:format():fill())
Jacqueline Dawson, Chair of the Specialist Accreditation Board, opened the conference with the announcement of a groundbreaking new Elder Law program, the first new area of law to join the Specialist Accreditation scheme since 2009.
Dawson stated that Australia’s rapidly ageing population will see the number of over-65s doubling in 40 years. This surge coincides with rising elder abuse cases and increased demand for guardianship services. But while the number of Elder Law lawyers is growing, it’s not keeping pace with the escalating need.
Brett McGrath, President of the Law Society of NSW, said that Specialist Accreditation is vital to the legal profession and “sends a clear message to people who rely on our services, that we are not just trusted legal advisors and advocates, but outstanding in our field.”
“Since the early 1990s it has sent a clear message that we provide the highest level of independent legal advice from solicitors within NSW,” McGrath said.
“And now with the launch of the Elder Law Specialist Accreditation, it sends a clear message that we support people at all stages of their life.”
Justice Julie Ward delivered the keynote address where she stated that “public confidence in the administration of justice is important to the maintenance of the rule of law, one of the most important pillars of a peaceful and democratic society.”
She reiterated that legal practitioners play an important role in ensuring that trust in the law is maintained as solicitors are often the “first real encounter with the legal system for the ordinary citizen…”
Her Honour referred to a recent poll showing low levels of public confidence in the law and the legal system. She said that it is important, as members of the legal profession and representatives of the legal system, to “take steps to rebuild trust in the law.”