q.C. Chief Justice, Supreme Court.

Limited places are available for Community Legal Centre and Aboriginal Legal Service staff and Legal Aid NSW panel private lawyers. Limited free spaces for CLCs and ALS. Early bird discount rate for panel private lawyers. Please visit the website for further information.

Sun, 12 August 2012

University House, Australian National University, ACT

All lawyers need to connect with like-minded people where they can be inspired, challenged and encouraged in their professional and personal lives. No matter what area of law you are involved with you will take away valuable insights. Catch up with old friends and meet new ones at the only national event specifically designed for women lawyers in a public world. The Hon. Diana Bryant, Chief Justice, Family Court of Australia is opening the event. The Hon. Robert French AC, Chief Justice, High Court of Australia is giving an address and The Hon. Justice Virginia Bell, High Court of Australia is also presenting. Penny Williams, the Global Ambassador for Women and Girls and many other leaders are presenting and will be on hand to answer your questions and help you in your journey. Click here for program details and registration 

WIN AN IN-SEASON DOUBLE PASS COMPLIMENTS OF ICON FILM 

Email executive@womenlawyersnsw.org.au to go in the draw with the subject heading ‘NSFC’. Only winners will be contacted.

A knock-out romantic drama, NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN premiered at Sydney Film Festival’s Opening Night Gala and had two sold out screenings. It releases nationally in cinemas July 12.  The film was shot locally in Sydney, with Oscar nominated director Peter Templeman at the helm, written by Michael Lucas (Offspring), and stars Ryan Kwanten (True Blood), Sarah Snook (AACTA Best Actress – Sisters of War) and Ryan Corr (Packed To The Rafters). If your twenties is the party decade, then Jonah Reid (Ryan Kwanten) is one very high achiever. Impulsive and charismatic, Jonah lives in a crumbling inner-city share-house, surviving off the proceeds of the massive, anarchic house-parties he hosts every week with his best mate Gus (Ryan Corr). All financial considerations and life administration he outsources to fellow housemate Stevie (Sarah Snook).Full details and trailer can be found here: http://www.iconmovies.com.au/Movies/N/NotSuitableForChildren.aspx  

Another year further down the track and my 12th play, “Murder Most Funny!” is on for 4 weeks from 16 August to 9 September at the TAP Gallery, Darlinghurst. I love this premise. The world’s most popular children’s band, the Giggles, discover their manager murdered in their dressing room after a performance and they’re all accused of the crime! As you are aware, for a few years now we have had a special offer for Women Lawyers so this year is no exception! Any member who calls the booking agency, MCA-Tix, on 1300 306776 can purchase as many tickets as they like for whatever night they wish (other than the preview) at the concession price of $25.00 instead of the normal price of $30.00. When they ring they must use the promo code “Women Lawyers”. Please click here for the flyer. Tony Laumberg

BIG SPLASH PRODUCTIONS marks its 10th year of entertaining Sydneysiders with the latest offering from the highly successful comedy team of writer/producer, Tony Laumberg, and director, Richard Cotter. This time, in their 12th play together, they present a murder mystery so funny it’d make Agatha Christie die laughing. The world’s most popular children’s band, the Giggles, have an adult-sized problem. Following a knockout performance for their thousands of young fans they discover their manager dead in their dressing room…with a knife in his back. Suddenly they’re all accused of murder! Watch the mystery unfold with an unlikely list of suspects and enough clues and red herrings to baffle even the most eagle-eyed and dogged detective. Which Giggle did it? Did all of them? What will the children think? Starring: Jasmin Certoma, Nick Hunter, Seaton Kay-Smith, Peter Talmacs & Tricia Youlden

Please feel free to pass this email onto colleagues and ensure they are on our email list for future updates and invitations.

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