News Archive

Celebrate the end of another successful year with the AALA!

Network with fellow members among cocktails and canapes, courtesy of Manchuria Bar, and discuss what's in store for 2017.

AALA members are welcome to bring friends and colleagues.

Tuesday, 13 December 2016
from 5.30pm

Manchuria
7 Waratah Place (upstairs)
Melbourne

RSVP

This event is free for AALA members (PAYG drinks). Guests of members are welcome. Limited to 100 registrations.

Join the AALA NSW Branch as it closes out a successful 2016 in style!

This is a great opportunity to network with like-minded members in an informal setting and discuss the exciting things in store for 2017.

Date:Monday, 5 December

Time:6pm

Where: Palings
Level 1, ivy
330 George Street
Sydney NSW 2000

We look forward to seeing you there!

Please note: this is a FREE event (PAYG drinks) for AALA members only. Limited to 50 guests.

RSVP

A third-generation Asian Australian’s money is ruled ‘foreign’. An Adelaide-born MP of Asian appearance is asked ‘Where are you from?’. Underrepresented in boardrooms and politics, overlooked despite achievements, Asian Australians are looking for answers – and changes.

The SBS has recently published an in depth article on the Battle of the Bamboo Ceiling. 

The article features interviews with several committee members of the AALA. 

To read the full article on SBS's website, please click here. 

Register

Dear Members,

AALA Executive Committee Member Molina Asthana has been nominated this year for LIV Council Elections. The AALA Committee supports Molina's nomination and is encouraged to see more leadership from culturally diverse lawyers.

For more information about Molina's nomination, please see the flyer below.

 

The Asian Australian Lawyers Association Inc. invites you to its 2016 Annual General Meeting (AGM). The AGM will be held:

Date
Thursday, 27 October 2016

Time
5.30pm (for a 5.45pm start)

Venues*
Corrs Chambers Westgarth - Sydney
Level 17, 8-12 Chifley Square
Sydney NSW 2000

Corrs Chambers Westgarth - Melbourne
Level 25, 567 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

Corrs Chambers Westgarth - Brisbane
Level 42, 111 Eagle Street
Brisbane City QLD 4000

*Please select the appropriate location when registering for the AGM

Please note that the NSW branch meeting will be held immediately prior to the AGM at 5.00pm Thursday, 27 October 2016, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Level 17, 8-12 Chifley Square, Sydney NSW 2000.

Non-members are welcome to attend the AGM but will not be eligible to vote on the items of business.

Members may appoint another Member to attend and vote at the AGM, as the Member’s proxy, by completing a Proxy Form. Completed Proxy Forms must be returned to the Secretary by 5.30 pm on Tuesday 25 October 2016.

Please register your attendance by 5.30pm on Monday, 24 October 2016:

RSVP

Keynote Speaker
The Hon. Adam Searle, MLC
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council of New South Wales

Following the formal AGM, a keynote speech will be delivered by The Hon. Adam Searle, MLC, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council in New South Wales. Inquiries All inquiries should be directed to the Secretary of the AALA, Barton Wu by email to bwu@liv.asn.au or by telephoning (03) 9607 9357.

On 20 September 2016, members of the Asian Australian Lawyers Assocation committee met with a delegation of high profile lawyers from Jiangsu province, China. This event was jointly hosted by the AALA and Piper Alderman, and sponsored by Piper Alderman. 

The Jiangsu lawyers came from 8 different prefectures in Jiangsu province, and were here for a 2 month exchange program at the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre. AALA President, Tuanh Nguyen, warmly welcomed the delegates and presented the AALA lapel pin as a gift to the leader of the delegation, Jiang Weidong and conferred on each of the delegates Honorary Membership to the AALA. Executive Committee Member, William Lye, made the closing speech and gave the vote of thanks.

This meeting aligns with the AALA's objectives of developing links with Asian legal associations and promoting a mutual understanding of Australian and Asian legal systems.

The AALA thanks Ian Nathaniel, Partner and Chair of Diversity at Piper Alderman for his firm's generous support for this event. 

In 2016 Women & Leadership Australia is administering a national initiative to support the development of female leaders across the all industry sectors.

