e progress made by South Australia's legal profession in tackling bullying and harassment will be evaluated in a follow-up review, commissioned by the Attorney-General, starting today.
A 2021 review, undertaken by then-Acting Commissioner for Equal Opportunity Steph Halliday, found discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying were prevalent in the legal profession. There were 16 recommendations made to improve both organisational and workplace culture within the legal profession.
The 2024 follow-up review will be undertaken by Commissioner for Equal Opportunity Jodeen Carney and Assistant Commissioner Colin Marsh. Mr Marsh had also worked on the 2021 review. As recommended in the 2021 review, this review will focus on the effectiveness of the laws, policies, structures and complaint mechanisms for harassment and bullying.
The review will also address the extent and effectiveness of changes made as a result of the 2021 review.
Feedback is sought from:
- People who practise the law
- People who work, or who have worked in a workplace that provides legal services over the past 3 years
People can have their say through an online survey via https://bit.ly/legalprofession-review or by providing a written submission to [email protected] by Sunday 31 March 2024. Responses will be confidential.
As put by Kyam Maher
We will always stand up for workers' rights, and everyone working in the legal profession has a right to carry out their work free from harassment, bullying and discrimination.
I strongly encourage those eligible to take part in this review to ensure that our state's legal profession is a safe and fair place to be employed.
This follow-up review will provide us with important insights into the impact of the changes being made, both in the private and public sector.
As put by Equal Opportunity Commissioner Jodeen Carney
This is an opportunity for anyone who works, or who has worked in legal workplaces over the past 3 years to have their say.
The 2021 review had a strong response from employees in the legal sector and I'm keen to hear whether significant improvements have been made.
I invite anyone who works in the legal sector to share information about their more recent experiences, as well as the efforts made in their workplaces with respect to education and training, policies and complaint mechanisms.
We welcome any questions and feedback about the review.
