Purpose

The Bendigo Law Association Inc. (BLA) aims to support the members of the region across a number of areas:

providing the opportunity to network with practitioners across the Bendigo region and beyond by hosting regular social events such as receptions and dinners for visiting Judges, Magistrates and other legal entities;

building practitioners’ knowledge through continuing professional development seminars (CPD);

supporting regional practitioners with voicing their opinions to the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) and encouraging our practitioners to focus on key issues impacting us as a legal fraternity in a regional area, and being the conduit link to attempting to resolve those issues;

encouraging our practitioners to give back to our local community and supporting not for profit events as well as assisting with the provision of legal services from our local community legal centre;

sharing the benefits offered by the LIV, including CPD events, information sharing, advocacy and policy work in relation to legislative changes and including recommendations to the LIV for support services that regional practitioners would benefit from; and

connecting our practitioners to other institutes providing support including but not limited to our local business council, Victorian Women Lawyers and the Victorian Bar.

The Committee

The BLA Executive Committee consists of a mix of local practitioners from various areas of practice all of varying levels of expertise and age.

Ms Jessica James-Murphy (President)

Ms Madeleine Mein (Vice President)

Ms Jessica Whelan (Treasurer)

Ms Kim Pethybridge (Secretary)

Ms Alex Fitzgerald (Young Lawyers Representative)

Ms Demi Rayner (Young Lawyers Representative)

Ms Juliana Smith

Ms Tristana Freeman

Ms Kelsey Johnston

Ms Kimberley Parker

Mr Alex McLennan

Mr Russell Barnier

Ms Cassandra Coleman

The Association's Rules

To download a copy of the BLA's Rules of Association, click here.

To download a copy of the BLA's Application for New Members form, click here.