Data Loading...
Firm member guide Flipbook PDF
Firm lawyer membership guide
115 Views
10 Downloads
FLIP PDF 1.7MB
1
belonging advocacy success
2015/16
your essential professional partner
your LIV
2
STUDENTS
BELONGING
ADVOCACY
SUCCESS
GRADUATES
NEW SOLICITORS
PRACTISING MEMBERS
ACCREDITED SPECIALISTS
AFFILIATES
17,921
10%
14
Total members
Increase in LIV mentors since June 2014
Practice sections
127
143
79
Submissions by LIV committees
Law Institute Journal contributors
Committees
5391
15%
3125
Participants in CPD activities
Growth in Accredited Specialists since 2010
Members attended ethics education Statistics as of 31 March 2015
Legal Profession Uniform Law July 2015 will mark the commencement of a uniform regulatory regime that applies to lawyers in Victoria and New South Wales. The Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014, which incorporates the Legal Profession Uniform Law (Uniform Law), is expected to commence on 1 July 2015. The subordinate legislation, the Legal Profession Uniform General Rules (Uniform Rules), and other uniform rules governing professional conduct, legal practice and continuing professional development are presently being developed.
What is changing?
While the Uniform Rules are being established, the LIV is seeking clarification from the Legal Services Council and the Legal Services Board + Commissioner (LSBC) about various processes. We will keep members informed as new information becomes available.
• Principals of law practices are now required to take reasonable steps to ensure compliance with the Uniform Law and the Uniform Rules, and they may be liable for contraventions of the Uniform Law and Rules by the law practice.
The Uniform Law will govern matters such as practising certificates, continuing professional development requirements, costs disclosures, trust accounting requirements and professional discipline issues. There are numerous changes of which law practices and practitioners will need to be aware, including: • Government lawyers will be required to hold a practising certificate, unless exempted.
• For matters where costs are not likely to exceed $3000, law practices can elect to provide disclosure using a standard short disclosure form (if one is prescribed under s174(5) of the Uniform Law) rather than full disclosure under sub-s174(1). There will also be consequences regarding contravention of costs disclosure obligations, including the possibility that the client can avoid payment. • New requirements regarding trust accounts, including how trust money can be withdrawn. • The LSBC has the power to audit the compliance of law practices with the Uniform Law, the Uniform Rules and other applicable professional obligations if there are reasonable grounds to do so.
How the LIV can assist you • Seminars and panel discussions are being developed for the benefit of our members to provide information and answer any questions your staff may have. • The LIV website, the Law Institute Journal and eNews communications will provide updates and fact sheets to assist lawyers and law practices with this transition.
www.liv.asn.au/UniformLaw
3
your source Access expert legal research and library services, hard copy and digital resources and exclusive information through our on-site and electronic resources.
4
Find all of your resources in one location
Give your staff the research support and training they need
Deliver quality services to your clients
The LIV Library offers an extensive collection of digital and hard copy resources to lawyers and law practitioners. Members have access to legal research guidance, document delivery, HeinOnline, the Attorney-General’s Information Service and APAIS. Legal practitioners can save thousands of dollars by borrowing from our collection and utilising library resources. This includes a range of forms and precedents that are not standard or commonplace, useful for drafting or historical purposes. Our expert librarians offer support both in person and by telephone.
Our accredited legal research librarian provides customised Research Training for the benefit of practitioners, small groups or entire firms and their support staff. This comprises valuable insights into the specific needs of your firm, practical workshops and research refreshers. Our law librarians also source documents from other locations and provide fixed fee Legal Research Services, giving you the information you need to succeed in practice, and saving you time and money.
Legal Forms and Precedents from the LIV Bookshop make drafting agreements easier and support you in delivering the best outcome to your clients. LIV members receive preferential rates and documents can be purchased in hard copy and electronic formats.
www.liv.asn.au/Library 9607 9360
www.liv.asn.au/Library 9607 9360
LIV forms are regularly updated to comply with recent legislation, such as changes to the Vendors Statement forms taking place following the Sale of Land Amendment Act 2014. Other available precedents include Contract of Sale of Real Estate, Commercial Lease of Real Estate and many more. www.liv.asn.au/Bookshop 9607 9348
Build your professional network The LIV hosts events throughout the year to help your solicitors develop their profiles, extend their influence, meet new colleagues and network with professionals across all areas of law. We are constantly creating new events based on feedback from our members, practice sections and committees. Find out what’s coming up by subscribing to our what’sOn bulletin. www.liv.asn.au/WhatsOnCalendar 9607 9473
55
“The LIV Library has been there for me since I was a law student, and I have used its resources to help me in every stage of my legal career.”
