New Supreme Court and judicial guidance on Gen AI
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE | 25 NOVEMBER 2024
Late last week NSW Chief Justice Andrew Bell issued Practice Note 23 Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) along with Guidelines for New South Wales Judges in respect of use of Generative AI.
The Law Society of NSW welcomes this development, which will assist the justice system in this state to deal with this rapidly evolving technology that is having a transformative impact on many aspects of life including legal practice.
We are grateful for the Chief Justice’s active engagement with the Law Society in aiding the development of this important Practice Note. I also thank the legal and tech experts on our AI Taskforce for their part in this process and in furthering my President’s Priority this year, AI and the Legal Profession.
The Chief Justice will discuss the new Practice Note on Monday, 2 December in the Banco Court at 4.30pm. I encourage you to either attend in person, or log on to the Supreme Court’s YouTube channel to ensure you’re fully informed for the commencement of the Practice Note from the opening of law term next year.
New leadership for the profession
I’ve said many times when meeting solicitors across the state during my Presidential term, that the days are long, but the year is short. That really struck home last week when I chaired my last regular meeting of the Council of the Law Society of NSW.
New leadership for the profession
I’ve said many times when meeting solicitors across the state during my Presidential term, that the days are long, but the year is short. That really struck home last week when I chaired my last regular meeting of the Council of the Law Society of NSW.
One of the most important items of business for Council at this meeting, and indeed for the year, is the election of Office Bearers. This process is part of the continual regeneration of leadership at this organisation that promotes consistent fresh thinking about the challenges that face our profession.
Absent extraordinary circumstances, our Constitution requires that we have a new President every year and at the end of this very active year, I will make way for our present Senior Vice President Jennifer Ball. Jennifer has demonstrated her dedication to the profession not only on the Law Society Council, but also as a director of the Law Council of Australia and through her service on the Legal Profession Admission Board.
Stepping into the role as Senior Vice President is Ronan MacSweeney, a Councillor and active Committee member, including serving previously as Chair of both the Government Solicitors, and Diversity and Inclusion Committees.
I want to thank both Jennifer and Ronan for their enthusiastic support through my term so far, along with Cassandra Banks who, in her role as Immediate Past President, has provided valuable advice and insights around leadership of the profession. I also want to welcome the Council’s newest Office Bearer, Jacqueline Dawson.
Jacqui has a long and active history of involvement with the Law Society, joining the Specialist Accreditation Board in 2008 and serving as the Chair of that Board since 2022. In that capacity, Jacqui played a central role in the well-received establishment of Elder Law as a new stream in our Specialist Accreditation program. She is also Chair of the Professional Conduct Committee and Co-Chair of the Family Law Committee.
The meeting was also the first since the Law Society Council election and I was glad to welcome new Councillors Kymberlei Goodacre and Vaughan Roles, along with Taylah Spirovski as the NSW Young Lawyers representative, to their places on this body, working to strengthen our profession and the rule of law.
Brett McGrath, President, Law Society of NSW
