InBrief

The current Reconciliation Plan reflects a lengthy and ongoing commitment of and the various steps being taken by the New South Wales Bar Association to address the substantial under-representation of First Nations barristers at the NSW Bar. The primary support mechanism is through the Indigenous Barristers Trust the Mum Shirl Fund (the Trust) which principally provides financial and other critical support to new First Nations barristers. The Trust has been generously supported by barristers and the judiciary since its inception in 2000.

The Trust usually makes a few grants each year to law students who aspire to practice as advocates but who needed to overcome significant financial disadvantages preventing them from completing their law studies. These grants make a significant difference to ensure that these students complete their law courses and in due course can achieve their dreams of practising at the Bar. A few grants each year are also made to young solicitors to attend advocacy courses to increase their professional skills for when they join the Bar.

Trustees of the Indigenous Barristers’ Trust are:

• Chris Ronalds SC
• Arthur Moses SC
• Tony McAvoy SC
• The Hon Justice Michael Slattery

One activity of the Trust is to annually fund two First Nations law students from each law school in NSW to the National Indigenous Legal Conference, which is not only a career development opportunity but also a wonderful opportunity to build important networks with fellow First Nations law students and lawyers from across Australia and demonstrate the many different areas of practice available for First Nations lawyers. This year the conference was hosted by the University of Western Australia and was held in Perth from 25 to 26 September 2018. The students sponsored by the Trust to attend the conference this year are:

• Jude Barlow Charles Sturt University
• Eliza McCabe Southern Cross University
• Karen Gotts Southern Cross University
• Odette Brown University of Newcastle
• Gabrielle Hinchey University of Newcastle
• Olivia Henderson University of Technology Sydney
• Lehman Reti University of Technology Sydney
• Ebony Adams University of New England
• Mollie Jackson University of New England
• Tiarni Herczeg Macquarie University
• Alanna Reneman Macquarie University
• Emily Bushell UNSW Sydney
• Ashelee Christian UNSW Sydney

Click here to see a photo of the students who were at the conference in Perth this week.

The fund has tax deductible gift recipient status as a public benevolent institution under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth). Contributions of $2 or more are allowable deductions for income tax purposes. Click here to make a donation.