Appearing in the Coroner’s Court: A Practical Guide
Appearing in a coronial matter is not easy so this is your chance to hear from the experiences of Coroners and barristers at the coalface. Key topics will be put under the microscope including the anatomy of a health care related death, understanding autopsy reports and a practical look at the pitfalls, tips and traps that can befall you in practice. This is an essential program for those currently working in or interested in the Coroner’s Court. WEB228Q06
Description
Attend and earn 3 CPD units in Professional Skills
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
Chair: Dylan Rae-White, Senior Coroner's Solicitor, Coroners Court of Victoria
VIEWS FROM THE BENCH
2.00pm to 2.45pm The Anatomy of a Health Care Related Death
Presented by Coroner Stephanie Gallagher, Coroners Court of Queensland
2.45pm to 3.30pm Understanding an Autopsy Report for Dummies
Presented by Coroner Don MacKenzie, Coroners Court of Queensland
3.30pm to 3.45pm Afternoon Tea
3.45pm to 4.30pm Tips and Traps: Avoiding the Pitfalls of the Coroner’s Court
- Investigation, not court proceedings: litigation
- No rules of evidence: procedural fairness
- Issues List and Witness List
- Approach is dictated by who are you appearing for?
- Appearing for a person of interest
- Section 62 Certificate
- Sword vs. shield: Is the best defence a good offence?
- Preparation: yourself and your client
Presented by Paul Madden, Barrister
(Recorded Session) OND228Q06A
Cognitive Bias in Ethical Decision Making
- Why good people make bad decisions
- The impact of cognitive bias on ethical decision making
- Improving the ethical decision making process
Presented by Paul Sills, Barrister
Presenters
Dylan Rae-White
Dylan Rae-White, Senior Coroner’s Solicitor, works within the Legal Services division of the Coroners Court of Victoria providing high-quality legal support to Coroners in the conduct of their coronial investigations into reportable deaths and fires. His works includes case investigation, appearing as Counsel Assisting in inquests and drafting coronial findings. Dylan has a background in personal injury litigation with a specific focus on representing victim survivors of historic child sexual abuse in common law claims against government and faith-based institutions. He also represented survivor witnesses in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Coroner Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher was appointed a magistrate of the Magistrates Courts of Queensland in 2021.
Coroner Don MacKenzie
Don MacKenzie has worked within the Criminal Justice System for 25 years, commencing as a law clerk in the Public Defenders Office in 1990. He was admitted as a Barrister in 1993 and spent the next 5 years working for the Legal Aid Office and 13 years at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Qld), rising to the positions of Senior Crown Prosecutor then Consultant Crown Prosecutor. In 2008, Don MacKenzie joined the Private Bar, practising almost exclusively in the area of criminal law as a member of More Chambers in Brisbane. He has worked extensively throughout Queensland particularly as the Senior Crown Prosecutor, Rockhampton and Principal Crown Prosecutor, Cairns. (He cannot think of a courthouse in Queensland in which he has not appeared.) Mr MacKenzie estimates that he has prosecuted or defended well over 600 jury trials (including dozens of murder trials), has appeared on hundreds of Court of Appeal matters and as sole counsel in the High Court of Australia. He is also an officer in the Royal Australian Navy with the Defence Force Legal Service. His particular interests are criminal law, mental health law, workplace health and safety law, the appellate jurisdictions, domestic violence matters, federal offences, military discipline law, legal professional ethics and discipline. He is admitted as a Barrister of the Supreme Court of Queensland, the Supreme Court of Western Australia and he is entered in the Register of Practitioners of the High Court of Australia. Mr MacKenzie holds a Master of Laws, a Bachelor of Arts and a Graduate Diploma of Military Justice. He has also regularly appeared as a guest lecturer on criminal law and evidence for the Queensland Law Society and at the University of Queensland. He also holds a statutory appointment as the Chairman, Public Records Review Committee of Queensland.
Paul Madden
Paul was called to the Bar in 2016. Despite a focus on employment law, criminal law, and coroners inquests, Paul accepts briefs in a wide range of jurisdictions and areas of law. Paul regularly appears in employment matters before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission and Fair Work Commission. Paul also frequently appears in the Coroners Court of NSW where he has appeared for various interested parties, such as police officers, corrective services officers, and the family of the deceased. Inquests he has appeared in have concerned police shootings and the use of lethal force, police pursuits, deaths in custody, and medical issues such as drug toxicity and mental illness. Prior to being called to the Bar Paul worked as a Solicitor in private practice and as the In-House Counsel for a large industrial organisation.