Congratulations to Alanna I., one of our Competitions Officers and member of our executive, on her recent contribution to the Law Institute Journal. Her article on ‘Stopping the clock’ on imposter syndrome is available to read in the September edition or on the LIJ website: https://lnkd.in/greSc2xy
Victorian Women Lawyers
Non-profit Organizations
Melbourne , Victoria 10,017 followers
VWL protects and promotes the interests of women lawyers and engages with the legal and social issues that affect women
About us
Victorian Women Lawyers is the peak organisation for women lawyers in Victoria. VWL members are provided with a professional network and common meeting ground, in which the continuing education and development of women lawyers in all matters of legal interest are encouraged. VWL is dedicated to assisting our members to achieve a satisfying, successful professional life whatever their particular and personal definition of success might be. VWL advocates for the removal of barriers to and increase in opportunities for participation by, and advancement of, women in the legal profession in Victoria. VWL aims to advance equality for women in the legal profession, and to promote the understanding and support of women’s legal and human rights. Membership of VWL is open to anyone (regardless of gender identity) supportive of VWL’s values. VWL’s ethos is that by improving the lives of women working in law we will improve the profession and justice system for everyone. For 2023 VWL’s theme is “community” with a focus on creating a space where our members can make meaningful connections and feel they belong. If you would like to become involved in VWL, we would love to hear from you. Volunteer to join a Committee, plan or host an event, become a sponsor, participate in our mentoring program, or enter our Warren Moot or Expert Witness Competition. You can read more about Committees and initiatives on VWL’s website, or get in touch with us at [email protected].
- Website
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http://www.vwl.asn.au
External link for Victorian Women Lawyers
- Industry
- Non-profit Organizations
- Company size
- 201-500 employees
- Headquarters
- Melbourne , Victoria
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 1996
Locations
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Primary
GPO Box 2314
Melbourne , Victoria 3001, AU
Employees at Victorian Women Lawyers
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Natalie Plumridge
Director - Consumer Data Right at ACCC
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Sophie Lefebvre
Principal Solicitor, Victorian Government Solicitor's Office | Immediate Past President, Victorian Women Lawyers
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Sounita Viravout
Principal Lawyer| Accredited Family Law Specialist | Board Member| NMAS Accredited Mediator
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Judy Nutter
Administration Assistant at Victorian Women Lawyers
Updates
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We are proud to celebrate the hard work of our 2023 Publications Committee and the writers for our 2023 Portia magazine. Today, we highlight Shifa Shaikh's article 'In conversation with Her Honour Justice Patricia Anne Matthews of the Supreme Court of Victoria'. You can read it on our website https://lnkd.in/eN7pnrEt. IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A purple tile with a green centre. The white heading reads 'In conversation with Her Honour Justice Patricia Anne Matthews of the Supreme Court of Victoria'. Underneath to the left is the cover of Portia 2023 featuring a woman dressed in colourful clothes lying on soft fabrics. To the right is a quote from the article reading: “Her Honour… emphasised above all the importance of being respectful and reasonable in one’s conduct as a lawyer. “You might be having a heated argument within a matter but that does not stop you from being polite and courteous and giving ground where you need to. If someone needs an extra day or two to do something, don’t rush off to the Court about that, be sensible, because you might need that the next time”, she advised. “Have a fight when you need to have one but otherwise work it out”, “don’t ruin your good points by putting them among bad points” and “aim to narrow the issues in dispute.” Underneath the quote is the author's name, Shifa Shaikh. At the bottom of the tile is the VWL logo.
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Applications for our professional mentoring program close this week!
Applications are open! With thanks to our event sponsor The College of Law Australia, Victorian Women Lawyers is excited to invite you to the participate in the Professional Mentoring Program for 2024. This program provides a wonderful opportunity for young professionals to connect with and be mentored by lawyers from various practice areas within the profession. The program will include an in-person launch on 10 September 2024 event for mentors and mentees. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from the Program’s patron, the Honourable Associate Justice Mary-Jane Ierodiaconou. Applications for the program will close on Friday 30 August 2024. Places are limited, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Mentees must be members of VWL with less than 5 years PAE and located in Victoria. Mentors must be admitted to practice with a minimum of 5 years PAE. Mentors do not need to be members of VWL (although we do encourage mentors to be members). Apply to be a mentee: https://lnkd.in/gWsWbpcM Apply to be a mentor: https://lnkd.in/gbvdTrhW *** IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A white and purple tile. The green heading reads “VWL invites you to participate in our PROFESSIONAL MENTORING PROGRAM”. Underneath is a cartoon image of people talking at a table, to the left of which is the following text: “Applications to participate in VWL's Professional Mentoring Program for 2024 are now open! The Professional Mentoring Program is designed for VWL members who are law graduates or are admitted to the legal profession with less than 5 years PQE. The Program offers a wonderful opportunity for women lawyers to develop their personal and professional skills by engaging with a more senior and established practitioner. Apply to participate as a mentee or mentor here: https://lnkd.in/e2NV5eWN Applications will close on Monday 30 August 2024 The program is proudly sponsored by The College of Law.” At the bottom of the tile are the VWL and College of Law logos.
