Summer Series CPD program

What does each day cover?

Each day relates to a different area of law and offers the opportunity to earn Continuing Professional Development points in all four competency areas:

CA1: Practice Management and Business Skills
CA2: Professional/Barristers’ Skills
CA3: Ethics and Professional Responsibility, and
CA4: Substantive Law (including practice and procedure, and evidence for Barristers).

The presenters and topics for each day of the Summer Series are outlined below. The detailed daily programs showing the start times and CPD points available for each session are available for download at the end of this page.

Family Law Day on Wednesday 7 February 2024 

• 'Amendments to the Family Law Act', presented by The Honourable Justice Richard O’Brien and Principal Registrar Leonie Forrest (Family Court of Western Australia).

• 'PPP500 (Priority Property Pools under $500,000) and Family Property Mediation', presented by Registrar Samantha Craig (Family Court of Western Australia) and Lynette Hill (Legal Aid WA).

• 'Family Law Arbitration', presented by The Honourable Steven Strickland (Interstate Member, John Toohey Chambers).

• 'Ethics in Practice', a panel discussion with The Honourable Susan Duncanson and The Honourable Simon Moncrief (Family Court of Western Australia), and Alan Moroni (mediator and former Family Court of Western Australia magistrate).

• 'Psychological Assessment in Legal Contexts with Aboriginal People', presented by Professor Vickie Hovane (Tjallara Consulting Pty Ltd).

• 'Family Court Litigation in the Digital World', presented by Adam Spashett (Legal Aid WA).

Criminal Law Day on Thursday 8 February 2024

• 'A Practical Guide to the New System for Criminal Law Mentally Impaired Accused', a panel discussion with Nathalie Heenan (Adult Community Corrections), Donna Ayriss (Mental Health Advocacy Service), James Martin (Department of Justice), Serina Collins (Department of Justice) and Kerry Gorski (Legal Aid WA).

• 'The Ethics of Representing Clients with Psychiatric Illness', a panel discussion with Elle de Koning and Jenna Albert (Mental Health Law Centre and Ruah), and Natalie Sinton (Legal Aid WA).

• 'Undertaking High Risk Serious Offender Cases', a panel discussion with Karen Farley SC (Legal Aid WA), Dr Gosia Wojnarowska (State Forensic Mental Health Service), Antoinette Fedele (Legal Aid WA) and Tom McCulloch (Legal Aid WA).

• 'Balancing the Scales: Protecting Your Well-being as a Criminal Lawyer', presented by Dr Marny Lishman (Psychologist) and Tahnee Matthews (Legal Aid WA).

• 'The Law of Disclosure in Criminal Cases', a panel discussion with James Nicholls (Office of the Department of Public Prosecutions), Kate Turtley-Chappel (Geoffrey Miller Chambers) and George Christou (Legal Aid WA).

• 'Mastering the Art of Effective Cross-Examination: Strategies for Lawyers', presented by Paul Yovich SC (Francis Burt Chambers), Helen Prince (Equus Chambers) and Bayan Meshgin (Legal Aid WA).

Civil Law Day on Friday 9 February 2024

• 'Workplace sexual harassment, sex discrimination and the ‘positive duty’ under the Sex Discrimination Act: understanding and applying the law', presented by Commissioner Dr Anna Cody (Australian Human Rights Commission), Madeleine Brown (Circle Green Community Legal) and Amilee Myson (SCALES).

• 'The evidence for how choosing compassion in our civil law practice helps our mental health', presented by Dr James N. Kirby (The University of Queensland).

• 'The cost-of-living crisis: legal options for clients facing financial hardship', a panel discussion with Geoffrey Bant (Australian Financial Complaints Authority), Roberta Grealish (Consumer Credit Legal Service), Allison Sampson (Money Mentors), Michelle Trainer (Legal Aid WA) and Gemma Mitchell (Legal Aid WA).

• 'Alternate methods of court fines repayment: why your client may benefit from the Work and Development Permit Scheme', a panel discussion with Paula Sutherland (Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia),  Deanne Bishop (Department of Justice) and Mary Cameron (Legal Aid WA).

• 'The Disability Royal Commission: implementing the recommendations into your civil legal practice', a panel discussion with The Honourable John Ryan AM (Former Commissioner, Disability Royal Commission), Helen Loreck (Legal Aid WA) and Claire Faulkner (Legal Aid WA).

• 'Ethical relationships, mentoring and leadership within legal practice', presented by the Honourable Justice Michael Lundberg (Supreme Court of Western Australia).

How to register

Registration is through Train-N-Track and closes on Friday 2 February 2024 at 5.00 pm (WST).

Please note that your username is your work email address. Legal Aid WA staff can login using the Single Sign On option. If you have forgotten your password please click the Forgot My Password link and enter your email address. You will receive an email with a link to rest your password.

If you are having issues getting into the system please contact tnt.admin@legalaid.wa.gov.au

Information about the cost of the days and sessions is available under CPD memberships and course prices.

If you have any queries, please email tnt.admin@legalaid.wa.gov.au or contact Rhys McVicker on 08 9261 6384.

Useful documents

• Family Law Day program
• Criminal Law Day program
• Civil Law Day program