A forum bringing together members of the junior criminal bar and District Court judges will be held later this month at the Auckland District Court.
The session, scheduled for 24 March from 5.00pm to 7.00pm in the Jury Assembly Room, is intended to give early career practitioners the opportunity to engage directly with judges about courtroom practice and advocacy.
Junior lawyers from across Auckland, North Shore and Waitākere are expected to attend. The forum is primarily aimed at practitioners with five years’ post qualification experience or less.
Judges Kate Davenport KC, Rebecca Lee Guthrie and Paul Murray will lead a panel discussion covering practical guidance on courtroom conduct, including common approaches to advocacy and responding to questions from the bench. The session will also include a question-and-answer discussion followed by smaller breakout groups for more direct conversations between judges and practitioners.
Judge Davenport said the forum was intended to support constructive engagement between the judiciary and the junior criminal bar.
“Early years at the criminal bar can be challenging, and opportunities for junior lawyers to speak directly with judges about courtroom practice are relatively rare,” she said.
The Law Association chief executive Clayton Kimpton said the forum would give junior lawyers the opportunity to hear directly from judges and better understand expectations in court.
“The Junior Lawyer Forum gives young lawyers a valuable chance to hear directly from judges, ask questions openly, and better understand what effective advocacy looks like in practice. That kind of insight early in a career is incredibly beneficial. Supporting initiatives like this, is one way The Law Association backs junior lawyers as they develop their careers.”
It follows a forum with Chief District Court Judge Heemi Taumaunu held at Auckland District Court in February.
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