Essentials Series

Stay informed and enhance your legal expertise with the ACT Law Society's Essentials Series. Tailored for both new and experienced lawyers, this series covers the most recent updates in law as well as foundational topics across various practice areas. Each session provides valuable insights into key issues, emerging developments and new legislation affecting the legal landscape. Whether you're looking to broaden your knowledge or stay up to date with the latest legal changes, this series ensures you're always in the know. There's something for everyone, from foundational topics to the most recent updates in law.

Thursday 27 November 2025 SCHEDULE 12:30pm - 1:30pm: Enhance Productivity and Profitability through Legal Practice Management presented by Emma Erlach, Smokeball (1 point in core area 2) 2:15pm - 3:45pm: Managing Psychosocial Hazards in Legal Workplaces – It’s the law Employment Law Committee panel - Gabrielle Sullivan, Lachlan McGregor, Laura Wood, Susan Price (1.5 point in core area 2) 4:00pm - 5:00pm: Prosecutorial obligation to disclose – so what’s new? presented by The Hon. Chief Magistrate Walker, ACT Magistrates Court (1 point in core area 4)

DETAILS

• When: Thursday 27 November 2025
• Where: ACT Law Society Training Room  I  Level 1, 5 Constitution Avenue, Canberra  - all sessions are also available live-streamed
• Cost: Discounted registrations for all 3 sessions are available for members: Member - $120, Student & New Lawyer Members - $60
• RSVP: 26 November

Reduced rates may be available to some of our members to ensure equal training opportunities. Please make contact to discuss your eligibility.

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Enhance Productivity and Profitability through Legal Practice Management

In this session, join Smokeball’s Strategic Product and Partnerships Manager, Emma Erlach, for a deep dive into how legal practice management software can elevate your firm’s productivity and profitability.

You’ll learn how to:
• Enhance client experience with streamlined intake and secure communication portals
• Boost profitability through automated time tracking and compliant billing
• Improve productivity with automated workflows and precedents
• Use firm-wide profitability insights to shape smarter business strategies

Plus, discover how AI underpins these capabilities within one seamless platform - empowering you to spend more time on what matters most, practising law.

EMMA ERLACH 

STRATEGIC PRODUCT & PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER  I  SMOKEBALL

Emma Erlach is the Strategic Product & Partnerships Manager at Smokeball, bringing experience from her time working in law firms to drive technology that empowers legal practices.

DETAILS

• When: Thursday 27 November  I  12:30pm - 1:30pm
• Where: ACT Law Society, live streaming option available
• Cost: Members - $50, New Lawyers and Students - $25, Non-members $70
• CPD: Members will receive 1 point in Core Area 2
• RSVP: 26 November
• If you are a practice or office manager but not a member and interested in attending this session please contact our events team for special pricing.

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Managing Psychosocial Hazards in Legal Workplaces – It’s the law

Effectively managing psychosocial hazards is not only a matter of best practice—it’s now a legal requirement. This essential CPD session is tailored for legal practitioners and law firms seeking to navigate the evolving complexities of psychosocial risk management in their workplaces.

Led by Gabrielle Sullivan and joined by Lachlan McGregor, Susan Price, and Laura Wood from the ACT Law Society Employment Law Committee, this interactive session will offer strategic insights and practical tools to help you navigate your obligations under current ACT and federal legislation.

Key Learning Outcomes:
What:

• Understand and define psychosocial hazards
• Interpret legal obligations under current laws
• Identify common psychosocial risks in legal workplaces, such as stress, burnout/overwork, bullying, harassment and vicarious trauma
• Recognise the legal, reputational, and human consequences of non-compliance

How:

• Apply risk management principles to assess, control and review these risks
• Develop proactive strategies and learn best tips to foster a psychologically safe and respectful workplace culture

Whether you're an employee, employer or manager, or from legal practices large or small, this session offers actionable insights to help you create a safer, compliant and more resilient legal practice.

GABRIELLE SULLIVAN

PRINCIPAL  I  SULLIVANS LEGAL CO

Gabrielle is Principal at Sullivans Legal Co. She is an accredited specialist in Employment & Industrial Law. She also has over 20 years experience in the practice of civil law, and is a GAICD qualified company director and long term Doyle’s listed ‘Best Lawyer’.

SUSAN PRICE

PRINCIPAL SOLICITOR  I  WOMEN'S LEGAL CENTRE

Susan Price is the Principal Solicitor of the Women’s Legal Centre ACT’s Civil Practice.   Susan is an experienced employment lawyer who has worked across private practice, in-house, and community legal centre roles.
Susan is also an Honorary Associate of the University of Sydney Business School, and has taught in the areas of change management, employment law, and managing people and organisations.
Susan has experience in not-for-profit governance and was the Chair of Epilepsy Action Australia and Bondi Beach Cottage Inc. (a childcare service and women’s counselling service), and a board member of the Jessie Street National Women’s Library.
Susan is passionate about supporting women in the workforce through opportunity, participation, empowerment, and actions that lead to gender equality.

