The peak body representing women lawyers in NSW for the advancement of women in the legal profession.

07 June 2005

Dear Members & Colleagues

A reminder and invitation to join us this Friday 10th June for our monthly informal networking lunch (details below) and to diarise our 17th August Cocktail event with The Honourable Justice Michael McHugh (further details coming soon!). Our Mediation Pilot Programme/Mediation Training was a great success and a brief report is detailed below.

In addition to the invitation you may have recently received from our President to renew your membership or join the Association, I would like to reiterate some of the benefits. At just $75.00 for Regional Members and $22.50 for Student/Unemployed Members, valid till 30 June 2006, your membership includes:

- Regular updates and invitations on National (your membership also includes membership of Australian Women Lawyers of which our President Louise Byrne is the NSW Director and representative), State and Local issues/ events;
- Free subscription to Lawyers Weekly (monthly Women in Law) valued at $189;
- Additional benefits (such as preferential rates, no application or account fees) from our Major Sponsor National Australia Bank and discounted subscriptions to VIVE Magazine.

Further details on our website: http://www.womenlawyersnsw.org.au/sponsors.htm

Click here to download membership form

I also encourage you to pass this email onto colleagues and ensure they are on our email/invite list. Looking forward to your support and seeing you at an event soon.

Kind regards
Liz Pinnock
Convenor Newcastle Chapter

Newcastle Networking "Informal Gatherings" meet for lunch on the 2nd Friday of each month, 1pm at the Sticky Rice Thai Restaurant, 19 Scott Street, Newcastle. No need to book, just turn up! The next lunch will be on Friday 10 June. A great opportunity to network, catch up with the latest news and colleagues. Please diarise this regular monthly event: 8th July, 12th August, 9th September, 11th October, 11th November.

Report: Mediation Pilot Programme/Mediation Training In November 2004 and more recently, in April 2005, Her Honour, Judge Sidis ordered a number of matters within the Newcastle District Court list to mediation. The Pilot Programme (November '04) was a resounding success with over 80% of the referred matters settling. Presently, the second round of court ordered mediations is underway. Between 27th April and 30 April 2005, LEADR conducted a mediation training course in Newcastle. Participation in such a course is a prerequisite for Law Society Accredited Specialisation and/or inclusion on the Law Society List of available mediators (the referral source for court-ordered mediations). The course focussed on the development of practical mediation skills and received high commendations from the participants.

Mediation is undoubtedly worthwhile when both parties are committed to resolving their dispute. Mediation provides a safe forum for the parties to: identify their issues; explore those issues both mutually and privately, and derive possible remedies or solutions (not limited to the remedies available from the Courts). Agreements entered into via the mediation process tend to be more durable and satisfying than Court imposed Orders. Hardly surprising, since the parties effectively formulate their own solution.

Events and News:
Check the latest updates at www.womenlawyersnsw.org.au

Are you financial?
Email us to check your membership status:
executive@womenlawyersnsw.org.au

Please feel free to pass this email onto colleagues and ensure they are on our email list for future updates and invitations.

For more information contact us
Women Lawyers Association of New South Wales Inc.
DX11563 Sydney Downtown/ 14A Lonsdale Close, Lake Haven NSW 2263
Ph: (02) 4392 1185 Fax: (02) 4392 9410
Email: executive@womenlawyersnsw.org.au URL: http://www.womenlawyersnsw.org.au

If you wish to continue receiving updates and invitations via email no action is required. However, if you wish to be removed from our email list, please email: executive@womenlawyersnsw.org.au with the subject heading: UNSUBSCRIBE