Access to commercial law expertise in Papua New Guinea is set to improve after close to 80 aspiring lawyers received training in modern commercial litigation practise from a team of judges and lawyers recently.
Seventy-eight students, including 34 women, from the Legal Training Institute (LTI) were given instruction in key areas of commercial law during the four-day workshop, including how to apply for court injunctions and how to prepare for trial and mediate on commercial law cases.
The workshop was developed and led by a team of 11 judges and lawyers from the Queensland Bar Association in consultation with LTI staff.
This is the sixth workshop of its kind after its initiation by Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia and Justice Logan in 2013, to help meet PNG’s rapidly growing need for skilled commercial lawyers.
Speaking at the workshop’s closing, the Chief Justice encouraged the students to consider practising commercial law, and praised Justice Logan and the Queensland Bar team for volunteering their time and expertise.
Similar sentiments were shared by Queensland Counsel, Mal Varitimos, who said he saw “great potential” in those attending the workshop, and urged them to seize the opportunity to “make a positive contribution to the administration of justice, the Rule of Law and the people of Papua New Guinea”.
He further said that about 600 PNG law students had received instruction in commercial law advocacy since the workshop’s inception five years ago – more than half the number of lawyers currently certified for practise in PNG.
Representing the Australian High Commission, Law and Justice Counsellor, Gina Wilson said it was particularly pleasing that an increasing number of women were embarking on a career in law.
Sharon Peri was one of the students who successfully completed the course, and found the practical nature of the sessions to be very useful, complementing other training she received at the LTI.
The workshop was supported by the Australian Government through the Justice Services and Stability for Development Program.
(Trainee lawyer Sharon Peri makes a point of law during a discussion at the Commercial Litigation and Advocacy Workshop at the LTI)