LACHLAN McGREGOR

ASSOCIATE  I  MAURICE BLACKBURN LAWYERS

Lachlan McGregor is an Industrial and Employment lawyer based in Canberra and practicing across federal, state and territory jurisdictions.
Lachlan advises and acts for employees of all levels in various work-related matters. Lachlan also assists and advises trade unions in a variety of industrial matters and litigation.
Lachlan has previously worked in the union movement for the CFMEU ACT Branch and UnionsACT.

LAURA WOOD

ASSOCIATE  I  MV LAW

Laura is an Associate Employment lawyer at MV Law who passionately advises on and advocates in workplace relations, human rights and anti-discrimination law. She strives to apply creative and practical solutions to resolve legal disputes. She represents employers, employees and contractors in claims of discrimination, Fair Work Commission matters, contract disputes and misconduct investigations. Laura has previously worked at SHG Lawyers, volunteered at the Working Women's Centre and interned at the ACT Human Rights Commission. She is a current member on the ACT Law Society Employment Committee, mentor in the ANU Law MomentuM program and tutors law students.

DETAILS

• When: Thursday 27 November  I  2:15pm - 3:45pm
• Where: ACT Law Society, live streaming option available.
• Cost: Members - $50, New Lawyers and Students - $25, Non-members $70
• CPD: Members will receive 1.5 points in Core Area 2
• RSVP: 26 November
• If you are a practice or office manager but not a member and interested in attending this session please contact our events team for special pricing.

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Prosecutorial obligation to disclose – so what’s new?

The ACT Law Society, in collaboration with the ACT Courts, invites you to attend this important CPD seminar on recent changes to prosecutorial disclosure obligations in the ACT. 
Following the finalisation of the Final Report of the Board of Inquiry – Criminal Justice System published on 31 July 2023, introduction of the Crimes (Disclosure) Legislation Amendment Act 2024, and the development of a supporting Practice Direction, significant changes are on the horizon for legal practitioners in the ACT. 
Key topics will include:  

• The implications of the Board of Inquiry’s Final Report and the rationale for codifying disclosure duties;  
• The scope and content of the prosecution’s disclosure obligations under the new legislation and Practice Direction;  
• The introduction of statutory timeframes, ongoing disclosure requirements, and exceptions; and  
• The introduction of corresponding accountability mechanisms, including court-imposed sanctions for non-compliance. 

This session is vital for legal professionals seeking to better understand how these reforms will change criminal law and procedure in the ACT. 

 

THE HON. CHIEF MAGISTRATE WALKER

CHIEF MAGISTRATE  I  ACT MAGISTRATES COURT

Lorraine Walker is the Chief Magistrate of the Australian Capital Territory. She holds a BA, LLB from the University of Sydney. She was admitted as a solicitor in New South Wales in 1987, and worked briefly as an employed solicitor before joining the Royal Australian Air Force later that year. She served as an RAAF legal officer for 3 years in Melbourne and the Northern Territory. She then relocated to her birthplace, the United Kingdom, where she was employed by the Crown Prosecution Service as a prosecutor from 1990 to 1996. On returning to Australia in 1996, she practised in the ACT as a solicitor for one year prior to being made a partner in a national law firm. In 2000, she commenced at the ACT Bar.
She was appointed to the ACT Magistrates Court in 2010 with a dual commission as Coroner and Magistrate. She was subsequently appointed Chief Magistrate and Chief Coroner in 2011. During this time, she has held the roles of Childrens Court Magistrate and Industrial Court Magistrate.
In August 2019, she was appointed to the ACT Supreme Court as an Acting Judge to establish the Drug and Alcohol Sentencing List. The list commenced in December 2019, and she then recommenced as Chief Magistrate in April 2020 amid the early stages of the Covid-19 crisis.
She has served on the board of the ACT Law Society, the ACT Bar Association, and the Canberra Institute of Technology. She has also tutored at the Australian National University.
Chief Magistrate Walker has a particular interest in the somewhat competing concepts of court efficiency and therapeutic justice.

DETAILS

• When: Thursday 27 November  I  4:00pm - 5:00pm
• Where: ACT Law Society, live streaming option available. 
• Cost: Members - $50, New Lawyers and Students - $25, Non-members $70. 
• CPD: Members will receive 1 point in Core Area 4
• RSVP: 26 November

 

Reduced rates may be available to some of our members to ensure equal training opportunities. Please make contact to discuss your eligibility.