The Law Council’s aim is to achieve a nationally consistent approach towards bringing about cultural and attitudinal change within the legal profession with respect to gender briefing practices.

Equitable briefing practices maximise choices for legal practitioners and their clients, promote the full use of the independent bar and optimise opportunities for practice development of all barristers.

The Law Council recognises that it is now appropriate to revise the Model Briefing Policy that was adopted in 2004 in order to ensure there is transparency and accountability in the implementation of that Policy.

The objectives of the Policy are that it will (continue to):

• play an important role in the progression of women in the law, the judiciary and the wider community;
• redress the underrepresentation of women as barristers in Australia;
• acknowledge that diverse groups bring a greater variety of experience and enhance decision making;
• promote the provision of role models for women in the legal profession generally;
• reflect community expectations of fairness in all aspects of the administration of the law; and
• enhance the profession’s credibility by making it more representative of the composition of the community which it serves.