ENGAGING CHINA:  Reflections on lessons from four decades of legal and professional engagement with China

The Queensland Branch has invited Mark Day to speak on his observations on the differences in legal practice from his 40 years of legal and professional engagement with China. Our free knowledge session will be held at Level Twenty Seven Chambers on Thursday 7 September 2017 at 6pm (for a 6:30pm start).

The session will cover:

• Exploring the cultural & legal trends in Chinese commerce
• Guanxi: doing business in China - networking and cultural IQ
• Q&A session

Find out more on the event and our speaker, Mark Day, here.

The AALA and the Women Barristers Association are proud to host a panel of esteemed speakers to speak on their experiences of diversity in the law.

Our speakers Judicial Registrar Tran of the County Court; Tuan Van Le, Executive Director, Dispute Resolution at the ATO and Rochelle Castro, Principal at RC & CO Lawyers will share their experiences of diversity in the law and provide their insight as to how best to improve diversity in our profession.

This is a unique opportunity to hear from the leaders in our profession and forms part of Herbert Smith Freehill's Diversity Week. 

The event is open to AALA and WBA members. We are also pleased to invite members to register non-member guests to attend this free event.

The event will be followed by networking and drinks. 

Click here to register http://aala.org.au/event-2631205

AALA members are encouraged to register and attend an event being held by the Australian Human Rights Commission 'Cultural Diversity in the Professions' this Thursday 10 August 2017 at Corrs Chambers Westgarth.

Click the link below to register: 

http://ecomms.corrs.com.au/rv/ff0031d8f8bb5108532d4272404b806cdb95606f

Frank H. Wu, author, law professor, former law school dean, and head of the prestigious non-profit Chinese American membership organisation the Committee of 100, has written widely about reform of legal education and disruption within the profession.

The AALA, Women Lawyers Association of NSW and Victorian Women Lawyers are proud to welcome the Distinguished Professor Wu to Sydney and Melbourne where, in two special presentations hosted by King & Wood Mallesons, he will:

• talk about opportunities for global law firms in an increasingly international and transnational practice environment, with an ascendant Asia embracing rule of law;

• consider changes in the structure of the leading law firms, as competition compels the development of new models for delivery of professional services; and

• consider how best to include people of diverse backgrounds to achieve better client services and realise ideals of a democratic society.

When
Sydney: Wednesday, 16 August 2017, 5.45pm for 6.00pm start
Melbourne: Friday, 18 August 2017, 12.45pm for 1.00pm start

Where
Sydney: King & Wood Mallesons, Lvl 61, Governor Phillip Tower, 1 Farrer Pl, Sydney
Melbourne: King & Wood Mallesons, Lvl 50, Bourke Place, 600 Bourke St, Melbourne

Registration
Free to attend for AALA, VWL members and invited guests only; please RSVP below.

RSVP Sydney

RSVP Melbourne

Proudly hosted by

Join us for an informative and exciting session hosted by Charmaine Tsang, Partner at Lavan Legal, with Professor Frank H. Wu and Julian Sher presenting their personal and professional insight into multiculturalism, assimilation and equal opportunity. This is an event not to be missed and there will be drinks and networking after.

FRANK H. WU, author, law professor, former law school dean, and head of the prestigious non-profit Chinese American membership organisation the Committee of 100, has written widely about reform of legal education and disruption within the profession.

JULIAN SHER brings with him a wealth of experience to his present role as the inaugural Director of Professional Programs at Curtin University, where he is responsible for creating strong interactions between the law school and all levels of the profession as well as the judiciary. Julian is also a former Partner and Partner in Charge of Corrs Chambers Westgarth’s Perth office.

Registration

Free to attend for AALA members and invited guests only; RSVP below by 14 August 2017.

http://www.aala.org.au/event-2624906

The AALA is pleased to see a number of Asian Australian Lawyers make the list of finalists for the Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards 2017 across a broad range of categories.

Among the finalists, AALA Vice President William Lye OAM is one of four finalists for Barrister of the Year. We congratulate William on his nomination and wish him the best in the finals.

