News and Information

Law Society App

The Law Society App has been released and is available now from the iTunes store for downloading free of charge.

The only other Law Societies elsewhere known to have developed their own Apps are the American Bar Association, New York State Bar and the State Bar of Texas.

The App, which at this stage is only capable of running on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad provides:
 

• A directory (address, telephone and facsimile numbers) of all Adelaide metropolitan law firms,
  regional South Australian firms, Barristers, Barristers' Chambers, Courts, Tribunals and Boards as well as a variety of other organisations. It directly facilitates telephone calls to any of these and is linked to Maps for ease of location and directions;
• Access to the daily Court Cause Lists of State and Federal Courts;
• The ability to sync key lodgement and other dates direct to electronic, compatible calendars;
• Direct access to registration for CPD and other Law Society events and to view individual MCPD records in relation to Society CPD activities;
• Contact details of key personnel at the Law Society and directly facilitating telephone calls or email messages to them; and
• Links to the Society's website, Facebook and Twitter.

It also includes a link for use by non-Members wishing to apply for membership.

Subject to Member demand and budgeting constraints, Android, Blackberry or Windows versions of the App may follow. The iPhone was chosen on the basis of its market dominance. Quotes are being obtained for other versions. To assist the Society to gauge demand, if you use such devices and consider that you would benefit from the Society developing such versions, please email Member Services on email: mcs@lawsocietysa.asn.au and let us know.

In response to requests from Members, the Society is investigating the possibility of including the Cause Lists of the Workers Compensation Tribunal, the Industrial Relations Court and Fair Work Australia.

Members are advised that it is intended to update the information on firms on a quarterly basis – the first update is scheduled to take place in early June.

A special thank you is extended to each of Daniel Kiley of Kelly & Co (for his technical expertise and assistance) and Vice President Morry Bailes (TGB, for all of his hard work, effort and ideas used).

President Ralph Bönig, the Council and Executive of the Society all hope that Members download, use and enjoy this new unique and innovative service to Members.

Please click here to download the App via  the iTunes.
 

South Australia's CTP Insurance Scheme Green Paper

The Society's response to South Australia's Compulsory Third Party Insurance Scheme Green Paper, as submitted to the Department of Treasury and Finance on 27 April 2012, is attached.

 The Society has called on the State Government to advise its position in relation to the Federal Government's proposals for a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and a National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS), and also state how it sees the reluctance of other States (ie Western Australia and Queensland) which do not have a no-fault scheme in place would impact on the implementation of a NDIS or NIIS.

We are indebted to the Chair and Members of the Accident Compensation Committee, Ms Gianna Di Stefano and our President, Ralph Bönig, for their considerable work in putting this submission together. There were a lot of meetings and long hours spent discussing and drafting the response, including during weekends and a public holiday.
 

Law Week 2012

2012 Law Week is approaching and the Society is pleased to be taking a significantly more active role this year by hosting a number of new events and initiatives. The Society looks forward to promoting Law Week and the events and activities available to members of the public.

Law Week takes place throughout Australia in May each year. In South Australia, Law Week is run by the South Australian Institute of Justice Studies and will take place in 2012 from Monday, 7 - Thursday, 31 May. However, the National Law Week runs from Monday, 14th May – Sunday, 20th May.
Law Society Law Week events include:

• Law Society - Mock Trial Competition
• Law Society of 1879: The first fifty years
• Law Society - Will Awareness Day
• Law Society - 'The Law in a Nutshell' - Information Day
• Law Society - Free Basic Wills for Country Volunteers

For further information and registration on these and other events, please click here.