It is the bane of every employee, lawyer or recruiter’s existence when preparing employment advertisements. As they say, ‘the devil is in the detail’.
Attention to detail has been defined as thoroughness in accomplishing a task through concern for all the areas involved, no matter how small. We imagine you arere all familiar with the need for and the consequences of a lack of attention to detail. We don’t propose to go into that here.
But how do you improve your attention to detail?
Here are 4 practical tips to improve your attention to detail:
1. Read and re-check your documents - Sometimes the simplest solution is the most practical. There is no substitute for hard work and even in documents filed in Court, mistakes appear. Whilst there is no guarantee that reading it 5 times will make it perfect, the document is likely to be 40% better than after reading it 3 times.
2. Read the document you are referring to - Every time you refer to another document in your communications including emails, letters or submissions make sure to have it open in front of you. This should be applied vice versa as well, if your opposition refers to a document open it and have it in front of you. You will never misquote a document again and you will pick up every time your opponent does, which could make all the difference.
3. Look up the relevant section – Even if you have read it 50 times that day, can perfectly quote it, or you can see it when you close your eyes, still look up the section whenever you or another person refers to it. No one’s memory is perfect, and you will avoid silly mistakes in exchange for an extra 40 seconds of effort.
4. Double check the document you are enclosing - Open the document as it is attached to your email or before sending in a letter. A quick scroll through a document to be enclosed within a letter or attached to an email will pick up any formatting errors, subject line errors, lack of a signature and any one of 146 possible mistakes. Further, you can then be certain of what will be received.
Most of the time these things will not affect the outcome of a matter in the real sense but one day they may, and you will not find out until after the fact. Therefore, do not make the mistake of taking a short cut because it may save time. Your client will appreciate it being done right the first time, rather than there being a mistake that may not be found until it is too late.
Author: Ben O'Brien
A career in law is a marathon not a sprint. If you're interested in reading my ideas that might help you create a professional network to support your professional (and personal) wellbeing and development then read below.
STEP 1 – BE AUTHENTIC
Networking is not meant to be hard; it is meant to be enjoyable and beneficial. Think about who you are as a person and who you are as a lawyer, the 2 sets of values should align.
Create a profile so that people can find you and which you can use to connect to other people in the industry who you might want to connect with. It is important to update your profile as your career progresses and your objectives change. LinkedIn is an example of a platform that you can use to connect and share your journey as lawyer.
STEP 2 – BE ACTIVE
Build your community of people. Your community can be people you meet at events, where you volunteer and/or work colleagues. They might be podcasters, bloggers and writers of articles that interest you. Social media is great for making connections as you have access to a wide network of people at your fingertips.
Attending in person events is also important. These can be through local community groups, business forums and of course, your local District Law Association. Don’t be afraid to go alone, introduce yourself to the hosts and tell people that you are new to networking or that group. People will usually go out of their way to make you feel welcome.
STEP 3 – ASSESS
Time is our most precious commodity. It is important to reflect on how much time you are spending at in person events and social media networking. Are you building relationships with people who you feel will support you and you can learn from? Do you need to consider expanding your network into other areas? If there is no group in your area maybe create one.
Finally, I suggest that you build your network before you need it.
African Proverb
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”
Author: Joelene Nel
The GCDLA’s mentoring program has been around for about 8 years now. It was started to assist Gold Coast Lawyers Achieving Development, which gave the program its name (“GLAD”).
The GLAD program is fantastic and has continued to evolve over time. This year, I joined the program as a “mentee”. You may ask ‘why would I join as a mentee despite starting my law career back in the last century (just... in 1999)’? The answer to that question is because I realized there is still so much I can learn from others.
In 2023, I started my own law firm which came with a massive learning curve and many new challenges. As a new business owner, it felt like I had entered a whole new universe. Having a sounding board to bounce ideas off (or to check if you’re heading in the right direction) is a godsend!
So, when applications opened for 2024 and the GLAD program needed more mentees, I instantly signed up and was lucky enough to be assigned Derek Cronin as my mentor. How lucky am I?!
