There’s no greater privilege as President of the Law Society of NSW than recognising those who enrich our profession’s reputation for service to the community and dedication to the rule of law.

Each year, it falls to the President to identify a practitioner who demonstrates an exceptionally high level of integrity, courage, and responsibility through commitment to continual improvement of the profession and of themselves.

I was honoured to award the 2024 President’s Medal to Orange-based and Molong resident solicitor Kirsty Evans at the Law Society’s Annual Members Dinner and Awards Night. 

When a one in 500-year thunderstorm hit Molong, Kirsty went into bat for a dozen local businesses whose insurance claims had been refused. Giving around 250 pro bono hours, Kirsty secured payouts and grants for her community of more than $1 million.

At the beginning of this year, I committed to raising the profile of solicitors’ service to their communities as one of my President’s Priorities. I want to congratulate the winners and highly commended practitioners in each of the eight other categories of awards, from across our diverse practice sectors. You can catch up on all the winners on LSJ Online or read my media release here.

On the subject of pro-bono, our Access to Justice team has just surpassed 500 firms signing up to the Law Society’s Pro Bono Scheme. This milestone follows the conclusion of Access to Justice’s ‘Spring into Pro Bono’ campaign which attracted an overwhelming response. 

We received registrations from firms small and large and everything in between, from metro Sydney to Tweed Heads, Dubbo, and Nambucca Heads. A huge thank you to all the firms that registered.

A safe party season, and rest of the year

By this time of year, it would be unusual if you hadn’t read, or perhaps even authored, a reminder to staff to be aware of their conduct at work social functions. This guidance is not meant to be a buzzkill, rather an assurance to staff that their safety and wellbeing is paramount, and a reinforcement of the importance of respect among work colleagues. 

That principle doesn’t just apply during the festive season, but year-round, and it’s one the Law Society is committed to with respect to everyone who participates in our workplace, including our staff, Councillors and Committee members.

Neither does this approach apply only within the workplace, but also to interactions with third parties. 

People who work for the Law Society are dedicated to serving the solicitor profession, whether through advocating for reform, putting on events and CPD opportunities, or regulating the profession.

Frustrations arise in dealing with any organisation or company, but in a profession that values consideration and courtesy, we are grateful and appreciate the respect with which practitioners engage with the Law Society, and in turn we strive for the highest standards in working for you.