Statement from Asian Australian Lawyers’ Association National Executive - English language test
The AALA National Executive is concerned about the recent announcement in the Federal Budget introducing an English language test for individuals seeking a partner visa as well as their sponsors, if they are permanent residents rather than Australian citizens.
AALA is concerned that this test may have a discriminatory effect on particular groups of immigrants more than others. It may also impinge on a person's fundamental human right to marry their partner of choice. AALA calls on the government to provide further consultation with multicultural communities on the proposal prior to the planned introduction of this requirement in late 2021.
AALA asks if there is any evidence that the proposal will help support English language acquisition and enhance social cohesion and economic participation outcomes. Otherwise, AALA is concerned that the proposal may lead to further division.
Further reading: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/english-language-requirement-for-australian-partner-visa-applicants-to-begin-late-2021
Media contact:
Molina Asthana, mailto:vicepresident@aala.org.au 0400785299
AALA NATIONAL CULTURAL DIVERSITY SUMMIT 2020: THANK YOU!
Dear Member
Thank you very much for attending or supporting the inaugural National Cultural Diversity Summit on Saturday 3 October.
With your support, the event was a great success. Over 300 people Zoomed into the Summit. We reached over 1,500 people via our Facebook livestream.
The Summit was AALA's largest event ever.
Over three and a half hours, we heard from eminent speakers and entertaining performers. We challenged misconceptions, discussed policy and advocacy, and developed ideas for change.
And we united to share AALA's vision of promoting cultural diversity in the legal profession and beyond.
We thank our Sponsors, The College of Law, Baker McKenzie and TIMG, for their generous support.
We are grateful to our Industry Partners, Australian Bar Association, Queensland Law Society, Bar Association of Queensland, Victorian Bar, and The Law Society of South Australia, for their wonderful partnership.
Soon, we will share with you videos of the Summit via our AALA YouTube channel. In the meantime, we kindly ask for your feedback on the Summit so that we can build on the experience for next year.
Many of you will have attended the terrific cooking break presented by Dr Moni Lai Storz (of the Singing Wok Restaurant) during the Summit. Moni has kindly agreed to share her delicious recipe for Hokkien Mee, which she demonstrated at the Summit.
Join AALA or renew your membership, attend our events, participate in our Mentoring Program.
Let's be the change we want to see.
Kingsley Liu, AALA National President
Molina Asthana, AALA National Vice President
Anand Shah, AALA National Summit Convenor and AALA Queensland President
Join AALA or renew your membership
Give your feedback on the AALA National Cultural Diversity Summit 2020
AALA National Digital Events Series - Career Workshop Series - Interview Skills
As part of the AALA's National Digital Events Series, the AALA invites you to attend the second session in its Career Workshop Series, on the topic of interview skills.
The Career Workshop Series is an initiative specifically targeted at law students and graduates from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. It is intended to equip them with tangible career-oriented skills and knowledge, in order to help them overcome the additional obstacles faced in the job-hunting process associated with being from CALD backgrounds, and indeed, leverage their cultural backgrounds as a source of competitive advantage.
This session will take the form of an informal fireside chat with senior legal practitioners who have been decision-makers in recruitment processes at corporate and commercial firms, including:
The topics intended to be explored include:
There will be a 1 hour panel discussion, followed by 30 minutes of Q&A.
Zoom dial-in details will be provided in the confirmation email following registration.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a mock interview after the session.
To register
If you have any queries, please contact Kelvin Ng at:students@aala.org.au
AALA in conjunction with CIArb Australia and the Society of Construction Law Australia presents:
Corporate Counsel Webinar
Mitigating Risk when dealing with foreign parties
You are invited to attend this webinar featuring leading in-house counsel and senior advocates who will address issues including risks in the location of the counter-party and assets, drafting suitable dispute resolution clauses, the use or arbitration v. litigation, enforcing foreign judgments and the New York Convention, choosing the seat or dispute resolution forum, choice of laws (substantive law, of the dispute, the law of the arbitration agreement, the procedural law), cross-cultural and language issues, ring fencing assets, the use of freezing orders where assets are located to aid enforcement pre, during and post arbitration/litigation as well as practical tips and guidance from experienced lawyers.
Panel: Sheila Ahuja, Partner in Allen & Overy's Global Arbitration group based in Singapore; Kanaga Dharmananda SC, member of the Western Australina Bar; Lachlan McMurtrie, Group Manager Legal, Newcrest Mining Limited; Dr Fan Yang, founding Director of International Dispute Resolution Academy, Hong Kong; and Sameer Shah, an Advocate from India and an International Arbitrator and Mediator.
Details can be found here.
Date:Monday, 26 October 2020
Time:8.00pm ADST (5.00pm AWST & Singapore)
Virtual Format:Webinar
Registration Essential: Please register by Thursday 22 October 2020.
For a zoom link for late registrations go here.
Enquiries:Sue Rice, Executive Officer, CIArb Australia: info@ciarb.net.au
Cultural diversity cannot be pushed to backburner by Jerome Doraisamy|24 September 2020, Lawyers Weekly
Managing economic uncertainty may be a top priority for legal employers right now, but with Asian Australians copping flak for the spread of coronavirus, cultural diversity efforts must remain at the forefront for the legal profession.
When it comes to Australia’s legal profession, cultural diversity is a “growing reality”, but true inclusion remains elusive.
