This past week, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia launched new initiatives to better support children in family law proceedings, and lawyers across the country named their top technology platforms for 2025. Here is your weekly round-up of the biggest stories for Australia’s legal profession.
For the week from 20 to 24 October, these were the 10 most-read stories on Lawyers Weekly (in case you missed them):
1. Practising certificate refused for lawyer convicted of serious offences
The NSW Law Society has published its decision to refuse to grant a practising certificate to a solicitor convicted of serious offences for which he served an 18-month community corrections order.
2. ‘Difficult’ litigant again tries to derail negligence proceedings
A man who dragged his former lawyers through the courts for years and was criticised for his “extremely difficult and abrasive manner” made a last-ditch attempt to derail the finalisation of the proceedings.
3. Trainee lawyer banned from profession after helping brother flee murder charge
A trainee property solicitor has been banned from the legal profession after being convicted of helping her brother flee overseas to avoid arrest for murder.
4. Barrister risks disciplinary action over citing ‘entirely fictitious’ AI-generated cases
A judge has found that an immigration barrister relied on artificial intelligence tools to prepare for a tribunal hearing, resulting in the citation of fictitious and irrelevant cases.
5. Facebook friend, GoFundMe donations behind ‘far-fetched’ recusal application
To support a “fantastical” recusal application, a former prison officer combed through a Federal Court judge’s social media, included images of his family in an affidavit, and used a GoFundMe for his brother-in-law to allege there was a “quid pro quo” with the opposing barrister.
6. Lawyer wins $23k payout in dispute over client funds
Just months after winning the right to keep $91,000 in client funds, a lawyer has now been cleared to transfer more than $23,000 from his trust account to himself.
7. Aussie lawyers name their top legal tech platforms
The Australian legal profession has spoken, naming their top legal technology platforms of 2025 and recognising the tools best driving the profession through this wave of digital transformation.
8. Mills Oakley adds 3 partners
National law firm Mills Oakley has added two commercial disputes and insolvency partners and one insurance partner to its ranks, taking its national partnership to more than 175.
9. 35 general members named to Administrative Review Tribunal
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has appointed 35 new general members to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) for various terms.
10. Kids at centre of new FCFCOA charter
The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia has launched two initiatives for children caught up in family law proceedings.
Jerome Doraisamy is the managing editor of Lawyers Weekly and HR Leader. He is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in New South Wales, and a board director of the Minds Count Foundation.
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