The Asian Australian Lawyers Association, in partnership with the University of Melbourne, is proud to be present: The Asian Experience in America and What it Means for Australia presented by Distinguished Professor of Law at University of California Hastings, Frank H Wu.

Prof.Wu, author, law professor, former law school dean, and head of a prestigious non-profit Chinese American membership organization, will discuss Asian immigration to the United States over 150 years. Using historical examples, social science, personal stories, and humour, he will explain how Asian Americans have achieved success and continue to fight for equal opportunity.

He will consider both models of assimilation and multiculturalism. His presentation will explain race relations in America and offer comparisons to Australia.

He will also engage in dialogue about how democracy and diversity can work together as ideals.

Date	Thursday, 17 August 2017
Time	6.30pm - 7.30pm
Location	Theatre G08, Ground Floor
	Melbourne Law School
	185 Pelham Street, Carlton

For more information, please contact info@aala.org.au.

Register

Dear Members,

The Hellenic Australian Lawyers Association is hosting the Inaugural Victorian HAL Oration at the Monash University Law Chambers, 555 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne on Friday 4 August 2017. The Honourable Geoffrey Nettle, Justice of the High Court of Australia, will deliver the Oration on the topic of “Some Hellenic Contributions to the Law”.


AALA members are warmly invited to attend. To register for this event, please visit: https://www.trybooking.com/291928

For more information contact Andrew K Panna QC at akpanna@vicbar.com.au or call (03) 9225 7643 or Elefteria (Teri) Konstantinou  teri@vicbar.com.au or call 9225 8794

On 31 May 2017 the AALA Victorian Branch in conjunction with Monash University Law Chambers held an event to celebrate the launch of the Victorian Branch, the appointment of his Honour Magistrate Raj Malhotra and the recent awarding of the Medal of the Order to William Lye OAM, an AALA founding member and our current National Vice President.

Tuanh Nguyen, our National President introduced the members of the Victorian Committee. They are: Zubair Mian (President), Kerry Truong (Secretary), John Arthur, Kylie Chow, Angela Lee, Ian Nathaniel, Daniel Nguyen, Jenny Si and Jing Zhu. Tuanh noted that we have came a long way since our inception in 2014, with the total amount of members expanding to 650 in total.
 
Magistrate Malhotra spoke of his life journey, growing up in a migrant family of Indian origin in suburban Perth leading to him being an advocate and finally, as a member of the judiciary.
 
His Honour noted that his path was not without struggle: it had not always been easy to fit in at school as the only person of Indian origin. He described with humour that he often transitioned between different groups of students and could at different points be friends with the cool kids, smart kids, athletic kids, musical kids, South-East Asian kids and others. 
 
He said that his parents strongly believed in higher education being key to a successful career and this was part of why he chose to study law.
 
Magistrate Malhotra graduated from the University of Western Australia and commenced practice in 1997. He worked in a small law firm following graduation and it was through this experience that he discovered his love for advocacy.
 
Prior to joining the bench,  he had held various positions including Crown Prosecutor for the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions in Western Australia, a Senior Prosecutor at the Environment Agency in the UK, Manager of Prosecutions and Investigations at the Department of Transport in Victoria, Managing Principal Solicitor and Special Counsel at the Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office, General Counsel and Director of Regulatory Services for the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation. Prior to his appointment he was a fulltime member of the Adult Parole Board.
 
His Honour shared three essential tips to having a successful career: be resilient and persevere, be an active participant in networking, and participate in mentorship.
           
Dr Weiping He as representative for Monash University Law Chambers gave thanks to the AALA for our collaboration and to Magistrate Malhotra as guest speaker. She conveyed the University’s admiration and support for the AALA’s efforts in promoting cultural diversity in the legal profession, and welcomed future collaboration between Monash University and AALA. 

The AALA was formed in 2013 to promote cultural diversity in the legal profession. The AALA also provides education, mentoring and networking.  The Western Australia branch of the AALA will be officially launched on Wednesday 5th July 2017 between 12.30pm to 2.30pm at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Perth. For more information, please contact Peter Le at peter.le@dentons.com