There’s nothing like a long weekend to kick off the beginning of a new Law Term, especially with the honours granted to Law Society members and other members of our legal community in the Australia Day Honours List.

I want first to mention the honour which recognises the work of one of our very active Committee chairs, Ms Sanders. She leads the remarkable group of practitioners on the Law Society’s Criminal Law Committee and is a former member of the Children’s Legal Issues Committee.

In both capacities, Ms Sanders and the Law Society’s Committees have been able to influence the outcome of legislative and policy reform, leading to a fairer justice system, particularly for the most vulnerable in our community, including children and young people.

Her work as Principal Solicitor of the Shopfront Youth Legal Centre, operated by Herbert Smith Freehills, where Ms Sanders is Special Counsel, is an exemplar of the profession’s tradition of service to the community.

Ms Sanders’ story is much richer than I’ve been able to convey in the few paragraphs above, but I congratulate her warmly for this achievement.

Richard Potok AM is honoured for his work with the Indigenous community, including as Founder and CEO of the Aurora Education Foundation, and for his academic contributions as Adjunct Professor at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Visiting Fellow at the University of NSW and an Honorary Research Fellow at Monash University.

Other members of the legal community honoured this weekend were academic lawyer UTS Emerita Professor Lesley Hitchins AM, who also served as Dean of the Faculty of Law, becoming the Chair of the Council of Australian Law Deans. Ms Hitchins also held positions on the NSW Legal Profession Admission Board and the Admissions Committee of the Legal Services Council.

I also congratulate The Honourable Justice Grant Riethmuller AM of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. As Senior Judicial Registrar of that court, I was privileged to observe first-hand the qualities that make Justice Reithmuller deserving of this honour.

Solicitors who have earned Medals of the Order of Australia (OAM) in this year’s list have done so for both remarkable contributions to the law, and to the communities in which they live.

Among them, Law Society Honorary Life Member Robert McKeown OAM is recognised for his extensive work in the Glebe community, and Eris Gleeson, a member for more than 40 years, for his service to the community of Hilltops, including as an advocate for suicide prevention.

Paul Rogers OAM, also in the plus 40 years membership club, is honoured for his work at the Parramatta Community Justice Clinic, his work with the Sudanese community, and as an academic at Western Sydney University.

And Raelene Parker OAM, a 35-year member of the Law Society, is recognised for her dedication to providing legal services and advice to members of our most vulnerable communities. Ms Parker has provided this critical support through her roles as Solicitor in Charge at the Tamworth office of Legal Aid NSW, and before that at the Redfern Legal Centre.

I’m sure all Law Society members join with me in conveying our warmest congratulations to a group of lawyers who can help reinforce what a privilege and honour it is to serve the justice system.

A new Law Term opens new opportunities for learning

This morning I had the honour of attending Opening of Law Term services at St Mary’s Cathedral and the historic St James’ Church.

Opening of Law Term faith ceremonies have a long history, with the first Red Masses being held in the late 13th century (believed to have been in Paris) and the early 14th century in London, when the judges’ red robes gave these annual rites their name.

Today may mark new beginnings for practitioners just starting out in their legal careers after long years of study. If you’re one of them, you’ve joined a profession with a centuries long tradition of service, not an industry. Others might be planning for this year to be the last of a long career.

Whatever stage of career you’re in and however you’re working, be it full-time in the office, remotely or hybrid, lawyers never stop learning. That’s why the Law Society of NSW will always provide quality learning opportunities through our CPD events and online library through LawInform.

Starting tomorrow, there are 35 live courses (and numerous on-demand courses) to enable you to meet your mandatory CPD requirements by 31 March.

The Law Society has secured an extraordinary range of legal talent for these courses, including the President of the NSW Court of Appeal Justice Julie Ward, who will deliver a complimentary (for members) live online webinar on Practice, procedure and conduct in the Supreme Court of NSW.

The days and weeks between now and 31 March might seem like they give us plenty of time, but we all know how quickly deadlines can creep up. If you need the CPD hours, register as soon as you can and be rewarded with some of the best legal knowledge there is.

Brett McGrath, President, Law Society of NSW