Ethics Committee

Chair - Craig Lenehan SC

The role of the Ethics Committee is to assist the Council of the ABA (Council) and Executive of the ABA (Executive) by advising on matters of policy and education relating to legal ethics, including:

whether professional standards for barristers meet community expectations;

proposed amendments to the Legal Profession Uniform Continuing Professional Development (Barristers) Rules 2015; and

suggestions for improved training about legal ethics.

The Ethics Committee does not make rulings or advise individual lawyers about how to handle specific ethical issues that they are dealing with in legal practice.

Members

Practice Development Committee

Chair - Dominique Hogan-Doran SC

• Advise the ABA Council and the Executive in relation to barrister practice development matters;
• Consider and propose ways to promote the work of barristers to solicitors, in-house counsel and clients, including internationally;
• Consider and propose to the ABA Council and the Executive, ways to increase the volume, share, value and quality of work available to barristers in all practice areas, both domestic and international, and at all levels of seniority, with a particular emphasis on the work available to new and other junior barristers;
• Identify and promote new and emerging practice areas of relevance to barristers;
• Consider and propose mechanisms to facilitate barrister practice, including resolving technology related issues, promoting harmonisation of rules between jurisdictions, and facilitating direct briefing, secondments, and other opportunities for practice
• Conduct continuing professional development seminars, presentations and information sessions to assist barristers, particularly new and other junior barristers, in practice development;
• Liaise with, and promote the work of, practice development committees of ABA constituent bodies; and
• Work on such projects in relation to barrister practice development as the ABA Council or the Executive shall refer to the Committee.

Members

Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Chair - Kate Eastman SC

The primary role of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee is to ensure that diversity and inclusion remain priority considerations for the Australian Bar Association (ABA) and to provide the necessary information for this to occur.

The Committee will provide advice to the President, the Executive, the Council or CEO in relation to their areas of expertise and responsibility.

Members

Criminal Law Committee

Chair - Darren Renton SC

The role of the Criminal Law Committee is to evaluate federal legislation and draft articles and submissions as needed by the ABA Executive on such matters including (but not limited to) Commonwealth criminal law, serious and organised crime, counter-terrorism and national security, and other issues of national significance.

Members

Taxation Committee

Chair - Kristen Deards SC

The primary role of the Taxation Committee is to keep informed about taxation issues and, as needed, to provide advice, evaluate legislation and draft articles and submissions on relevant matters for review by the ABA Executive. Such matters include (but are not limited to) Federal tax policy, legislation and administration, including the Inspector General of Taxation.

The Committee will stay abreast of matters concerning the administration of the Federal Judicial System as it applies to Federal revenue law. It will also seek to maintain cooperative relationships with professional tax associations in which barristers play a part and to liaise with courts and revenue authorities.

A priority objective of the Committee will be to facilitate barrister contributions to the education of Australian barristers in Federal revenue law.

Members

Family Law Committee

Chair - Michael Kearney SC

The role of the Family Law Committee is to keep abreast of issues with respect to the family law system in Australia and, as needed, to provide advice, evaluate legislation and draft articles and submissions on relevant subjects to the ABA Executive. This may include (but is not limited to) formulation of policies and submissions related to the Family Law Act, domestic violence, child protection, dispute resolution, and access to justice.

Members

International Committee

Chair - Mark Dempsey SC

The role of the International Committee is to promote the standing and interests of the Australian Bar internationally. Priority objectives are developing and implementing a strategy for international opportunities for members including in International Commercial Arbitration and Mediation. An ongoing role of the Committee is to support the rule of law internationally and to keep abreast of international developments.

Members

First Nations Issues Committee

Chair - Simeon Beckett and Avelina Tarrago

The role of the Indigenous Issues Committee is to keep abreast of issues with respect to Indigenous Australians and the Australian legal system and, as needed, to provide advice, evaluate legislation and draft articles and submissions on relevant subjects to the ABA Executive. Priority objectives are the formulation of policies related to constitutional recognition and Indigenous incarceration.

Members