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Angela Barac is a Partner at Maddocks, a proud sponsor of VWL. Head to our website to learn a bit more about her journey! https://lnkd.in/gf6fupkq *** [Image description 1: A white, light purple and pale green background. In purple, the heading reads ‘SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT’ with ‘Angela Barac’ in cursive purple underneath. In white, the middle right of the page reads ‘VWL celebrates the achievements and people of our sponsor organisations by spotlighting leaders within their teams. Today we are spotlighting Angela Barac, Partner at Maddocks. You can read more about Angela's career on our website.’ To the left is a headshot of Angela. At the bottom of the image are the VWL and Maddocks logos. Image description 2: The same heading as image 1. Instead of a headshot, underneath is white text on a purple background with a snippet of Sponsor Spotlight responses: "Yesterday ...there is value in being honest and sharing your intentions. We don’t always know what our options are, and during those times we should look for guidance from others... Today ..understanding and valuing each team member’s contribution is crucial and that’s how we support each other to succeed... Tomorrow ...success is very personal so we need to actively support women, with all their wonderful differences, to succeed in the way that they want..." At the bottom of the image are the VWL and Maddocks logos.]
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Victorian Women Lawyers reposted this
It's Equal Pay Day today, and our Commissioner Dr Niki Vincent is here to set the record straight! 💥 We've all heard the myths surrounding the gender pay gap, but how much of it is really true? Tune into our video as the Commissioner debunks some of the most common misconceptions. Share this video to help bust these myths on Equal Pay Day💥 #EqualPayDay
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On 8 August 2024, VWL and sponsor firm Maurice Blackburn Lawyers held the Menstruation to Menopause: Women’s Heath in the Workplace Panel event. The event highlighted the importance of education, policy changes, and open dialogue in creating supportive work environments for women at various stages of their lives. Some of the key points included: - Women often feel uncomfortable discussing menstruation and menopause at work. This lack of psychological safety prevents open discussions, leading to unmet health needs. Current workplace wellness programs tend to be generic, failing to address gender-specific needs. - Education on menstrual health and related conditions is crucial in creating openness. Workplaces should offer flexible working arrangements and create comfortable work environments (e.g., proper seating, ventilation, and adequate lighting) to support women's well-being. - Personal leave laws do not typically account for the menstrual cycle; and reproductive leave policies differ from those in countries like Spain and South Korea. The proposal to introduce reproductive leave in Australia aims to better address women's health needs, highlighting the importance of considering both menstrual and reproductive health in workplace policies. - Misconceptions about periods and reproductive health often lead to discrimination in the workplace. Employees who use their personal leave for these issues may face scepticism, harassment, or even legal challenges. - Employees are encouraged to join unions, which can turn individual issues into collective advocacy efforts. Legal and policy changes are needed to better protect women's health rights in the workplace. - Balancing Work and Health: Women undergoing treatments like IVF often struggle to balance work and health due to the stigma and lack of support in the workplace. Employers should provide flexible working options and create a supportive environment. Thank you to our moderator Joanna Abraham (VWL President), and incredible panellists Jessica Heron (Maurice Blackburn), Imogen Szumer (Maurice Blackburn), Mona Emera (Emera Family Law) and Natalie Moore (Own Your Health Collective). Photos captured by Melissa Hobbs photography IMAGE DESCRIPTION: (1) Event organiser and panellists smiling. (2) Panel mid discussion. (3) The audience listening to the panel.
