Since joining the Council of the Law Society of NSW at the end of 2018, I’ve heard just about every President remark at around this time of year, “the days are long, but the year is short”. That’s never felt truer to me than now, as we count down the last days of 2025.

New Year’s Eve is the last day of my term as President of this remarkable and longstanding organisation. While three Mondays remain in the year, this is my final President’s Message. A small space to contain the enormous gratitude I have for all who’ve made this term a year of significant achievement for the solicitor profession.

First and foremost, my thanks are owed to you. As a member of the Law Society, you support all the work we do to advance your interests, advocate for law reform, regulate the profession, and to provide the tools to help you succeed in practice and in life.

My President’s Priorities have been directed towards enhancing this work, whether it be in recognising the service of solicitors to your communities; helping the profession navigate new regulatory challenges; delivering quality CPD and other supports to help build your success; or supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the profession.

I said in my speech at the Annual Members Dinner, just over a week ago, the management and staff here at the Law Society are the driving force of all that we do in serving the profession. Their achievements this year have been magnificent.

To highlight just a few examples:

• Thousands of practitioners have logged on to learn about the Solicitor Capability Framework, which defines the enduring, non-technical skills and behaviours that reflect best practice in the profession.
• The Policy and Practice Department has supported our 18 policy Committees in delivering another year of more than 200 submissions on law reform, including sustained advocacy to retain fairness in the NSW workers compensation scheme, an important update to the Climate Change Practitioner Guidance: Advising on Climate Risk, and, in concert with our Legal Regulation Department, invaluable policy and advocacy work around the new AML-CTF regime.
• Our remarkable slate of CPD events this year, including the return of Mental Health First Aid training and sector-specific conferences for Government, In-House, and Regional, Rural and Remote (RRR) practitioners, are a credit to our Membership and Engagement Department.
• And in a major achievement for my mental health and wellbeing priority, we published the Crisis Communications Guide. This publication gives clear practical guidance on managing calls from clients or colleagues experiencing a mental health crisis. It has attracted positive attention from the judiciary, the bar and regulators, both here and interstate.

I express my deep gratitude to all the hardworking lawyers and staff of the Legal Regulation Department, who with the Professional Conduct Committee and Disclosure Committee, play a crucial role in upholding the rule of law and strengthening public confidence in the justice system.

I also want to thank our Professional Support Unit, which has visited more than 20 regions this year, responded to more than 8,000 issues raised through our enquiries line, and developed nearly 40 new educational resources for the profession.

I’m thankful for the ongoing positive relationship of the Law Society with heads of jurisdiction, including our NSW Chief Justice, the Hon. Andrew Bell, who has been a driving force this year on a number of fronts important to the profession. My thanks too, to the Attorney General Michael Daley and his office for their consultative and responsive approach.

As I said in the December edition of the Law Society Journal, “there has been no greater honour in my career than to serve as President…”. I thank my fellow Councillors of the Law Society for reposing their trust in me. I’m grateful to Immediate Past President Brett McGrath for his guidance and advice, and I am confident the Law Society is in great hands as Ronan MacSweeney assumes this office on 1 January 2026 and Jacqui Dawson steps into the Senior Vice-President role.

Through the long days of this year, I’ve had the honour and the privilege of representing NSW’s solicitors at hundreds of events, including many engagements with Regional Law Societies across NSW, judicial swearings in and bench farewells almost every week, and participating in important international legal forums.

With the seemingly short year coming to an end, I wish you a festive season of joy and, where possible, rest. May you be invigorated for a new year of service and success. The Law Society of NSW will be here to support you.

Vale Maurie Stack OAM
I was saddened to learn of the death last week of former President of the Law Society Maurie Stack OAM.

In addition to being a giant of the law, Maurie provided years of dedicated service to the solicitor profession, and the rule of law, through his roles on various committees of the Law Society and Law Council of Australia. This included his work on the then Personal Injury, Member Services and Court Liaison Committees.

Maurie served for nine years on the Council of the Law Society of NSW, including six years on the Executive Committee, culminating in his year as President in 1995. He was granted life membership of the Law Society in 2019, recognising his distinguished and meritorious service to the profession and community.

I convey my condolences to Maurie’s family and friends on behalf of the Law Society of NSW and the solicitors of this state. The profession has lost a true servant of the justice system, and we celebrate his achievements through a remarkable life of service.

Jennifer Ball, President, The Law Society of NSW