April 09 Around the States - South Australia

 

ALPMA (SA) commenced the 2009 year in February with a very successful Seminar on Delegation Skills which was presented by Allison Kerr, of Oztrain. The seminar was very well attended with about 40 participants, of which many were legal practitioners.  Allison was a very engaging speaker who gave lots of practical examples of how being a good delegator would look in the workplace, compared to just handing over work, or doing it yourself because “its quicker in the end”.  Good delegation skills are about long term productivity gains, and about investing in the development of your staff.

 

In March we hosted the University of Adelaide for an information session on their Arts Internship Program.  This program has considerable potential for value to firms. Selected undergraduates in their final year of a Bachelor Degree in the Humanities and Social Sciences are given the opportunity to elect to engage in a specified project relevant to an organisation and of interest to the student.  Students’ projects are selected according to the needs of the organisation and the specific skills of the student.  The student reports back to the organisation and also presents the project for assessment towards their degree.

 

On April 1st (!!) Cecelia White from the SA Office of the Commissioner for Equal Opportunity presented to the HR Discussion Group on the state’s equal opportunity and discrimination legislation, with particular emphasis on inappropriate behaviour in the workplace.  She examined the legal responsibilities of managers and supervisors under the legislation and how early prevention and good complaint handling practices can benefit employers and employees.  Cecelia gave many useful insights into the causes and effects of, and solutions for, bullying and other such inappropriate behaviour.  The session was particularly interesting with some spirited questioning and discussion being generated.

 

Planned for later in April is a seminar by Michael Jenkin of Business Technology Partners on the use of technology by generation “Y”.  This will explore the extent to which workplaces may or may not allow their staff to engage in electronic social networking and the like.  This also promises to generate spirited discussion.

 

 

The ALPMA SA Committee members for 2008-09 are:

 

Robert Gunn (Chair), Business Manager, Belperio Clark;

Julie Barry (Secretary), Office Manager, O’Loughlins Lawyers;

John Pederick (Treasurer), Practice Manager, Pederick Lawyers;

Shelley Dunstone, Legal Circles;

Trevor Stanbury, General Manager, Andersons;

Karen Lane, Precedents Manager, Piper Alderman;

Robyn Clissold, Office Manager, Camatta Lempens.

 

ALPMA SA is sponsored for 2008-09 by McArthur Management Services (Lawstaff), Complete Office Supplies and Lexis Nexis.