NSW Regional Women Lawyers Inc (‘NRWL’) was established in 2023 by a group of energetic regional women lawyers who are working to ensure that those practicing in regional, rural and remote (RRR) NSW have the same benefits and opportunities as their city colleagues. NRWL has established representation in the Central West, the Far West, the Illawarra, the Southern Highlands, the Hunter, the Central Coast and Western Sydney and many of the RRR areas.

This conference on 1 March 2024 in the New England High Country at beautiful Armidale, offers a great environment for networking and an opportunity to top up your CPD points. Our dynamic and diverse program includes some amazing speakers and well-known lawyers who are experts in their field.

Download Full Conference Program

Networking Drinks - Thursday 29 February 2024 at Rydges Armidale

Join us from 5.30pm for networking drinks at Rydges Armidale . Purchase your own drinks.

Networking Dinner - Thursday 29 February 2024 at Rydges Armidale

Join us for at 7pm for a networking dinner at Rydges Armidale. Bookings essential and limited - $70.00 inc GST for 2 courses with dinner guests receiving a 10% discount on accommodation at Rydges Armidale.

Conference 1 March 2024 - Join us for speakers and panel discussions on

How women in the regions can achieve the same benefits and opportunities as their city colleagues when working in the law.
Transforming sexual harassment culture in rural and regional areas
Climate Change litigation and careers in environmental law
Multi-party disputes in Building and Construction Law and the Design and Building Practitioners Act
Costs Assessments – what, when, why, how?
Blockchain in rural and regional legal practice
Financials of running a regional law firm
Recruitment and retention of lawyers in rural and regional legal practice
Career pathways – from the bar and bench for regional women lawyers

Travel and accommodation

• Situated within a day’s drive or short flight from Sydney and Brisbane, getting to Armidale is easier than you may think. Trains stop daily at Armidale, and the journey from Sydney takes around six hours. You can also fly into Armidale Airport and hire a car to explore the region.

The Armidale region boasts spectacular waterfalls, gorges, world-heritage national parks, cool-climate vineyards and a fascinating and diverse cultural heritage.

Accommodation in Armidale suits various budgets and ranges from camping and holiday parks to relaxing. Visit https://www.visitarmidale.com

CPD - COLLECT 5 CPD POINTS - in-person and online event

$295 MEMBERS, $345 NON-MEMBERS, $150 STUDENTS + BF VIA HUMANITIX

Registration cost includes attendance and catering for lunch, morning and afternoon tea.

PROGRAM

Opening	Mark Perry, UNE Head of Law School
Keynote Address	Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Judge Jane Costigan
Session 1	Associate Professor Skye Charry, University of New England	Working with Perspective to Transform Sexual Harassment Culture in Rural & Regional areas
Session 2	Kirsty Ruddock, Managing Lawyer Environmental Defenders Office Safe Climate Corporate & Commercial team	Climate Change Litigation – Careers in Environmental Law
Morning Tea
Session 3	Nicole Armitage, Solicitor & Costs Assessor	Costs Assessment – when, why, how
Session 4	Lisa Coates, Principal/Director Lodestone Law & Lecturer in Law, Charles Sturt University	Blockchain in rural and regional legal practice: a Window into the future
Session 5	District Court Judge Robyn Tupman	Women in Law – inside and outside the Court room – from Afghanistan to Australia.
LUNCH	AFTER LUNCH
Session 6	Heather McKinnon, Partner Bryant McKinnon Lawyers and Charlotte Egan, Director Booth Brown Legal	Financials of running a regional law firm
Session 7	Laina Chan, Barrister – 2 Selborne Chambers	Extending the reach of the law of negligence: Multi party disputes and the Design Building Practitioners Act
Session 8	Haley McEwan, Senior Solicitor, Mid North Coast Community Legal Centre & Judith Harrison, Senior Lecturer ANU College of Law	Recruitment and retention of lawyers in regional and rural NSW
Closing	Michelle Meares, President of NRWL and Barrister, 2 Selborne Chambers

TICKETS: IN-PERSON AND ONLINE. BOOK EARLY AS TICKETS ARE LIMITED. TICKET PRICES INC GST.

JOIN US! If you share our goal of working to ensure that women lawyers practicing in regional, rural and remote NSW have the same benefits and opportunities as their city colleagues, then join us – membership forms here or visit www.nrwl.org.au Lawyers $55 inc GST; Students/Associates $22 inc GST valid to 30 June 2024. We hope to see you at the conference, online or in-person.

What did people say about our inaugural conference?