Vaughan Roles

Vaughan's statement in full

I have served one term on the Law Society Council and seek your support for a second term. I can guarantee you my nomination for Law Society Councillor is different to everyone else standing for election - for this reason alone I ask that you read on. I am totally blind and work as a criminal litigator appearing almost daily in the Local and District Courts. I move between courts with my guide dog Scooter. I read the material using a computer with screen reading programs and a Braille printer when required. Essentially, I work the same way in courts as you do - I just do it a bit differently. The embracing of difference and the ability to think outside of the square equip me well to continue to represent you on the Law Society Council.

I stand for fairness for all. I'm committed to being personally available and contactable by members and will listen and advance your interests. Some of the things I would like to see receive focus are:

• Work with the Law Society to lobby government for an increase in funding for Legal Aid and the DPP to allow additional legal officers to be hired to manage workloads in the criminal justice system and the Family Courts.
• Greater emphasis on workload across all areas of practice.
• Work with the Law Society to improve programs that up-skill and assist solicitors in small and sole practices to adapt and grow with the changes in the economic environment.
• Work with the Law Society to investigate how to level the technology divide between small and sole practices and larger law firms with an emphasis on cyber security and artificial intelligence.
• Ensure a high standard of approved professional indemnity insurance established by lawyers for lawyers supporting the legal profession with a mutual insurer model.
• Greater wellbeing and business management support for sole practitioners and lawyers in small firms.

Professionally, I bring 27 years' experience as a solicitor to the Council, working across Crime, Family and Civil litigation - in private practice until 2007 and government practice until today. My work in government legal practice with Legal Aid NSW has predominantly involved criminal law. My keen interest in issues of Civil Litigation and Family Law however remains.

Membership of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee over the past 6 years and Criminal Law Committee for 2 years has given me significant insight into the workings of Law Society committees. My current projects on these committees include improving physical access to courts for people with disabilities and the under-employment of persons with disabilities in the law. I am also part of a committee assisting with the development of new and more relevant Practical Legal Training in Criminal Law.

Away from work, I have been fortunate to have an elite sporting career representing New South Wales from 1992 to 2002 before taking a career and family break. I resumed my cricket career in 2016 with New South Wales and continue to represent the state. I represented Australia as a bowler in the Australian Blind Cricket team from 2016 until my retirement in 2022, playing in 2 world cups, one Ashes series and other international fixtures. The skills acquired in this high-performance environment are apposite to a role on the Law Society Council. Working within a team environment, strong communication skills, adherence to deadlines, discipline and a good work ethic transfer easily to roles on Council.

My board experience has involved three years of service with the Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychology, Psychiatry and Law, 2 of these as President. From 2019 to 2022 I held an appointment as a member on the Riverside Theatre Advisory Board appointed by Parramatta Council. This period transcended the closure of arts facilities during the Covid-19 pandemic which required significant strategic input from the advisory board.

I am a sole parent of one adult and one teenage child - tension created by balancing a demanding work role with parenthood is all too familiar to me. I will do whatever I can to advance the position of those with carer responsibilities within our legal profession.

I regularly volunteer in other roles within our community. I am a strong believer in the philosophy that well-rounded individuals are best placed to contribute to the work of the Law Society. I seek your endorsement.