NATALIE VOGEL Barrister, Victorian Bar
your solution Training and advice, guides and checklists, forms and precedents, services and schemes – the LIV provides many support systems designed to help you succeed in practice. Grow your practice
6
Receive qualified leads and grow your business by participating in the Find Your Lawyer Referral Service. The webpage for this service receives an average of 30,000 views every month. Experienced staff members manage these and over 3000 monthly telephone referrals by asking pertinent questions and comparing the client’s needs with the database of participating law firms to find the most appropriate solicitor to suggest. www.FindYourLawyer.com.au 9607 9567
Manage your practice successfully
Maximise your profitability and minimise your risk
The LIV provides a variety of support services that firms need to manage and grow their practices. LIV membership gives your staff exclusive access to tools and training that will help your practice run smoothly. Online resources provide detailed information and guidance for such things as opening, merging, maintaining and closing a practice. Experts in human resources, dispute resolution, trust accounting and general practice management are available by telephone to answer any questions your solicitors may have.
Are your files being costed properly? LIV Cost Lawyers regularly see pitfalls in cost agreements that trip up even the most experienced lawyers, and they are here to help you avoid them. LIV Cost Lawyers provide firms with fast turnaround times and in-house personalised assistance. You can be sure your lump sum calculations and itemised bills of costs are done by the highest level of professionals with proper compliance to current legislation, saving you time and giving you peace of mind as you run your practice.
www.liv.asn.au/Practice-Resources 9607 9378
www.liv.asn.au/Costing 9607 9424
Safeguard your firm’s assets The LIV’s Limitation of Liability Scheme is an important part of your business planning that also builds public confidence in legal practitioners. Available exclusively to LIV members, lawyers and firms involved in the scheme benefit by having their occupational liability capped at $1.5 or $10 million, safeguarding their business and personal assets in the event of a lawsuit. www.liv.asn.au/LLS 9607 9311
77
“I have been a member of the Law Institute of Victoria for many years and have found its referral service invaluable. I have received many ongoing clients through this service: a win for my legal practice, a win for the LIV and, most importantly, a win for the clients. I would recommend the LIV’s referral service to any practitioner who wants to increase business and goodwill.”
ANDREW SENIA Principal, Senia Lawyers
your voice The LIV promotes an active public debate and advocacy agenda on issues impacting the profession and the community. Your involvement in lobbying for reforms is an important part of shaping the profession.
8
Influence current legislation
Share your opinions & expertise
Engage across the profession
There are over 1200 LIV members on committees in various areas of law, including criminal, family, property, tax and wills and estates. Committee members contributed over 120 submissions in 2014 across various areas, requesting inquiries into sex offender legislation and improving legal representation for children. Participation by your lawyers in LIV Practice Sections and Committees results in direct input and influence over critical decisions facing the legal profession. Engagement also allows your lawyers to update your firm on legislative changes as soon as they happen.
The LIV’s flagship publication, the Law Institute Journal, receives regular contributions by members for peer review and publication. Contributing to this respected journal elevates the profile of your firm and your staff while sharing knowledge and experience across the profession. In July 2015 the LIJ is being re-launched and, while staying true to the fundamentals the publication has embodied for almost 90 years, it will be updated from front to back. In response to feedback from time-poor practitioners, columns, news stories and articles will be more concise.
Social media and online resources provide a quick and simple way for your lawyers to stay connected with colleagues and leaders of the legal profession. Your staff can maintain awareness of legislative changes as they are tweeted by the LIV President. Have your lawyers contributing to the legal discussions and opinions being shared through the members-only LIV LinkedIn groups, and encourage your younger staff to access the Young Lawyers’ Facebook page as a way of getting career-relevant content and peer connection.
www.liv.asn.au/For-Lawyers 9607 9567
www.liv.asn.au/LIJ
www.facebook.com/LIVYoungLawyers @LIVPresident
Stay informed on a daily basis In July 2015 the LIV is launching a daily legal news email: LawNews. Free to LIV members, this premium service comprises news from multiple media sources, such as the Australian Financial Review, The Australian and other national and Victorian publications. LawNews will feature relevant articles, legal profession announcements, legislative changes, court news, Department of Justice and Regulation updates, LIV media releases and more in one convenient resource.