That is the view of Kingsley Liu and Molina Asthana, the president and vice-president respectively of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association (AALA), who further feel that, despite the progress of recent years, “institutional and unconscious biases remain in force”.
For full article, go to: https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/biglaw/29530-cultural-diversity-cannot-be-pushed-to-backburner?%20utm_source=LawyersWeekly&utm_campaign=25_09_20&utm_medium=email&utm_content=1&utm_emailID=804cb2b23aff22ade3ef0f28a2ded6044e9733c391738da367fb5e33deb59158
Daniel D Nguyen, Barrister-at-law, and Victorian President of Asian Australian Lawyers Association interviewed by Law in Colour.
To read the interview go to: https://www.lawincolour.com/interviews/daniel-d-nguyen
LAWASIA 2020 Conference Online – Webinar Series:
Join LAWASIA for a series of webinars every Tuesday and Thursday, commencing on 15 September until 8 October 2020 (4 consecutive weeks, 7 webinars in total).
In lieu of the LAWASIA physical Annual Conference, the LAWASIA 2020 Conference Online webinar series will provide an opportunity for our members to enhance their legal knowledge; collaborate and build networks with like-minded lawyers and legal organisations throughout the region; and come together to help LAWASIA fulfil its important mission of promoting the rule of law, access to justice and respect for human rights throughout Asia and the Pacific region.
LAWASIA has developed an excellent program, focusing on a range of legal issues and key areas of law, including sessions focusing on intellectual property, ADR, employment law, anti-trust and competition law, and corporate securities and investment. Panels of experts and eminent speakers from across the region have been recruited and will undoubtedly entertain, educate and enrich all those able to attend.
The LAWASIA 2020 Conference online webinar series will be free of charge. We encourage you to circulate this offering to your friends and colleagues and we look forward to welcoming you all to the 2020 LAWASIA Conference Online!
For more information and to register go to: https://www.lawasia.asn.au/conferences-events/current-webinars/lawasia-2020-conference-online
REGISTER NOW
DATE: From Thursday 17 September to Thursday 8 October 2020
Every Tuesday and Thursday, 4 consecutive weeks (7webinars in total)
TIME: 16:30 - 18:00 (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
COST: Complimentary
The Asian Australian Lawyers Association presents
The National Cultural Diversity Summit
Cultural Diversity and the Legal Profession: Be the change we want to see
3 October 2020
Time: 1:00PM AEST / 11:00AM AWST
Location: Register to receive your exclusive Zoom invite.
Price: FREE for all members and non-members.
AALA is thrilled to announce the launch of the inaugural AALA National Summit. The AALA National Summit will be held entirely online via Zoom and is free for all members and the wider community.
The AALA National Summit is bringing together leading international thinkers, comedians and performers to critically examine and discuss a road map for Cultural Diversity in the Law.
REGISTRATION is essential. To access the AALA National Summit Agenda and to secure your seat, visit the AALA website here: http://aala.org.au/event-3984061
Join us to hear from,
…and many more, including comedian Diana Nguyen.
Click here to download Summit program: http://www.aala.org.au/resources/Documents/FINAL%20AALA%20National%20Summit%20Program%20(1%20October%2020)%20(1).pdf
ACICA/CIArb Australia International Arbitration Conference 2020
BRIDGING THE DISTANCE: ARBITRATION IN THE NEW WORLD
Monday, 12 October 2020
The Australian Centre of International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA) and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Australia (CIArb Australia) are pleased to invite you to their 2020 International Arbitration Conference: Bridging the Distance: Arbitration in the New World.
Our one day program will offer virtual presentations on topics including:
and feature a host of eminent speakers and expert practitioners from around the globe!
Full programme details are available here, and a list of speakers may be found here:
https://acica.org.au/events/#!event/2020/10/12/pre-registration-for-acica-ciarb-international-arbitration-conference
Download the flyer at: https://acica.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/2020_IA_Conference_flyer-08.pdf
Register to attend the conference now!
Venue Virtual presentations (Zoom platform)
Starts Mon Oct 12 2020, 08:00am UTC+11
Ends Mon Oct 12 2020, 06:00pm UTC+11
In conjunction with O'Sullivan Davies Lawyers and Swarup Asthana Lawyers, as part of its National Digital Events Series 2020, AALA is pleased to host a Webinar on common situations faced by Asian Australian families in the Australian Family Law system when there is a separation.
Join Sherlene Heng of O'Sullivan Davies, AALA WA Branch Committee Member, as we hear from the panel:
Sabrina Tan - O'Sullivan Davies, AALA WA Branch Committee Member;
Rachel Harkness- 0 'Sullivan Davies;
Victor Tham - O'Sullivan Davies; and
Molina Asthana- Principal of Swarup Asthana Lawyers, AALA NationaI Vice-President
Date: Wednesday, 23 September 2020
Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm AWST / 3:00pm - 4:00pm AEST
Location: Zoom
RSVP by 21 September 2020
to receive your exclusive online registration details.
For more information and to register, visit: http://aala.org.au/events
For NSW, Qld and Vic practitioners, if this seminar is relevant to your practice needs or professional development, you can claim 1 CPD point; for WA practitioners, an application for 1 point in Substantive Law is pending.
Subscribe to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email >>
Asian Australian Lawyers AssociationC/- 820 Drummond StreetCarlton North VIC 3054
Copyright 2015 Asian Australian Lawyers Association Inc.
Site by Highland Creative
