ANNUAL REPORT 2016/17 THE ESSENTIAL MEMBERSHIP FOR THE LEGAL PROFESSION The Law Society of Western Australia Level 4, 160 St Georges Tce, Perth WA 6000 Postal address: PO Box Z5345, Perth WA 6831 or DX 173 Perth Phone: (08) 9324 8600 | Fax: (08) 9324 8699 Email: [email protected] | Website: lawsocietywa.asn.au Contents Contents Strategic Plan 2014/2018 .......................................................2 Construction and Infrastructure Committee...........................38 Membership Survey ................................................................3 Costs Committee ....................................................................39 President’s Report ..................................................................4 Country Practitioners Committee ...........................................40 Chief Executive Officer’s Report ...........................................6 Courts Committee...................................................................41 The Year in Numbers 2016/17 ...............................................8 Criminal Law Committee ........................................................42 Council 2016 ..........................................................................10 Education Committee .............................................................43 Council 2017 ..........................................................................11 Elder Law and Succession Planning Committee ...................44 Governance ...........................................................................12 Employment Relations Committee .........................................45 Executive Meetings ..............................................................14 Environment, Town Planning and Local Government Committee ..............................................................................46 Submissions ..........................................................................15 Ethics Committee ...................................................................47 Nominations to External Boards .........................................16 Francis Burt Law Education Programme and Old Court Sponsors ................................................................................17 House Law Museum Advisory Committee .............................48 Life Members .........................................................................18 General Conditions for the Sale of Land ................................49 Lawyer of the Year Awards..................................................19 Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Committee ................50 Indigenous Legal Issues Committee ......................................51 General Manager Reports....................................................21 In-house/Government Lawyers Committee ...........................52 Advocacy ................................................................................22 Insolvency and Reconstruction Law Committee ...................53 Corporate Services .................................................................24 Intellectual Property and Technology Committee ..................54 Law Mutual (WA) .....................................................................26 Joint Law Society/Women Lawyers Committee ....................55 Programmes ...........................................................................27 Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee ...............................56 Personal Injuries and Workers’ Compensation Committee ...57 Committee Reports ..............................................................31 Professional Indemnity Insurance Management Committee . 58 Access to Justice Committee .................................................32 Professional Standards Scheme Committee .........................59 Accreditation Committee ........................................................33 Property Law Committee ........................................................60 Administrative, Constitutional and Migration Law Quality Practice Standard Committee ....................................61 Committee ..............................................................................34 Taxation Committee ...............................................................62 Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee ............................35 Young Lawyers Committee ....................................................63 Brief Editorial Committee ........................................................36 Commercial Law Committee ..................................................37 Annual Report 2016/17 | Page 1 Strategic Plan 2014/2018 Strategic Plan 2014/2018 The voice of the legal profession Purpose in Western Australia STRATEGIC The essential membership PURPOSE VISION Vision PRIORITIES for the legal profession • Strong Advocacy Strategic • High Value Services Priorities • Organisational Excellence Strong Advocacy High Value Services Organisational Excellence The Law Society of Western Australia is respected as The Law Society stays in touch with members’ The Law Society is considered to be forward thinking the voice of the legal profession. It proactively engages needs and responds with a range of desirable, value and financially sustainable with effective systems. key stakeholders on key issues and facilitates rational adding services and benefits, covering: The Council offers strong, representative and analysis to adopt sensible positions that are sought after collaborative leadership. Priorities are aligned across • information services by members, the Law Council of Australia, government the organisation with resources allocated to areas of and media representatives. The Law Society’s views are • referral and support services greatest need. considered to be well researched, measured, reasonable • education There is a strong and compelling value proposition, and representative. Members are highly engaged in • member privileges supported with a clear marketing strategy to retain committees and working groups. The Law Society is not • networking and social events and attract a growing number of members. This is afraid to speak on controversial issues, but it ‘picks its supported with modern technology and information battles’. It is transparent about why and how decisions • professional indemnity insurance via systems, enabling communication to be responsive, have been made. Opinions are easy to access and well Law Mutual (WA) effective and tailored for individual member needs. promoted via spokespeople, media statements, the • mentoring services website and electronic communications. Staff, committee members and volunteers have The Law Society utilises modern IT and CRM a clear understanding about their role and are The Law Society plays a pivotal role in improving systems to develop and promote customised motivated to achieve the Law Society’s vision. access to justice by encouraging an increasing number services, targeted at various member segments. of lawyers to provide pro bono services and driving a range of public education initiatives. This contributes to improved public perceptions of the legal profession. Page 2 | The Law Society of Western Australia Membership Survey Membership Survey In January 2017, Law Society members and staff were invited to evaluate the Law Society’s performance against a series of key performance indicators in the Strategic Plan. 265 members participated. Organisational Excellence High Value Services (% satisfied) 2017 Score Trend Target 2017 Score Trend Target (% satisfied; % agree) E-newsletters 87% Member satisfaction 83% Brief journal 84% Member Advocacy 80% Regular email information alerts 81% Provides good value membership 65% Continuing Professional Development 74% Strong Advocacy (% agree) 2017 Score Trend Target Community services to celebrate the profession / 73% promote access to justice Has a good understanding 78% of members' needs The Law Society’s website 65% Keeps members well informed about changes Advocacy Training 63% in legislation and key issues affecting the 86% Senior Advisors’ Panel and Practitioner Advice Referral profession 61% Service Is the voice of the legal profession in Western 84% Australia LawCare WA 60% Networking and social events 60% Mentoring programmes 51% Member Privileges 50% Find a Lawyer 48% Grad-Match 33% Target achieved Target not achieved Annual Report 2016/17 | Page 3 President’s Report 2017 marks the Law Society’s 90th anniversary. to adopt the Future of the Legal Profession as a the adoption of the Legal Profession Uniform strategic campaign which commenced during the Law 2014 relating to the regulation of the legal Since its humble beginnings in the old Supreme year under review. profession which subsequently, on 1 July 2015, Court library, where a group of around 30 legal came into force in New South Wales and Victoria. practitioners gathered nine decades ago to form a As was noted at the Law Society’s Law Week new association for lawyers in Western Australia, breakfast in May 2017, ‘disruption, ‘big data’ and Following the election of a new State Government the Law Society has evolved as the leading, and ‘artificial intelligence’ are among the many buzz in March 2017, the Law Society commenced by far the largest, organisation for members of words and catchphrases which have in recent steps to progress its recommendation. the legal profession in this State, with a record times increasingly punctuated debate about Towards the end of 2016/17, the Law Society was membership of over 3,800 in