Legal Laneway Breakfast brings together legal community

The rain did not stop more than 300 members of the legal sector coming together on Wednesday morning to celebrate the start of the new legal year at the annual Legal Laneway Breakfast.

Sheltering under umbrellas, the audience of judges, magistrates, barristers, solicitors, staff from the courts, community legal centres, law faculties and students, were formally welcomed by Victoria’s Attorney-General, the Honourable Martin Pakula MP, the Hon Hartley Hansen QC and Executive Director of Victoria Law Foundation Joh Kirby. Spirits were not dampened by the weather and the relaxed atmosphere provided a great opportunity for networking.

A raffle for charity The Footpath Library, which promotes the benefits of reading and connection by giving books to homeless people, raised $700. Prizes were generously donated by Kirk’s Wine Bar, Aligned for Life Pilates, Arts Centre Melbourne, Zoos Victoria, XGolf Malvern, Kaya Health Clubs, Leo Cussen Centre for Law, Peninsula Hot Springs, Toscano’s of Kew and Cacao.

Victoria Law Foundation hosted the breakfast with the support of Australian Women Lawyers, Judicial College of Victoria, Leo Cussen Centre for Law, Sentencing Advisory Council, Victoria Legal Aid, Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, Victorian Law Reform Commission, Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner, Victorian Women Lawyers, Women’s Legal Service Victoria, and the Young Lawyers Section of the Law Institute of Victoria.

Conceived as an alternative to the traditional church services marking the start of the legal year, the Legal Laneway Breakfast, now in its 13th year, is the biggest and most inclusive networking event in the legal calendar.