The annual CPD day for 2021 is scheduled for Saturday, 15 May at the Notre Dame campus in Fremantle.

Although we haven’t settled upon a theme for the event as yet, we are in the process of making arrangements for a DNA expert (and perhaps a crime scene expert) to speak about what they look for, why they look for it, how they do it, and how to interpret the results.  As an adjunct to that, we may assemble a panel of lawyers who will discuss what materials you need for an effective cross-examination, what you might hope to achieve in cross-examination and how you go about it. I suspect that they will also address the fundamental question of whether or not you need to cross examine.

This would tie in nicely with a session on taking instructions from your client and the ethical issues which arise.  (I can just imagine the look of interest on the face of the person who I am proposing to ask to present on this topic!)

There are still a couple of slots in the programme which the Committee has not finally settled.

The committee thinks that it is a good idea to ask members what issues or topics are significant to them is so that we can meet the needs of members rather than always resorting to our own guesses about what you would like.

Rather than inviting comments on a list of topics, the webform survey below allows members to easily submit their suggestions.  Your responses will be considered for stand-alone CPD sessions as well as for inclusion in the CPD event in May.