Victorian Bar
Encyclopedia
The Victorian Bar is the bar association
for the Australia
n State
of Victoria
. Its members are barrister
s registered to practice in Victoria. On 19 January 2006, there were 1627 counsel practising as members of the Victorian Bar. Once a barrister has been admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Victoria
, he or she is usually eligible to join the Victorian Bar. The Victorian Bar is affiliated with the Australian Bar Association
and is a member of the Law Council of Australia
.
The first association of barristers in Victoria was formed in 1884, although the first barristers admitted to practice in Victoria were appointed in 1841. A group of barristers composed rules of practice and regulations for interacting with solicitor
s and clients. On 20 June 1900 an official Bar Council was established, and a Bar Roll was started. By 1902, all barristers practising in Melbourne
had signed the Roll. To this day, new barristers sign the Roll once they are admitted to the bar.
Barristers' Chambers Limited (BCL), a company owned by the Victorian Bar Council, owns a number of complexes of barristers' chambers in Melbourne
. It was established in 1959. Many barristers have their chambers in these complexes. The Owen Dixon
Chambers East and West and the Douglas Menzies
Chambers, both located directly opposite the Supreme Court building in William Street
, are owned by BCL.
Due to changes in the Legal Profession Act introduced by the Kennett Liberal State Government many barristers at the Victorian Bar have opened their own chambers which operate independently from BCL. The leading independent chambers are Chancery Chambers, Melbourne Chambers and Dawson Chambers. There are at least 11 sets of independent chambers now in Melbourne.
In 2001, the Victorian Bar launched a Legal Assistance Scheme in association with the Public Interest Law Clearing House
, in order to coordinate pro bono
work among barristers in Victoria. Chief Justice of Australia
Murray Gleeson
praised the Bar for its effort in "making access to justice not only a catch-phrase but a practical reality for many people."
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
for the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n State
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. Its members are barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
s registered to practice in Victoria. On 19 January 2006, there were 1627 counsel practising as members of the Victorian Bar. Once a barrister has been admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Victoria
Supreme Court of Victoria
The Supreme Court of Victoria is the superior court for the State of Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1852, and is a superior court of common law and equity, with unlimited jurisdiction within the state...
, he or she is usually eligible to join the Victorian Bar. The Victorian Bar is affiliated with the Australian Bar Association
Bar council
A bar council , in a Commonwealth country and in the Republic of Ireland, the Bar Council of Ireland is a professional body that regulates the profession of barristers together with the King's Inns. Solicitors are generally regulated by the Law society....
and is a member of the Law Council of Australia
Law Council of Australia
The Law Council of Australia is an association of law societies and bar associations from the States and territories of Australia, and the peak body representing the legal profession in Australia. The Council was formed in 1933 to unite the various state legal associations, in order to represent...
.
The first association of barristers in Victoria was formed in 1884, although the first barristers admitted to practice in Victoria were appointed in 1841. A group of barristers composed rules of practice and regulations for interacting with solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
s and clients. On 20 June 1900 an official Bar Council was established, and a Bar Roll was started. By 1902, all barristers practising in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
had signed the Roll. To this day, new barristers sign the Roll once they are admitted to the bar.
Barristers' Chambers Limited (BCL), a company owned by the Victorian Bar Council, owns a number of complexes of barristers' chambers in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. It was established in 1959. Many barristers have their chambers in these complexes. The Owen Dixon
Owen Dixon
Sir Owen Dixon, OM, GCMG, KC Australian judge and diplomat, was the sixth Chief Justice of Australia. A justice of the High Court for thirty-five years, Dixon was one of the leading jurists in the English-speaking world and is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever jurist.-Education:Dixon...
Chambers East and West and the Douglas Menzies
Douglas Menzies
Sir Douglas Ian Menzies KBE , Australian judge, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia.-Biography:Menzies was born in Ballarat, Victoria, in 1907. He was educated at Hobart High School and Devonport High School in Tasmania, before returning to Victoria to study at the University of Melbourne...
Chambers, both located directly opposite the Supreme Court building in William Street
William Street, Melbourne
William Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs roughly north-south from Flinders Street to Victoria Street, and is located in the western half of the Hoddle Grid....
, are owned by BCL.
Due to changes in the Legal Profession Act introduced by the Kennett Liberal State Government many barristers at the Victorian Bar have opened their own chambers which operate independently from BCL. The leading independent chambers are Chancery Chambers, Melbourne Chambers and Dawson Chambers. There are at least 11 sets of independent chambers now in Melbourne.
In 2001, the Victorian Bar launched a Legal Assistance Scheme in association with the Public Interest Law Clearing House
Public Interest Law Clearing House
The Public Interest Law Clearing House is a not-for-profit legal referral service, operated from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. PILCH coordinates pro bono legal assistance for Victorian not-for-profit organisations and individuals...
, in order to coordinate pro bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
work among barristers in Victoria. Chief Justice of Australia
Chief Justice of Australia
The Chief Justice of Australia is the informal title for the presiding justice of the High Court of Australia and the highest-ranking judicial officer in the Commonwealth of Australia...
Murray Gleeson
Murray Gleeson
Anthony Murray Gleeson AC QC is a former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.-Biography:Gleeson was born in Wingham, New South Wales, the eldest of four children...
praised the Bar for its effort in "making access to justice not only a catch-phrase but a practical reality for many people."
External links
- http://www.vicbar.com.au/ - the Victorian Bar's website
- http://www.commbar.com.au/ - Commercial Bar Association of Victoria website