Defence

Corporate Services and Infrastructure

Advice at hand with new legal services panels

by Sascha Steward

Defence and Legal Services Panel representatives.
Back row (L to R)—Lynn Peever (Director of External Legal Services), David Laidlaw (Maddocks), Peter Gosling (Australian Government Solicitor), Chris Davis (McInnes Wilson), Anthony Willis (Phillips Fox), Geoff Wilson (Dibbs Abbott Stillman), Denis Gately (Minter Ellison), Tony Coburn (Freehills), Alexandra Wedutenko (Corrs Chambers Westgarth) and Bill Conley (Blake Dawson Waldron).
Front row (L to R)—Robert Cameron (Abbott Tout), Doug Jones (Clayton Utz), Mark Cunliffe (Head Defence Legal), Alan Henderson (Deputy Secretary Corporate Services), Gillian Marks (General Counsel DMO), Philip Battye (Ebsworth and Ebsworth), Paul Kenny (Allens Arthur Robinson) Edwina Menzies (Deacons) and Anne Dalton (Sparke Helmore).
Photo provided by Public Affairs

On 19 April 2006 the Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon. Sandy Macdonald, announced the new Defence Legal Services Panels. This announcement followed a complex tender process conducted by Corporate Services and Infrastructure Group's (CSIG) National Operations Division. The new Defence Legal Services Panels comprise 15 law firms across 16 separate panels based on areas of legal expertise.

The new panels, which commenced operation on 1 June 2006, will be managed by CSIG's Defence Legal Division, with the exception of the Strategic Commercial panel, which will be managed by the General Counsel Division of the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO).

Defence Legal held an induction seminar at Old Parliament House on 5 May 2006 for representatives of the 15 law firms appointed to the new panels. The primary purpose of the seminar was to familiarise the panellists with Defence and its business needs in order to enable them to make an immediate contribution to minimising Defence's legal risks. It also provided an opportunity for panellists to meet with key personnel from the department, receive an overview of the governance arrangements for the panels, and gain an appreciation of relevant policies and procedures.

The induction seminar was opened by Deputy Secretary Corporate Services, Mr Alan Henderson, and hosted by Head Defence Legal, Mr Mark Cunliffe. Over 95 representatives from the panellist law firms and 45 Defence personnel attended throughout the day.

The seminar consisted of presentations in the morning from Mr Mark Cunliffe; Mr Martin Dunn, Acting Assistant Secretary Corporate Governance and Renewal Branch; Ms Lynn Peever, Director of External Legal Services; and Mr Tim Scully, Head Defence Security Authority.

In the afternoon attendees formed several focus groups to discuss significant areas of legal expertise, including infrastructure, workplace relations and litigation. The focus groups were facilitated by key Defence personnel who are also subject matter experts in these areas.

Mr Iain Anderson from the Attorney-General's Department attended the seminar and gave a presentation on the new Legal Services Directions. Given the importance of the Legal Services Directions, an invitation to attend the presentation was opened up to all of the Defence Legal Canberra office.

The DMO held a presentation at the conclusion of the seminar for those law firms that will be providing services on the Strategic Commercial panel. Presenters included Dr Stephen Gumley, Chief Executive Officer DMO, and Ms Gillian Marks, General Counsel DMO.

The feedback from the day was positive, with many firms stating that they now have a better understanding of the Defence structure and environment.

The seminar was followed by a presentation to Defence by personnel from the Directorate of External Legal Services on 9 May 2006. Around 90 Defence personnel attended the presentation to learn more about the new legal panel arrangements, the service delivery model and associated policies and procedures.

Where to from here?

The Directorate of External Legal Services will continue to provide Defence with information about the new legal services panels and service delivery model.

If you have any questions about the new panels please contact the Directorate of External Legal Services' helpdesk on (02) 6266 8949 or email dels.defencelegal@defence.gov.au.

Sascha Steward works in CSIG's Directorate of External Legal Services.

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