Sexual Harassment Working Group

Sexual harassment of any kind is unacceptable.  For lawyers, it is also conduct that is capable of constituting unsatisfactory professional conduct or professional misconduct.

As part of its ongoing commitment in this area, the Board has convened a working group made up of influential and progressive leaders within the Tasmanian legal profession. The goal and direction of the working group is to identify initiatives to facilitate cultural change regarding sexual harassment in the legal profession in Tasmania. By securing the engagement and commitment of leaders within the legal profession, those important cultural changes in relation to sexual harassment are, in the Board’s view, more likely to be achieved.

Participation in the working group from leading Tasmanian legal organisations, representative bodies and Courts includes; Australian & Tasmanian Women Lawyers, Community Legal Centres, Crown Law, Department of Justice, Equal Opportunity Tasmania, Legal Aid Commission Tasmania, Law Society Tasmania, Magistrates Court Tasmania, Supreme Court Tasmania, Tasmanian Bar Association, Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Tasmanian Legal Practice Course and the University of Tasmania Law School.

In an effort to address this important issue and to provide further guidance to the Tasmanian legal  profession in relation to appropriate standards of conduct, the Board has also developed a statement and fact sheet on sexual harassment. Both publications can be accessed here.