9
your career Ensure your lawyers develop their knowledge and practical understanding through the LIV’s high quality education and career development programs.
10
Receive specific advice and guidance
Develop new knowledge and professional skills
Provide a solid foundation for your newest practitioners
Support your lawyers as their careers grow and develop by participating in LIV Mentoring. Connect your up-andcomers with legal mentors who will use their knowledge to guide and advise. Encourage your more experienced lawyers to be mentors themselves for the benefit of others in the profession. LIV Mentoring also connects participants from small, regional and suburban firms with others in similar environments to ensure that specific needs are being met.
LIV Professional Development provides high quality and comprehensive education covering the four compulsory CPD fields. 2014/15 seminars kept lawyers informed with up-to-the-minute details on areas such as e-conveyancing, with information coming from the leading experts in property law.
The LIV’s Core Competencies program is a series of workshops created for solicitors in their first two years of practice. The sessions cover key skills such as client interviewing essentials, drafting effective letters of advice, proofreading and time management. The LIV also offers Orientation for Newly Admitted Solicitors and Orientation for Graduates seminars. These sessions provide essential information to ensure attendees navigate their first few years of practice successfully. Topics include applying for and maintaining practising certificates, managing CPD requirements and responding to ethical challenges.
www.liv.asn.au/Mentoring 9607 9565
Determine ethical and best practice solutions Last year over 3000 members attended LIV ethics information and training sessions. Our ethics lawyers are again providing complimentary LIVing Ethics seminars to new solicitors and practising members in the upcoming year. These highly interactive seminars examine reallife scenarios and discuss best practice options for how to proceed in the face of an ethical issue. www.liv.asn.au/Ethics 9607 9336
Changes to the national profession will again see the LIV act as the leading source of information and education in 2015/16. Sending your lawyers to LIV seminars ensures they are informed of legislative changes while expanding their knowledge and skills through engagement with experts and specialists from all areas of practice. www.liv.asn.au/WhatsOnCalendar 9607 9473
www.liv.asn.au/WhatsOnCalendar 9607 9473
Promote your specialty With over 900 specialists across 16 areas of law, the LIV Accredited Specialisation program continues to grow. Encouraging your lawyers to take this step in their careers will ultimately position them and your firm as having a high level of expertise. Some of the areas of specialisation to be offered in 2016 include business law, criminal law, wills and estates and commercial litigation. www.liv.asn.au/AccreditedSpecialisation 9607 9461
11
“Being an LIV mentor has been an incredibly rewarding experience. It has afforded me the opportunity to use my experiences to help guide someone else as they uncover their own journey.”
STUART KOLLMORGEN Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright “I am privileged to be mentored by an experienced lawyer and want to thank the LIV for this opportunity. The knowledge and guidance I have received from my mentor has made my journey as a young solicitor much easier. LIV Mentoring has enabled me to be excited about my career options and pathway, and also to be prepared for challenges ahead.”
HOLLY TAN Law Student
your reputation Professional and ethical integrity are the cornerstones of quality legal service. The LIV celebrates exceptional law practitioners and works with members to maintain the excellent reputation of the legal profession.
