This session will give you a basic understanding of the principles of class actions in the NSW Supreme Court and the Federal Court. It will help you advise your clients who may be group members, possible defendants or cross defendants.

What is a blockchain and how does it impact the legal profession. Blockchain technology enables a cryptographically secure network of transactions that can be seen by all users on the network. It also enables digital currency exchanges, smart contracts, asset tracking and verification of users or assets. Depending on its use and purpose, blockchain technology can solve a number of problems.

• eliminates double-spending
• authenticates users
• reduces the risk of fraud or mistakes
• increases the speed of transactions.

In this podcast Linden Barnes will provide a practical, interactive discussion using hypothetical situations to test your knowledge and think differently about how to manage ethical dilemmas.

• Ethical social media – getting your name out there ethically
• Courtesy online
• Confidentiality in a changing practice environment

• who should be joined as parties or served with notices, including consideration of issues that arise when caveats are lodged or when there is 'notional estate'
• what type of evidence the Court expects
• what the court expects from practitioners in case management and costs

This session will address the practical considerations that lawyers need to take into account when a person dies intestate.

• the basic underpinnings of the European and American approaches to legal ethics and in-house counsel 
• differences between the practical approaches to preserving the independence of legal practitioners 
• why in-house counsel cannot practise as lawyers in some of Europe 
• what problems face in-house lawyers in the American model 
• what similar problems are faced by external counsel
  

Chiara Formenti-Ujlaki

Traditional techniques and document structures may escalate conflict and even make the professional writer the next target of blame.

• To recognise high conflict clients
• Know what you can do to adjust how you communicate
• Understand writing approaches for high conflict people

• To understand the legal system and institutions in the UK 
• To know the key resources available for research 

• Professional skills

This course is designed to introduce the American Legal system. It is the author’s belief that without a sound knowledge of a country’s legal system it is impossible to complete effective legal research.

The course will introduce some key resources available both free online and subscription that would be useful when researching US law. In the age of the internet and “google” it is critical that when conducting research online the resources used are well regarded and reliable.

• To provide an overview of the US legal system
• To provide an introduction to the key resources that are well regarded when conducting legal research

• Practice management and business skills

• the history and facts of the McCabe case
• the role of the court in the adversarial system
• the role of discovery in litigation
• how to critique the role of all parties in the adversarial system
• the problems with the adversarial system
  

• the overriding duty of a solicitor to the court and the obligations this imposes on a solicitor
• the duty of the solicitor to the client including the duty to advise and the solicitor’s duty of loyalty.
• the duty of the solicitor to avoid conflicts of interest

This course presents a practical framework for assessing and resolving ethical dilemmas in a sophisticated manner guided by a circumspect and reflective analysis able to withstand the scrutiny of others and minimise the potential for personal regrets.

• The role of case law and legislation in recent years in relation to directors duties
• The key provisions in the Corporations Act dealing with directors duties and how they have been interpreted by the Court.