The QLS Future Leaders Committee (FLC) hosted its first ‘End of Year Social’ last week.
The FLC used this event as an opportunity to celebrate the upcoming festive season and connect with peers, and also to share some exciting future plans and initiatives for the committee. It was a great success with over 100 young lawyers* in attendance at the beautiful Motorwagen on Adelaide Street.
FLC President Minnie Hannaford gave a rousing round-up of what the FLC has accomplished this year, including finalising the strategic plan for 2021-2022. The work of the FLC over the past 12 months aims to develop a generation of lawyers who are:
- Connected with each other, young professionals, and the legal profession
- Capable in skills required to progress and succeed in the legal profession
- Content, healthy and inspired to create and sustain a positive culture and community.
This has been the inaugural year of the FLC and we have hit the ground running!
Here are some highlights:
- The Hub – we were excited to launch The Hub – our one-stop-shop and survival guide for young lawyers, providing them with an expansive database of resources, training, information and updates. Here you can find links to:
- recent and relevant Proctor articles
- resources to help you in your early years of practice, including other relevant organisations from peer networks, professional membership organisations and practical resources for your specific practice area
- a centralised events and education offering where you can reserve your tickets to any events via The Hub
- a wellbeing portal that provides resources you can watch, read or download when you need to check in with your mental health and wellness. This content is free, and it’s available to all young lawyers in Queensland!
- We have also launched our very own podcast – which will be announced shortly! It’s a podcast for young lawyers, by young lawyers where we interview guests from a diverse mix of backgrounds and experiences and gain their insight into the future of lawyering.
- We have liaised at length with the QLS Education team to ensure that there are more accessible and affordable CPD offerings for young lawyers. We have some free and low-cost CPD events coming up in 2022, but there is one event you might be interested in attending in December. Client care skills: How to develop and perfect our skills, on 2 December 2021. This session is designed for lawyers to consider the key matters when taking on a new client (1CPD – $20 for young lawyers but a standard price of $115).
- We have been able to sit as guest members on various QLS Committees to ensure that young lawyers have a voice.
- We have also tried to increase rural and regional connections – two of our FLC members are based in remote locations outside of Brisbane CBD and several members have attended events outside of Brisbane.
That’s not all though! We also announced some of our many plans for 2022, one of which is the inaugural FLC Gala. This will be a black tie extravaganza that is not to be missed – more details to come!
That is all to say, that there has never been a better time to be a young lawyer in Queensland!
Thank you to QLS for the support of the FLC in its first year. We look forward to continuing the representation for young lawyers in 2022!
*Queensland lawyers holding a practising certificate between 0-5 PAE or under the age of 35.
Kate Pidgeon is a committee member of the QLS Future Leaders Committee.
Minnie Hannaford is the inaugural President of the QLS Future Leaders Committee.
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