Recognise the exceptional
12
The Law Institute of Victoria Awards honour the achievements of outstanding Victorian lawyers, with coveted categories such as Law Firm of the Year and Deal of the Year. Former winners include Herbert Smith Freehills, Justitia and Hall & Wilcox. The awards ceremony takes place during a gala dinner where your solicitors can celebrate being a part of the profession and build relationships with other esteemed legal practitioners. www.liv.asn.au/LIV-Awards
Obtain expert advice on ethical dilemmas Give your lawyers the comfort of knowing they are a phone call away from confidential ethical support and guidance. LIV members may phone or email our Ethics Advice Line to receive specific guidance regarding an issue in their practice. Our ethics experts will either provide immediate support or suggest that the issue be reviewed by the Ethics Committee. www.liv.asn.au/Ethics 9607 9336
www.Everyday-Law.org.au
Eligible firms benefit from the reputation and respect associated with the LIV by using the LIV member logo in their correspondence and promotional material. A recognised symbol of excellence in the legal profession, the LIV member logo is a demonstration to your clients that your firm is committed to ongoing quality and continued education, and that your solicitors have access to critical knowledge and resources that enable them to deliver the best outcomes. www.liv.asn.au/Member-Logo 9607 9311
Bring the law to the community Every May the LIV supports the Law Week initiative. Law firms all across Victoria can get involved in a number of ways: by hosting an event, providing information sessions and participating in mock trails or debates. Firms involved in Law Week engage with, educate, and help demystify the legal profession while highlighting the amazing contributions that lawyers and the profession make to society. We encourage and support our members to play a role, together with the LIV, in showcasing and celebrating our profession and its contribution to the community.
Boost the profile of your firm
Uphold ethical standards for lawyers Strengthen your firm’s reputation by engaging with the LIV Ethics Department. Our ethics lawyers will come to your firm and work with your staff to build and deliver tailored ethics education. Your solicitors will also have the opportunity to ask questions and learn best practice solutions for handling ethical issues. www.liv.asn.au/Ethics 9607 9336
13
your wellbeing The LIV is committed to creating quality wellbeing programs to ensure that legal practitioners have access to information and resources they need to maintain good health.
14
Improve your personal and professional health
Learn practical solutions for a healthier workforce
Raise awareness and campaign for change
Positive work-life balance and sound health are vital for practising at your optimum level as a lawyer. Poor mental health isn’t always as obvious as we think: issues can be as subtle as trouble sleeping or as disruptive as chronic anxiety and depression.
Several initiatives will be launched and re-launched over the coming year to share important information and encourage lawyers to put their wellbeing first. Wellbeing Workshops will be rolled out, providing in-house training and helping firms put processes in place to develop better mental health in the workplace.
The annual Legal Fun Run raises awareness of the need for better health among legal professionals. This event gives your solicitors the opportunity to exercise and enjoy the benefits of an afternoon outside, all while promoting the campaign for better work-life balance and healthier living for lawyers.
Vic Lawyers’ Health (VLH) is a free health service for LIV members. VLH promotes the importance of good mental and physical health for lawyers, providing independent and confidential counselling services over the telephone and face to face. Make sure your lawyers are aware of their access to this crucial resource. www.VicLawyersHealth.com.au 1300 664 744
Support wellbeing in the legal profession The Wellbeing and the Law Foundation (WATL) was established in 2013 by the LIV and Victorian Bar to address mental health problems in the legal community. WATL raises funds to build awareness and support practical programs that will improve mental health in the legal profession. The Foundation is a registered Heath Promotion Charity and relies on fundraising and contributions from LIV members, law firms and other sources to enable it to continue supporting the legal profession and the mental wellbeing of lawyers. www.WATLFoundation.org.au
15
“Looking after my wellbeing helps me reach my full potential as a lawyer. LIV activities like the Legal Fun Run and Comedy Debate provide me with opportunities to relax, laugh and enjoy the lighter side of the legal profession while connecting with my peers in a more casual environment.”
ELISE FRASER Lawyer, Lander & Rogers
Law Institute of Victoria 470 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000, GPO Box 263, Melbourne VIC 3001, DX 350 Melbourne T: 03 9607 9311 F: 03 9602 5270 W: www.liv.asn.au Authorised and published by the Law Institute of Victoria, April 2015 ©
2015 The Law Institute of Victoria Ltd. ABN 32 075 475 731
The Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) has used its best endeavours to ensure that material contained in this publication was correct at the time of printing. The LIV gives no warranty and accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information and the LIV reserves the right to make changes without notice at any time in its absolute discretion.
PRIVACY NOTICE: The Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) protects the privacy and security of information provided by you. For more information on our privacy policy visit www.liv.asn.au/privpolicy.html. If you do not wish to receive further information of this type please log into My LIV at liv.asn.au/My-LIV to update your preferences, alternatively contact Membership on 03 9607 9470 or email [email protected].