CPD Core Competency Areas for Family Lawyers
213W08: This in-depth program tailored for family lawyers takes a deep dive into several complex and critical practice issues for family lawyers while covering all the CPD core competency areas. Spend an afternoon gaining practical guidance on costs in the Family Court of WA and understanding the impacts of the new Uniform Law, navigating conflicts of interest and ethical pitfalls, and dealing with the mental health of clients, opponents and work colleagues.
Description
Attend and earn 3 CPD points including:
1 point in Competency Area 1: Practice Management
1 point in Competency Area 2: Professional Skills
1 point in Competency Area 3: Ethics & Professional Responsibility
This program is based on WA legislation
Once seminars are completed, delegates from Western Australia may apply to The Law Society of Western Australia for family law specialist accreditation points. Each application is subject to approval by the Accreditation Committee on a case by case basis and approval is not guaranteed. Your request for points form and attached materials can be emailed to accreditation@lawsocietywa.asn.au
Chair: Michael Nicholls QC, Francis Burt Chambers; Recommended Family Law Senior Counsel, Doyle’s Guide 2020
Competency Area 2: Professional Skills
2.00pm to 3.00pm Legal Costs for Family Lawyers: Costs Determinations, Disclosure and the New Rules
What you need to know to make sure you are compliant with your costs obligations under the Legal Profession Act 2008. Topics will include:
- Costs disclosure obligations
- How to work out your level of seniority under the Costs Determinations
- Other practical costs matters
Presented by Clare Thompson, Barrister, Francis Burt Chambers; Chair, Legal Costs Committee
Competency Area 3: Ethics & Professional Responsibility
3.00pm to 4.00pm When Conflicts of Interests can Arise and When Family Law Practitioners Should Step Away
Presented by John Hedges SC, Francis Burt Chambers; Recommended Family Law Senior Counsel, Doyle’s Guide 2020
4.00pm to 4.15pm Afternoon Tea
Competency Area 1: Practice Management
4.15pm to 5.15pm Dealing with the Mental Health of Clients, Opponents and Work Colleagues
- Strategies for promotion of better mental health in the post-COVID world
- Mental health of clients and opponents: what to look out for and where to go for help
- What resources are available specifically for lawyers
Presented by Paula Wilkinson, Director, Kim Wilson & Co; Accredited Specialist in Family Law; Leading Family & Divorce Lawyer and Recommended Family Lawyer (High-Value & Complex Property Matters), Doyle’s Guide 2020 and Jane Johnson, Director, Kim Wilson & Co; Accredited Specialist in Family Law; Preeminent Parenting, Custody & Children’s Matters Lawyer and Recommended Family & Divorce Lawyer, Doyle’s Guide 2020
Presenters
Michael Nicholls QC
Michael Nicholls QC has a practice that includes international family law, domestic family law, medical ethics and appellate advocacy. Within international family law, he specialises in child abduction, relocation and international access cases, jurisdiction and forum disputes in divorce, financial and children’s cases, validity of marriage, adoption, surrogacy, recognition and enforcement of orders. And in medical ethics and associated matters, he specialises in disputes about medical treatment, disputes between patients and doctors and parents and doctors, legal and ethical obligations of doctors, surrogacy arrangements (including overseas surrogacy arrangements), human fertilisation and embryology.
Clare Thompson
Clare Thompson is a barrister at Francis Burt Chambers practising in general commercial and civil litigation, including torts, contract, property, trade practices and tax. Since 2003 she has been a member of the Legal Costs Committee, which sets the legal costs scales. Clare's qualifications include LLM, University of Melbourne, LLB (First Class Honours), University of Tasmania, Post Grad Dip Mgt, Curtin University, & B. Business, University of South Australia.
John Hedges SC
John Hedges graduated from the University of Western Australia with law degrees in 1980 and was admitted to practise in Western Australia in 1981. In 1987 John travelled to the United Kingdom where he was admitted and worked in the area of commercial litigation. He then returned to Perth where he worked at Dwyer Durack in the areas of family law and crime until 1988. He moved to Sydney in 1988 and practised in the areas of equity and family law until he was called to the Bar in Sydney in 1992. John then returned to Perth and has practised as a barrister at Francis Burt Chambers since 1993, primarily in the area of family law.
Paula Wilkinson
Paula is rated by Doyle’s Guide as a Leading West Australian Family & Divorce Lawyer and a Recommended West Australian Family Lawyer with respect to High-Value & Complex Property Matters in Western Australia, 2020. She has also been recognised by Doyle’s Guide as a recommended Leading Family and Divorce Lawyer in Australia, 2020.
Paula has degrees from the University of Canterbury (LL.B) and the New South Wales College of Laws (Master of Applies Law: Family Law). Paula was admitted to practice in Western Australia in 1982 and has specialised in Family Law for more than 25 years.
Jane Johnson
Jane is an Accredited Family Law Specialist with a particular interest in the post separation care and support of children. Jane was admitted as a Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 1989 and in the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 2008. She became an Accredited Family Law Specialist in 2015. She is a member of the Family Law Practitioners Association of WA and the Law Society of WA. Before joining the team at Kim Wilson & Co Family Lawyers in January 2008, Jane was a Partner in a boutique Family Law firm in New Zealand, where she accumulated over 18 years’ experience in all aspects of Family Law.
Venue
Parmelia Hilton
Level 1, Meeting Room, 14 Mill Street
Perth 6000
WA
Australia
Directions
Nearby Public Transport:
Train Stations - The Esplanade Station
Bus Interchange - St Georges Terrace Cloisters Green
Parking information
Parmilia Hilton - Valet Parking only - Click here to view rates.
Convention Centre - 100 metres from Parmelia Hilton. Click here to view rates.