Derek and I meet regularly for lunch and touch base with each other. The GLAD program has given me someone that I can reach out to when I need help, and who encourages me to push the needle forward.
For example, I didn’t have a website for my new business. I hadn’t really needed it to attract work since I had a steady stream of referrals (mostly from other lawyers who trust me to look after their injured friends, family, or clients). I was grateful for the support of the local legal fraternity in helping my fledgling firm get clients through the door. I was as busy as I wanted to be, so the website development was low on my priority list.
Derek helped me see the importance of having a website in a different light. He challenged me to avoid decision paralysis on picking a website developer, securing a logo and just get the website done. We also had frequent interesting discussions on lessons he had recently learned about how to write the website including the importance of tailoring your website to match your ideal client and audience while also showing your brand and personality.
Derek’s encouragement and mentoring served as an accountability measure. I shifted my focus on my priorities and got moving. I am now proud to say that I have a completed website that reflects me and helps people get to know me. It still needs some work, but it exists! Done is better than perfect! For those playing along, it’s www.tclegal.com.au.
So, if you’re a more “seasoned” lawyer and want to be involved in a structured but still pretty cruisy mentoring program and don’t want to feel like you’re imposing on another practitioner when you need a sounding board, I encourage you to consider enrolling in the GLAD program in 2025! I’m certainly glad I did.
Author: Anna Morgan
Director of Take Control Legal
The increasing demand and popularity for vaping across age groups have led the Government to begin taken new measures to restrict and deter individuals from vaping.[1] Vapes can still be purchased at pharmacy’s, however, individuals will now require a prescription.[2]
The new legislative amendments are provided under Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Bill 2024, which has passed both houses on the 27 June 2024.[3] The bill seeks to amend the following legislation:
· Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (Cth);
· Customs Act 1901 (Cth)
· Industrial Chemicals Act 2019 (Cth)
· Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023 (Cth).
The amendments to the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (Cth) include, s 41Q, s 41QA and s 41QB; which provides that it will be considered an offence to import, manufacture or supply vaping goods in Australia unless the person has gained consent from the Secretary under s 41RB.[4]
Further information regarding the Bill and the amendments that will be coming into effect can be found on the Parliament of Australia website under Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Bill 2024.[5]
Author: Lara-Jane Mackie
[1] Sarah Swain, Daniel Jeffrey. (2024). ‘What is going on with Australia’s vaping laws?’. 9 News. <https://www.9news.com.au/national/vaping-laws-australia-new-vaping-laws-aim-to-stop-young-people-using-harmful-devices-explainer/5ed575aa-e9c2-4983-8740-737c701b6464>.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Bill (No 50) 2024 (Cth).
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
As lawyers, trainees and law students we should always strive to improve in our skillset, knowledge and attributes. There is always lots to learn in the legal professional!!
GCDLA's committee member Joelene Nel has created a list of the top 6 take aways from 2024's Meet The Judiciary event hosted by GCDLA, which resonated strongly with her.
This list was comprised after listening to the speeches of the judiciary members in attendance and these point could not have been stressed enough!
Key Takeaways
1. Be organised - this is evident in how you engage with the Court. The more organised and prepared you are, the better the impression you leave. 2. Be flexible - Take chances that might not seem to be directly in line with where you are heading. 3. Take work and yourself seriously, but not too seriously ;) 4. Make it easy for the Court to follow your submissions - e.g. prepare an index of exhibits, paginate and use headings. 5. Put your camera on when doing online Court appearances - the Judiciary like to see who is addressing them, just as if you were in Court in person. 6. For family lawyers - when preparing Parenting Orders, consider putting the Orders relating to respectful communication and non-denigration closer to the top. These concepts / orders are important in the post separation, co-parenting relationship.
Dear Members,
The GCDLA committee has been approached by the Southport Magistrates and District Courts Support Staff to check whether any practitioners are missing out on their (the Courts') outgoing general email communications. If you have not been receiving regular emails from the Courts please email GCDLA so as your email address can be informed to the Courts' Staff and their lists for practitioners seeking communications.
