2025 BDLA CPD Event

We are very pleased to announce that our annual CPD Event will take place on the afternoon of Thursday, 27 March 2025 at 1:00pm, just in time for the CPD doomsday clock reset, with a brilliant group of presenters. Afternoon tea and refreshments will be provided.

BOOK TICKETS HERE.

The afternoon will cover all of the non-substantive mandatory areas; Practice Management; Professional Skills; and Ethics. Even if you have already satisfied your CPD requirements, you can get a head start and carry these units over until the next CPD year!

The details for each of the speakers are below.

Sessions

CPD 1: FAIR WORK ACT & RIGHT TO DISCONNECT

Speaker: Mitchell Latham and Alan Ford, Chapman’s List Barristers

This presentation examines Australia's newly established Right to Disconnect provisions under the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes No. 2) Act 2024. As technology increasingly blurs the boundaries between work and personal life, this timely session explores the legal foundations, implementation requirements, and practical considerations for both employers and employees navigating these significant workplace reforms. Solicitors will gain valuable insights into compliance obligations, potential challenges, and emerging case law in this evolving area of employment law.

This session will explore:

• The Right to Disconnect in Australian Employment Law"
• Overview of the right to disconnect and its importance
• Key provisions of the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes No. 2) Act2024
• Steps employers must take to comply with right-to-disconnect provisions
• Overview of employee entitlements under the right to disconnect
• Cases that inform the right to disconnect
• Potential challenges in implementing the right to disconnect
• Summary of key points, including expected developments.

CPD 2: ADVOCACY FOR SOLICITORS AND WHEN TO BRIEF

Speaker: Nicholas Andreou and Mitchell Latham, Chapman’s List Barristers

This session explores the critical decision-making process of when and how to engage counsel, offering solicitors valuable guidance on effective briefing practices and advocacy strategies. Drawing on extensive experience, Nicholas and Mitchell will provide actionable insights into maximising the value of counsel relationships while maintaining cost efficiency for clients, with particular focus on pre-trial negotiations, mediation preparation, and direct advocacy techniques.

This session will explore:

• When should you not brief and when should you brief
• Preparing a brief to counsel: how to nail it
• How to use counsel in an economically efficient way
• How to prepare a mediation brief and how to effectively use counsel in mediations
• How to prepare good solicitors’ letters to resolve matters early / negotiation with your counterpart.

CPD 3: GENERAL ETHICS POINT – ASSESSING CAPACITY & SOLICITOR WITNESSES

Speaker: Mitchell Latham and John O’Halloran Chapman’s List Barristers

This essential ethics session addresses two critical practice areas with significant professional responsibility implications: assessing client capacity and managing situations where solicitors may become witnesses. Mitchell and John will examine legal frameworks, procedural requirements, and ethical considerations to help practitioners navigate these complex scenarios while maintaining professional standards and minimising liability risks.

This session will explore:

• What is capacity and how is it defined
• Engaging medical experts to ensure capacity
• Professional liability considerations for failing to ensure capacity
• Procedural requirements including Order 15 of the Supreme Court Rules and dealing with persons under disability
• Addressing conflicts between advocate and witness roles of solicitors
• Review of relevant cases
• Identifying when it’s ok for a solicitor to be a witness.

CPD 4: PLEADINGS

Speaker: Nicholas Andreou and John O’Halloran, Chapman’s List Barristers

This technical session focuses on the essential skill of drafting precise and strategically sound pleadings. Nicholas and John will identify common pitfalls, clarify procedural requirements, and provide guidance on handling challenging pleading scenarios including fraud allegations and admission withdrawals, equipping solicitors with practical knowledge to enhance their drafting capabilities.

This session will explore:

• Common pleading errors
• Material facts and particulars
• The pleading process
• Allegations of fraud
• Withdrawing admissions
• Striking out