As convener of the NZBA's Training Committee, I am delighted to launch the first of our proposed seminars for the year "Business Basics for Barristers and Sole Practitioners - How to Make Your Practice More Profitable" to be held on Thursday, 11 March at 4pm-6pm. This is a seminar for barristers and sole practitioners at whatever level - should we incorporate?; what are the rules surrounding conditional fee arrangements?; recent trends towards "value billing" and much more.

Click here for more information about the content of this seminar and registration details

Members will be aware that over the past year or two the Council - via my Committee - is stepping up its commitment to the training and education of the bar - both at the independent bar and in the firms. We are particularly excited this year with a considerably expanded programme including;

"Take the Lead and Shape Your Future" to be repeated in Auckland and for the first time in Hamilton;

"NZBA/CBA Criminal Law Updates" monthly seminars especially developed to assist in the training of the criminal bar starting 27 March;

"NZBA/ESR Forensic Seminars" another series of monthly seminars especially developed for the criminal bar starting 10 April;

"Finding the Facts" a seminar designed for junior and intermediate litigators around the essential facts of the case - particularly focusing on the very important dos and don'ts in preparing written briefs of evidence;

"Understanding Forensic Accounting and Computer Forensics" a series of seminars to assist intermediate and senior litigators in understanding and using forensic accounting to be presented by Deloitte.

We are also looking at a possible repeat of Professor Raymond's very successful seminar "The Art of Written Persuasion"; possibly also an advanced one for junior/intermediate litigators which will build on the Professor's introduction to the "shotgun house" approach in submission writing.

Click here for more information about the NZBA Training Programme

Do check our website from time to time as we update members on our programme for 2010 and remember to update your contact details on the website. In the meantime, any other ideas for barristerial training will always be welcomed by my Committee.

Miriam R Dean QC
President-Elect