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On 17 July 2024, the Women in Public Sector subcommittee hosted an online panel event discussing the aftermath of last year’s changes to the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, which imposed a positive duty on employers to eliminate unlawful behaviour relating to sexual discrimination and harassment at work. Our moderator Kiara Wagner was joined by Sharmilla Bargon (Senior Solicitor at Redfern Legal Centre), Melanie Schleiger (Special Advisor, Strategic Advocacy at Victoria Legal Aid), Arlou A. (Education Lead at Racial Justice Centre) and Dana Wintermantel (Lead Counsel at Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office). The panel explored the significance of this change, strategies for compliance, and the duty’s operation from an intersectional standpoint, including opportunities for improved recognition. The event was conducted online, which allowed an exciting opportunity to hear the views of NSW-based panel members and explore the effect of the changes beyond Victoria. A recording of the event is available for members to view on our website. Thank you to our panellists for taking the time to contribute to an insightful discussion, and thank you also to the Victorian Government Solicitor's Office for their support and sponsorship of this event. IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Two screenshots of the event, featuring the five speakers mid discussion.
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Victorian Women Lawyers reposted this
Imagine if the milk options in the office fridge were the actions that employers could take to reduce the gender pay gap. What would happen if your employer just replaced the full cream obvious choice of unequal pay and left the rest? 🥛 This gender pay gap exists because more women are working in lower paid roles and more men are working in higher paid roles. Employers that only address equal pay will not fix the gender pay gap. So what should you do if the gender pay gap has spilled into your workplace? 🫧 Find out where the imbalance is with a gender pay gap analysis https://lnkd.in/gXxE3xwf 🫧 Learn how to take action following that analysis in one of WGEA’s gender pay gap masterclasses https://lnkd.in/gqpFpwtH 🫧 Add your employer data into WGEA’s Action Planning Tool: https://lnkd.in/guXASe-5 to quickly find the areas where you can make a real difference to gender equality 🫧 Stay accountable to your goals with #targetsetting. Learn more about the perks of target setting: https://bit.ly/4fvZvsm Remember you won’t keep employees happy with full cream milk alone. Only 55% of employers conducted a gender pay gap analysis last year. Was yours on of them? Join the #EqualPayDay cause: https://lnkd.in/gQJftVuA #itdoesntaddup #workplacegenderequality #genderpaygap #endthegenderpaygap
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Victorian Women Lawyers reposted this
Congratulations to Fiona McKenzie for her recognition as a Leading Administrative & Public Law Junior Counsel by Doyle's Guide for Victoria 2024. Fiona McKenzie practises mainly in the area of administrative law. In recent years she has focussed on Aged Care work for Aged Care providers who are facing regulatory action by the Department of Health and Aged Care or the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency. View her full profile: https://lnkd.in/gNkxc6HD To engage with Fiona, contact our clerks via: 📞 03 9225 7777 ✉️ [email protected]
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Registrations for the Warren Moot will be closing in a couple of days! Don’t miss out on an opportunity to develop your legal and advocacy skills, with the chance to appear before a three panel bench in the grand final! Register your team or individual interest at our website: vwl.asn.au/projects
Victorian Women Lawyers is proud to announce that registrations for our 2024 Warren Moot are now open and we are excited to announce that in celebration of our ten year anniversary, the Grand Final of the moot will be presided over by a bench of three pre-eminent judges! The Warren Moot is a hallmark of the Victorian Women Lawyers' calendar of events. The competition was named in honour of the former Chief Justice Marilyn Warren of the Supreme Court of Victoria and is designed to provide participants with a realistic experience of courtroom advocacy, including preparing written submissions and appearing before current judicial officers, such as from the Victorian Supreme Court and County Court, Federal Court of Australia and the Fair Work Commission. The Moot will comprise of four rounds over approximately 4 months, commencing in late August 2024. As in previous years, it will challenge participants to engage with diverse areas of law in successive rounds (i.e. commercial law, common law torts, employment law, criminal law, consumer law, etc). However, this year we have designed a unique "rolling" factual matrix from one round to the next to enable participants to focus on building skills in advocacy rather than learning new areas of law. The preliminary rounds are held at the offices of the event's longstanding sponsor, Maddocks, which has supported the Warren Moot since its inception in 2014. A pre-competition launch event will be held on the evening of Monday 5 August 2024, at Maddocks. All participants are invited to attend. The Warren Moot is open to law students, graduates and solicitors. Applications to register to participate in this year’s Moot are now open. More information can be found in the competition flyer. Get in quick – a limited number of spots are available. Teams are limited to a maximum of four members. If you are individual and would be liked to be placed in a team, please email [email protected] to be placed on the waitlist (places are limited and we cannot guarantee a team placement). IMPORTANT DATES: - Launch Event: Wednesday, 5 August 2024 - Final day to register: Monday 19 August 2024 - Round One: Monday 26 August 2024 - Quarter Final: Monday 16 September 2024 - Semi-Final: Monday 14 October 2024 - Grand Final & Presentation Evening: Monday 11 November 2024
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