SECL: The Magistrates Court: Beginners + Duty Lawyering 101

CPD: 1 point (PS)
Format: In-person and livestreamed
Recorded: Yes, subject to presenters' consent
Thursday 7 August 4-5pm, in-person and via Zoom
The following and more will be covered in this session:
- Understanding the pressure points - the client’s mindset/expectations and the courtroom context.
- How to establish rapport and trust quickly, whilst establishing boundaries. Including how to manage inappropriate requests.
- Managing expectations ethically and efficiently whilst maintaining integrity in a high-volume environment. Including what you can and can’t do in your role as a duty lawyer.
- Courtroom do’s and don’ts such as handling judicial intervention and self-checks.
- Brief explanation of key applications that arise; structuring submissions with impact under time pressure.
Presenters
Magistrate Andrew McKee. Magistrate McKee graduated with a BA/LLB. He was admitted 1991 and engaged in private practice and worked in government. Andrew also worked with LACT as duty Lawyer. He went on to become Principle Crown Counsel at the Office of the DPP where he practiced predominately in civil law. Andrew has been Deputy member, Deputy Chair and Chair of the Parole Board of Tasmania; a member of the Disciplinary Tribunal; and, Vice President of Law Society of Tasmania. Andrew was appointed as a Magistrate in December 2014 and is currently assigned to the Coronial Division of the Court.
Mieka Matimba, Solictor, Hobart Community Legal Service
With a background in infrastructure delivery and stakeholder engagement, Mieke was admitted as a lawyer in 2021 and began working immediately as a duty lawyer at the Hobart Magistrates’ Court. In 2022, she joined Hobart Community Legal Service as a generalist solicitor, practising summary crime, civil, and employment law. Since 2023, Mieke has led the Duty Lawyer Service, providing daily supervision and training to the team of new lawyers who represent approximately 2,500 clients annually, in addition to managing her own file load. In this role, Mieke’s goal is to develop capable and compassionate practitioners who deliver top-quality advice and advocacy to clients with no other means of representation. Mieke is currently a member of the Tasmanian Criminal Law Committee and is deeply concerned about how widening inequality in our community is affecting equitable access to justice.
CPD Points: Any CPD points listed are provided as a guide and registrants should satisfy themselves about the nature and quantity of CPD points they can claim for the activity. Please refer to Practice Guideline no.4 HERE for details.
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Thursday 7 August 4-5pm, in-person and via Zoom