As part of the AALA National Digital Event Series, the Northern Territory Branch presents:

THE CREDIBILITY RULE

The AALA NT Branch is delighted to hold its second CPD event this year! The CPD will be presented by NT Barrister, Mark Thomas.

Time and date: 5.30pm on Thursday, 3 November 2022

Venue: in-person and via MS Teams at Ward Keller's Boardroom on Level 7, NT House, 22 Mitchell St, Darwin CBD

Registration is essential and closes at 11pm on 27 October 2022 (ACST). Online attendees will be sent an MS Teams link prior to the event.

This event is free for everyone, members and non-members across Australia to attend.

This event may also be claimed for 1 CPD point, however discretion must be exercised as to which competency area it falls under (WA practitioners excluded).

ABOUT THE CPD:

This rule is often overlooked, to the detriment of an accused’s case. It is important to identify, firstly, what is the credibility rule and when and why it applies. This is connected both to reasons of policy and relevance. A thorough understanding of this rule and of cases applicable to it is vital in order to competently represent somebody in a contested matter. The CPD is aimed at new to medium experience legal practitioners.

Mark Thomas has appeared in more than 100 jury trials. He commenced his legal career in Sydney as a defence solicitor at the first Aboriginal Legal Service in Australia; then as a prosecutor in DPP Group 6, mainly prosecuting police; before becoming a Crown trial advocate in Campbelltown. Mark moved to the Northern Territory to work as a Senior Crown Prosecutor at the NT DPP, before joining the Independent Bar for the last 10 years in Darwin where he has prosecuted and defended in criminal trials, conducted appellate matters before the Court of Criminal Appeal and High Court, and his practice has involved NT WorkSafe matters and coronial matters.