New Trial Counsel Development Program Juniors announced

Front row (L–R): Rosalind Avis, Catherine Boston, Amy Brennan, Cynthia Lynch. Back row (L–R): Chief Counsel Tim Marsh, Kelly McKay, Fiona Todd, Abigail Burchill, Practice and Briefing Manager Shannon Dellamarta. Absent: Belinda Franjic

Victoria Legal Aid and the Criminal Bar Association are pleased to announce that new Trial Counsel Development Program Juniors for 2014–15 have been selected.

Those selected from the Bar are:

• Rosalind Avis – Greens List
• Catherine Boston – Greens List
• Amy Brennan – Holmes List
• Belinda Franjic – Holmes List
• Cynthia Lynch – Holmes List
• Kelly McKay – Holmes List
• Fiona Todd – Foleys List
• Abigail Burchill – Howells List (*commenced in the program in mid 2013).

Chief Counsel Tim Marsh said the Trial Counsel Development Program played a vital role in mentoring talented junior counsel.

‘The program aims to provide members of the Bar an opportunity to work with more experienced trial advocates while they transition into trial work.

‘Participants will get the opportunity to cross examine witnesses, make legal arguments and work collaboratively making forensic decisions regarding trials in which they are briefed.

‘We were very impressed by the high calibre of applicants and are particularly pleased to support female members of the Bar who often find it difficult to be briefed in trial work.’

Criminal Bar Association Chair Peter Morrissey SC said the program provided benefits for all concerned.

‘The Criminal Bar Association congratulates those barristers chosen to participate in the Trial Counsel Development Program.

‘The program provides a great learning opportunity for the successful barristers, and a significant benefit for those legally-aided defendants to whose cases they are assigned.’

The successful participants will shortly meet leaders who are involved in the program and the judges before whom they may appear.

They will then be allocated two trials where they can appear as junior counsel. Trials can be nominated by either leaders who are already briefed, juniors who appeared in an earlier committal or by solicitors on section 29A panels. Suitable trials that might be selected for the program include those which:

• will run as a trial and are unlikely to resolve
• will run for one to two weeks and are not necessarily complex
• would not ordinarily attract funding for Junior Counsel
• are ready to start on their listing date
• are listed between October 2014 to June 2015.

More information

Trial Counsel Development Program

Contact

For more information on the Trial Counsel Development Program contact:

• Practice and Briefing Manager Shannon Dellamarta on (03) 9260 0130
• Advocates Clerk Kate McDonald on (03) 9269 0482.