From September 21^st 2016 the initiative will provide women with grants for leadership development. More specifically, grant applications are open for women at three levels. Please click on the preferred program link for details.  The deadline for expressing your interest for this funding in your sector ends on December 15^th.

1. Senior management and executive level women leaders can apply for $8,000 part-scholarships to undertake the Advanced Leadership Program

2. Mid-level female managers and leaders can apply for $4,000 part-scholarships to undertake the Executive Ready Program

3. Aspiring talent and emerging women managers can apply for $3,000 part-scholarships to undertake the Accelerated Leadership Performance Program.

Expressions of Interest

To find out more, please complete the Expression of Interest form here.  

Should you wish to discuss the initiative in more detail please contact Ian Johnson at the office of the National Industry Scholarship Program, Women and Leadership Australia on 03 9270 9016 or via ijohnson@wla.edu.au.

$4,000 scholarships are now being awarded to female leaders across the country to support the nationwide launch of Executive Ready - Women & Leadership Australia's (WLA) new flagship development program for mid to senior level managers.

About the Executive Ready program

Informed by the experiences of hundreds of talented and respected women across all industries, Executive Ready is a leadership accelerator designed to stretch participants and propel them towards executive level performance, behaviours and mindsets. Developed by the country's foremost authority on women leaders and their unique needs, Executive Ready is for women who want to lead more confidently, transform the performance of their team and fully realise their future career/life potential.

The program's content is purpose designed to extend leadership ability in preparation for future advancement. Due to its applied nature and performance orientated outcomes the program is also appropriate for leaders looking to consolidate their current position and independent business owners looking for practical advice and strategy to transform the performance of their staff.

Details about the program can be found on WLA's website at: http://www.wla.edu.au/programs-executiveready.html

Please note: Scholarships cover approximately 40% of the total enrolment fee.

For more information, please contact Nick Williams from WLA at nwilliams@asam.edu.au

On Tuesday 16 August 2016, AALA Executive Committee Members Jing Zhu and Molina Asthana attended “Leading for change- A blueprint for cultural diversity and inclusive leadership” hosted by Corrs Chambers Westgarth. The lunch commenced with an address by Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane on the recently launched Blueprint for Cultural Diversity and Inclusive Leadership. The Commissioner explained the reasons behind the Blueprint, including the need to gather facts and statistical data on people of Asian background in the government and senior levels leadership level. He presented a number of stark pie charts from research conducted for the Blueprint indicating that at

• ASX 200 CEO’s
• Federal Parliamentarians
• Federal Ministry
• Federal and State Public Service Heads; and
• University Vice-Chancellors

there was at most 5% representation from those of non-European backgrounds. These statistics align with the AALA’s own Cultural Diversity Snapshot, released last year looking into the number of lawyers of Asian background at senior levels in law firms, at the Bar and within the Judiciary. This research also showed low levels of representation by those of an Asian background in the senior ranks of the legal profession.

Mr Soutphommasane encouraged setting realistic and meaningful targets, and greater advocacy for cultural diversity, including from senior leaders in the community. He also discussed the concept of a “meritocracy” and that such a concept could only make sense if everyone starts on a level playing ground.

Annette Hughes, Partner and Chair of Diversity and Inclusion Council at Corrs then chaired a panel discussion with Mr Soutphommasane, John Denton, CEO of Corrs and Tasneem Chopra, Cross Cultural Consultant, Author and Curator. Ms Chopra spoke of her own experiences with subtle and casual yet persistent discrimination. She also advocated on the need to have a more culturally inclusive workplace not just because it made good business sense but also as “the right thing to do” because we all live and function in a diverse society.

Mr Denton discussed the importance of not having tunnel vision when it came to diversity. It was important to open up to not just gender diversity but also racial, religious and LGBTI diversity. His view was that in order to create a healthy organisation, we need to respect individuals both in the qualities that make them the same to others but also what makes them unique and different, and celebrate those differences. We should also include those individuals in the goals and ideals of an organisation to drive improvement within the organisation.

Copies of the Blueprint were distributed at the seminar. They can also be accessed at the ARHC website https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/race-discrimination/publications/leading-change-blueprint-cultural-diversity-and-inclusive