Women in Law: Overcoming Harassment, Discrimination & Bias
Attend to be educated, motivated, and empowered. Sexual harassment, discrimination & gender bias in the legal profession are being acknowledged and discussed like never before, but the truth is that real change continues to be slow to come. Gain frank, honest & real-world insights into how you can navigate the challenges facing women in law. From dealing with misconduct to career changes, to leadership, our panel will share how you can take action to guide your career in the direction you want it to go.
Description
Attend and earn 4 CPD units including:
1 unit in Ethics & Professional Responsibility
1.5 units in Practice Management & Business Skills
1.5 units in Professional Skills
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
9.00am to 9.50am: Countering Gender Bias in the Legal Profession
- Equal opportunity legislation and diversity policies
- Managing conflict and combatting unprofessional behaviour
- Challenging unfair or inappropriate practices in your workplace
- Dealing with dated, difficult and biased perceptions
Presented by Kate Eastman SC, New Chambers
9.50am to 10.40am: Sexual Harassment: the Latest Developments and Where to From Here
- Sexual harassment law reform specifically in the legal profession
- Sexual harassment law reform more broadly, including the recent human rights inquiry report recommending significant change to the law in this area
- Recent developments in the area
- What it all means in practice for women in the legal profession dealing with these issues right now
Presented by Leah Marrone, South Australian Director and Vice President, Australian Women Lawyers Ltd
10.40am to 11.20am: The Elephant in the Room: A Discussion with the Speaking Panel
Sexual harassment and discrimination is pervasive in the legal profession and has been for a long time. Nothing’s really changing, at least not fast enough. So what should we do right now to thrive in our profession?
- The challenges women face in the legal profession
- Developing strategies to overcome those challenges and roadblocks
- Practical, real world guidance for countering misconduct
- Examples and tips for dealing with colleagues, clients, opposing counsel, the judiciary and others who behave inappropriately
Presented by the Speaking Panel
11.20am to 11.30am Break
11.30am to 12.20pm: “It’s Not Where You Start, It’s Where You Finish”
- A Personal Perspective: 50 Years of Fun
- Recognising and taking advantage of the forks in the road as you hurtle along the highway of life
- Changing career direction: avoiding pitfalls and brick walls in the process
- Transferring your skill set
- Keep learning
- Dealing with discrimination such as gender, age, disability, etc.
- Always have fun or stop doing it
Presented by Susan Aufgang, Barrister, Svenson Barristers; Past Member, Victorian Bar Equality & Diversity Committee and Current Member, Women Barristers Association Committee
12.20pm to 1.10pm: Women in Leadership Roles
- Leading a team
- The value of having a mentor(s) and being a mentor
- Taking responsibility
- Leading by example
- The importance of failure
- Being honest and transparent
Presented by Lucy Boord, Senior Prosecutor, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions
Presenters
Kate Eastman SC
Kate has over 27 years’ experience in dispute resolution and advocacy in a wide range of employment disputes, all aspects of discrimination law (employment, services, education, transport and media), human rights (international and Australian), public law and health law. She regularly appears in the Federal Court, Federal Circuit Court, Fair Work Commission, Industrial Relations Commission and State/Territory tribunals for trials and appeals in matters arising under the Fair Work Act, Industrial Relations Act and all Federal/State/Territory discrimination laws. Kate also has extensive experience in Royal Commissions and inquiries.
Leah Marrone
Leah Marrone is a past President of the Women Lawyer's Association of SA Inc., a role that she held for three years. Leah is on the Equal Opportunity Committee of the Law Council of Australia and has been advocating for strategies to address sexual harassment in the profession. Leah is also a member of the Alumni Council of the University of Adelaide. Leah has been a recipient of the Law Society of SA’s Gender Equity in Law Award and was last year named on the SA Women’s Honour Roll for her work and advocacy for women’s rights and other social justice causes.
Susan Aufgang
Susan Aufgang is a barrister at Svenson Barristers. She is a past member of the Victorian Bar Equality and Diversity Committee and a current member of the Women Barristers Association Committee. Susan was the first female computer programmer in the Victorian Public Service. After ten years she left to work as an independent IT consultant. About two decades ago she changed careers and has been at the Victorian Bar for sixteen years. Her passion is discrimination law, but she enjoys the variety and cross-pollination of different areas of law, working in any court or tribunal at any level.
Lucy Boord
Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in 1996, Lucy Boord has practiced criminal law at the South Australian Director of Public Prosecutions since her admission. She became a Senior Prosecutor in 2008. Since 1999, Lucy has been engaged in counsel work, including prosecuting trials by jury and judge alone in the District and Supreme Courts and complex and sensitive matters in the Magistrates Court. Lucy manages a team of prosecutors and has mentored a student through the Indigenous Mentoring Program since 2017.