Congratulations Bar Practice Course 84

The Bar Association of Queensland is proud to congratulate the pupils of Bar Practice Course 84!Over the course of an intensive six-week program, 35 pupils (including two from PNG) undertook rigorous training designed to equip them with the essential skills, knowledge and professional standards required for practice at the Bar.We were delighted to welcome the Honourable Justice David Boddice as the Final Address speaker, whose words of guidance and encouragement provided an inspiring conclusion to the program.The Association extends its sincere gratitude to the Bar Practice Course Committee, the judiciary and members of the Bar for their unwavering commitment, generosity of time and dedication to nurturing the next generation of advocates.Congratulations to all pupils on this significant achievement and best wishes for their future careers!

Antonia BellasDamon BoswellJeremy ButcherHamish ChapmanPaige ChoiSusanna ConnollyFin CullityJack DonnellyBJ DoyleSteven EricksonMarcus FawazMichael HayworthMatt HendrySteve HerdKimberley HutchinsonHannah JamesElsie KarikoShay-Lee LaingMiles LeslieCarson LloydKatherine LongDan MacKenzieMatt McGannBeth McKennaGenevieve MooreTarquin Nesbitt-FosterNic PalmerMichael PottsJodi ProctorMatt PunterJames RigbyKimberley Rogers-FordWill ThompsonEmeteria WaedaSean Williams

Reflections on BPC84by Hannah James, Holmes Chambers

I am from the United States – specifically, the state of Florida. In true Florida fashion, my father is both a minister and a licenced folk-dance instructor. One of these pursuits is a calling – the other, a hobby. However, in order to preserve the humorous and often accurate stereotypes that exist about Florida, I decline to state plainly which activity is which.

Aside from his maintenance of the cultural staple of folk dancing, my father has remained true to his southern upbringing in another way – his weekly sermons are often told through a ‘yarn’ (in Florida, this means a personal anecdote). At his core, my father is a storyteller who warmly invites people to listen to his words and picture themselves within his lived experience. In doing so, he allows them to resonate with the pillars of his message.

In writing this reflection, I am inspired by my storytelling genetics. I am also inspired by one of the many gems of insightful feedback that I received throughout the six weeks of the Bar Practice Course – that you can be a great barrister while still being yourself. Embracing this epithet, I’ve chosen to characterise my reflections upon each week of BPC84 with a quintessential southern saying.

None of the lovely people in my cohort are fortunate enough to share my Florida lineage. However, it is my hope that these sayings accurately reflect the experiences of each and every one of them. As they would say in my home state of Florida, I’m about to tell you how the cow ate the cabbage.

Week 1: Well, I do declare!

As we settled in for the first day of the Bar Practice Course, there was a palpable excitement amongst the 34 pupils of BPC84. During the short breaks between the first day’s scheduled sessions, our cohort eagerly greeted each other – strangers who would soon become close friends.

Unfortunately, the excitement of our group was so tangible that Gail had to remind us numerous times of the Federal Court hearings that were occurring on the same floor as our sessions. I would be lying if I claimed that I had nothing to do with this volume issue.

BPC84 was (and is) a joyous and sometimes boisterous group of operators. This exuberant energy continued throughout the remainder of the six weeks of the course.

Week 2: He’s about as useless as a screen door on a submarine

As week two began, it was clear that our First Appearances were behind us and that the time for assessments had begun. The week was filled with essential teachings on preparing civil trials, writing advices and proofing witnesses. In addition, the quantum workshop held on Friday challenged many pupils to learn and apply information that was entirely new to them. As was the case with all of our esteemed presenters, the barristers leading this quantum workshop tackled our confusion and many questions with patience and perspicuity.

All things considered, week two saw the excitement of the previous week give way to a sense of determination as well as the realisation that, if we were smart, we would spend the next five weeks honing our craft. Unfortunately, the excitement of week one also succumbed to an insidious piece of self-reflection – why am I here, and who am I to claim that I’m qualified to practice as a barrister?

It is this internal dialogue that gives rise to the southern saying in the header of this section. For many of us, the prospect of mock hearings was a daunting one. For all of us, the digestion of the essential knowledge contained in each learning session was beginningto resemble the act of attempting to cover the screen doors of the world’s most poorly constructed submarine.

Week 3: Get to fishing or cut the bait

The saying above epitomises the understanding held by each and every one of the pupils in BPC84 during week three – that it was time to get to work.

This week included mock hearings two and three. Thus, it gave each pupil a chance to display both civil and criminal chops. In addition, the weekend saw the preparation of Advice Number 2, a document that covered liability, evidence, and quantum.

Already, the importance of the knowledge being shared by the barristers and judges who were leading our scheduled sessions was on display. Unfortunately, the sleep deprivation and hours of prep work that would be essential to surviving the course had only just begun.

Week 4: It’s getting pretty hot out there – I just saw a hound dog chasing a rabbit, and they were both walking

During week four, something strange happened, and the sense of change was felt by every pupil in BPC84. This was the last week that involved scheduled learning sessions – yet despite this change to the timetable, there was no sense that the course was going to let up.

The pupils of BPC84 were, in my view, a group of incredibly prepared and ambitious future barristers. The knowledge that this course would be the last opportunity to try (and fail) without real-life consequences was not lost on any member of the group. Thus, the need to run a family law matter, prepare for the AIW, and draft material for mocks five and six led to a sense of concern amongst the members of BPC84 that the work would not get done. However, as is evidenced by the presence of 34 pupils at the Final Address, the work of week four was completed in the way that any urgent work at the Bar is completed – it just was.

Week 5: A trouble shared is a trouble halved

Before you could blink, week five of the course was upon us. However, as the pupils prepared for their final mock hearings, something felt amiss.

With no scheduled learning sessions, it quickly became clear that there would be no daily group meeting for the 34 members of BPC84. Even worse, there would be no roving bands of BPC84 pupils traversing George Street together in order to grab a quick lunch and a coffee. School was officially out, and the kids were left to their own devices.

Despite this change, BPC84 stayed in touch through coffee chats and WhatsApp message groups. For the pupils who were kind enough to field my peppering hypotheticals, there were even a few extremely long phone calls. BPC84 had officially become a group of comrades that some of the strongest military units might envy. Thus, the group continued to share in the work of the course, and continued to embody the collegiality that had been heavily emphasised throughout the sessions of the first four weeks.

Week 6: A thing of beauty is a joy forever

In reflecting upon the six-week bar practice course, it is fair to say that there were many incredible insights and pieces of advice offered by dedicated members of the profession. I had been told to expect collegiality from members of the Bar – however, I was constantly surprised throughout the course by the patience, honesty and enthusiasm of those who volunteered their time in order to guide us through this last hurdle.

Despite the generosity on display, my expectation of the Final Address was that the attendants of this ceremony would consist of the pupils who were graduating and those who were asked to speak at the event. I could not have been more wrong.

As I walked into the Gibbs Room for the Final Address, it was clear that this exalting moment was going to be commemorated – not just by the pupils who had survived the last six weeks, but by many other members of the profession. The room was filled with barristers from all levels of seniority, giving up their time to commemorate this occasion for the achievement that it represented to the 34 pupils.

I do not think that I can write any words that would convey the sense of warmth and welcome that I felt on the day of this Final Address. However, what I can say is that on that day, it became clear to me that the courage needed to do the work of a barrister often comes from the network of support you have behind you.

I will end this reflection with the words of Epicurus – “It is not so much our friends’ help that helps us, as it is the confidence of their help.”