The email to use is: info@gcdla.com.au
The committee will then send the addresses to the Court for inclusion in their distribution list.
Many thanks and thank you to the Court staff for offering to assist in this fashion.
We were very pleased to welcome our cohort of commencing students in Orientation week with on campus events at the Gold Coast on Monday 17 February and at Nathan on Tuesday 18 February. Our students participated in information sessions, followed by campus tours, meeting their student mentors, lunch and a Q&A session.
We were then pleased to host all of our commencing students, from both the Gold Coast and Nathan, at an event held at the Banco Court on Friday 21 February, where students were welcomed to the legal profession as ‘legal professionals in training’.
The Honorable Justice Mullins welcomed the students to the court, while Dominic O’Sullivan QC welcomed them on behalf of the Bar Association, and President Luke Murphy welcomed them on behalf of the Queensland Law Society.
Students then heard from a range of our alumni about their many and varied careers. We had presentations from Erin Mitchell, Director at Potts Lawyers; Fiona Lubett, commercial barrister; Rikki-Jane Buckland, lawyer at Gold Coast Community Legal Centre; Dean Clifford Jones, Parole Board Queensland; Brad McNamara, now a lawyer but talking about working as a Judge’s Associate to a Court of Appeal Judge; James Kerr, in house legal counsel; and Dr Kate Van Doore on working as a legal academic. Students had lots of opportunities over morning tea and lunch to speak with all of our presenters, and many told us that they came away feeling very inspired about where their law degree might take them.
At Griffith Law School we not only teach our students what the law is but also to think critically about law and where it is or is not serving the cause of justice; and to use legal skills and knowledge to make a positive difference in the world.
We are extremely proud of our many wonderful alumni who are always keen to give back and to support and nurture the next generation of Griffith Law School students. They remain part of our Griffith Law School community and support the school in numerous ways for the benefit of our students, whether it is coaching competitions, mentoring students, or giving our students work experience or internship opportunities.
For me, one of the great privileges of being a law school academic, has been teaching and getting to know many fabulous Griffith Law School students and then following their brilliant careers after they graduate. We have alumni working as barristers, in law firms, in corporations, in government, international non-government organisations, all over the world. I was delighted to catch up with many of them at alumni events in Singapore and London last year.
There will be another excellent opportunity for all of our students to network with the legal profession at our “Meet the Profession” event at the Banco Court on 12 March.
Associate Professor Therese Wilson
Dean of Law and Head of School
Griffith Law School
Thank you to everyone who joined us at the first Gold Coast District Law Association mentoring breakfast for 2020.
Our mentors and mentees have now been paired up and have had an opportunity to meet each other at this first event, we are excited to learn, share and grow with each other this year.
The GCDLA mentoring program is called GLAD - Gold Coast Lawyers Achieving Development and we are all looking forward to building new relationships with fellow colleagues in our legal profession on the Gold Coast and developing our personal and legal skills.
GLAD is now in its 4th year having seen nearly 100 participants engage in the program.
We are grateful for the continued support of the Queensland Law Society in this initiative.
Who is your Silver Sponsor; Express Settlements….
Our Mission - ‘Providing Financial Breathing Space’
We work closely with our partner law firms in order for us to find the right solution for us to add value to both the firm and your clients financially. We offer funding solutions for Personal Injury and Compensation sector primarily, to also include, Family Law, Wills and Estates, including Property.
Our solutions for the funding of disbursements and outlays are:
Our PRE and POST Settlement Funding is a service we provide to your clients, to help relieve pressure at a time of great stress by providing financial breathing space.
Should you wish to find out more then please feel free to reach out to me at rscott@espresssettlements.com.au or give me a call on 0428 455 312.
We look forward to supporting the GCDLA and getting to know the committee and members over the coming months.
Many thanks – Rachel Scott - CEO
Events
GLAD - GOLD COAST LAWYERS ACHIEVING DEVELOPMENT - 4 Feb 2019
MEET THE JUDICIARY BREAKFAST - 8 Feb 2019