5th World Bar Conference

1 April 2010

Sydney, Australia

The New Legal Challenges:Global Warming and Financial Freeze

1 - 5 April 2010

8.5 CPD hours

The Conference will commence on 1 April 2010 with an Opening Reception at the Sydney Opera House. The Business Sessions will be held on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 April at the Sheraton on the Park.

The Conference will conclude with a Gala Dinner at the Art Gallery of New South Wales on Sunday 4 April.

The 5th World (Referral) Bar Conference will take place in Sydney at Easter (1-5 April 2010). This is the only conference in the world which brings together members from the eight jurisdictions that have referral bar professions: Australia, England & Wales, Hong Kong SAR, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, South Africa. In addition participants from the “de facto” referral bars of Namibia and Zimbabwe will take part.

We would like to encourage all members of the profession to consider attending this conference which is supported by the Bar Council of England and Wales.

The Conference Sessions have now been finalised as follows:

  • Financial Litigation - New Problems - New Paradigms?
  • Global warming, the Environment  and Litigation
  • Barristers’ practices – Revolution or Evolution?
  • Ethics v Efficiency
  • Is the Pen mightier than the Tongue? 

You will be addressed by many eminent speakers, including

  • H.E. Jeffrey Bleich, U.S. Ambassador to Australia 
  • Michael Collins S.C. (Ireland)
  • Gerry Moynihan QC (Scotland)
  • Stephen Hockman QC (E&W)
  • The Hon. Chief Judge Brian Preston (Australia) 
  • Nicholas Green QC (E&W)
  • The Hon. Mr Justice Wallis (South Africa)
  • Richard Keen QC (Scotland)
  • Dame Hazel Genn QC (E&W)
  • Desmond Browne QC (E&W)
  • Chris Marnewick S.C. (South Africa)
  • Prof. James Raymond (USA)
  • Russell Coleman S.C. (Hong Kong)

The Global Financial Crisis and the Law
This session is intended to cover the aftermath of the GFC. For example, what can be expected from the corporate regulators? Will the legislatures respond to the structural weaknesses in the financial sector which were exposed in the chaos of the last year? What, if anything, has been done to prevent a recurrence?

Global Warming, the Environment and Litigation
This session is to be led by Stephen Hockman QC who will speak about the proposal for an International Environment Court and will also touch on the topic of “greenhouse suits”. Chief Judge Brian Preston of the New South Wales Land and Environment Court has also been asked.

Barristers’ practices – Revolution or Evolution?
The origin of this topic is in the recent announcement of the Bar Standards Board (England and Wales) that barristers will be able to practise in new business structures.

Ethics v Efficiency
Professor Dame Hazel Genn, Dean of Laws, Professor of Socio-Legal Studies of University College, London, will lead the session. The intent is to consider, in particular, the tension which can arise when courts, in the pursuit of efficiency, implement rules or strategies which impinge on the barrister’s duty to the client. In other words, what pressures arise when the duty to the court impinges on the duty to the client? Although this has always been an issue, the pressure on counsel has changed with a managerial role being adopted by the courts.

Is the Pen mightier than the Tongue? 
This session will be led by Professor James Raymond (Author of: Literacy as Human Problem; Writing (Is an Unnatural Act); English as a Discipline: or, Is There a Plot in this Play; Moves Writers Make; Clear Understandings: A Guide to Legal Writing (with Ronald L. Goldfarb); and articles in the Pepperdine Law Review, the Alabama Law Review, The Judicial Review: Journal of the Judicial Commission of New South Wales.   

The increased emphasis on written submissions requires that more attention be devoted to improving skills and identifying means of presenting arguments in a more effective manner.

In addition to the substantive sessions, the conference is an excellent opportunity for creating professional and friendship links with barristers in other jurisdictions. This is a great opportunity for barristers with an international legal practice or an interest in developing one to meet with like-minded practitioners. There will be an attractive social programme, including an Opening Reception at the Sydney Opera House and a Conference Dinner at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

The Conference will be CPD accredited.

To register and for further information please contact:

Dan O’Connor  
World Bar Conference Secretariat
Tel: + 61 7 3238 5100
Fax: +61 7 3236 1180

Questions about Travel?

Contact:
Ruth Carlton  
World Travel Professionals
Tel: + 61 7 3220 2008
Fax: +61 7 3220 2288

To view the flyer click here     
To view the programme click here