17/04/2020

Update from the Executive Director

Leo Cussen is pleased to be able to support the profession during these challenging times by continuing to offer an array of CPD programs and services.

As many members of the profession recalibrate to work from home, and in some cases cope with a downturn in work, we will continue to provide you with relevant CPD programs via live-stream webinar and recorded sessions. Now might be the time to get ahead and complete your year’s CPD requirements, or skill-up in a new area of law that interests you.

Please see our website for our CPD program – and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have questions, or suggestions about programs you’d like to see. We welcome and value your input.

I am also very pleased to say that our PLT courses will continue to be offered as usual, and our July and new August PLT courses are open for enrolment. You can enrol here www.leocussen.edu.au/practical-legal-training/enrol

While we can’t be certain when we will be able to return to our premises at 15 William Street, we can be certain that we can continue to provide you with the products and services that support your legal and professional education.

30/03/2020

COVID-19 Update from the Executive Director

The pace of change in the way we work and live has picked up since my first update, and the challenges for the community continue.

In this environment of uncertainty I wanted to let all our trainees, CPD clients, partners and supporters know that Leo Cussen staff, working remotely since Tuesday 17 March 2020, are continuing to offer our usual suite of legal and professional education services.

Our PLT (GDLP) program is continuing as scheduled, with all Leo trainees receiving the same level of excellent support and guidance from their mentors that they have come to expect, facilitated by our existing online learning system, and some new visits to the zoom rooms….

Our CPD team are delivering livestream webinars and recorded events, keeping the profession up to date with relevant topical programs and developments in the law and legal practice.

Our office at 15 William Street Melbourne remains closed. We will of course continue to monitor the situation, and look forward to reopening when it is safe for everybody to return.

If you have any queries you can contact Leo Cussen as usual, by phone or email, and our staff will be happy to assist you.

We wish everybody well during this challenging time.

Shirley Southgate
Executive Director

23/03/2020

Further to my message earlier this evening, I am pleased to be able to update our COVID-19 status to say that the affected staff member has just informed us that they have not had a positive test for coronavirus infection (COVID-19), contrary to the information provided to us shortly before 5pm today. We are relieved for the staff member that this is the case.

Our number one priority remains the health, safety and wellbeing of our trainees, CPD clients, staff and the Leo Cussen community.

We will not need to take the rigorous lock down precautions that a positive test would trigger. However, as previously advised, our premises will be closed to our trainees, CPD clients and the general public for the time being, and staff are now working remotely.

We will continue to deliver our services during this period, and our programs will continue to run. If you have any queries, you can call or email us as usual and we will be pleased to assist.

We ask that if anybody suspects that they may have COVID-19 and are experiencing symptoms including fever, breathing difficulties, cough, sore throat or fatigue, please follow the latest advice from DHHS, call the dedicated hotlines on 1800 675 398 (Victoria) or 1800 020 080 (national), and seek medical advice and testing.

We wish everybody well during this difficult time.

Shirley Southgate
Executive Director

23/03/2020

Leo Cussen Centre for Law can confirm that a staff member has tested positive for coronavirus infection (COVID-19) today.

Our number one priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of our trainees, CPD clients, staff and the Leo Cussen community. Our thoughts are with our staff member.

Our staff member was last at our premises at 15 William Street on Monday 16 March, on both levels 15 and 16.

We have advised all staff who were present in the building on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 March 2020 to take precautions and self-isolate for 14 days from Monday 16 March 2020 until 30 March 2020.

We will be in specific communication with those clients, trainees and staff likely to have been in close contact with the staff member.

We confirm that the staff member was not unwell or sick when they last attended Leo Cussen. The staff member is at home and self-isolating. We are in contact with them directly to ensure that they are well supported.

We have now evacuated the premises and commenced a deep sanitising clean. The premises will be closed from Monday 23 March and everyone is working remotely.

We will review this requirement at Easter, and let all clients, staff and trainees know of plans after that date.

Fortunately we are able to continue to deliver our services during this period, and our programs will continue to run.

This is a complex global health crisis that continues to evolve. We will continue to act on the advice of the DHHS and we have a team in place working to support all staff and trainees and CPD clients during this time.

We ask that if anybody suspects that they may have COVID-19 and are experiencing symptoms including fever, breathing difficulties, cough, sore throat or fatigue, please follow the latest advice from DHHS, call the dedicated hotlines on 1800 675 398 (Victoria) or 1800 020 080 (national), and seek medical advice and testing.

We wish everybody well during this difficult time.

Shirley Southgate 
Executive Director

20/03/2020

Update from the Executive Director – Leo Cussen programs continue; premises temporarily closed

As we have continued to monitor the evolving COVID-19 situation, we have decided that it is part of our responsibility to limit the potential for the spread of the virus. For that reason we have decided to close our premises at 15 William Street Melbourne for the time being, but continue to run our programs.

PLT

We are continuing to run our Practical Legal Training programs.  Our current online students are completing all the requirements of their Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at distance.  Our current onsite students are now working remotely.  They continue to work closely with their mentors, supported in their learning via livestreaming and video conferencing.

In semester two we will continue to run all of our programs, with our onsite PLT modified to support our students to complete our personalised, high quality course from the safety of their homes until the current crisis has passed.  This course will continue to be suitable for international students requiring an onsite program.

We welcome enquiries from any students needing guidance about their PLT studies, please feel free to call or email us.

CPD

Our CPD Department offers a comprehensive range of Online Pre-Recorded Webcasts to assist you to complete your CPD requirements by 31 March and beyond. New Webcasts are added daily so please check out the Pre-Recorded Webcasts area of our CPD Store.

We are planning to launch our new suite of Livestreamed Seminars from 31 March 2020. These seminars are designed to provide Australian Lawyers with essential legal updates across a wide range of practice areas and skills. These seminars also aim to give you the confidence and reassurance that you are equipped to assist your clients and care for your own wellbeing.  If you would like to receive updates please fill in the form on our homepage to sign up to our mailing list.

We are committed to continuing to provide you with our high quality education services.

Shirley Southgate
Executive Director

17/03/2020

Update from the Executive Director on the Leo Cussen COVID-19 response

Leo Cussen Centre for Law takes the COVID-19 seriously and continues to closely monitor the evolving situation.  

Our priorities remain taking all necessary steps to keep our staff, trainees, clients and visitors safe and well, while continuing to provide the best services possible. 

For that reason, even though we have no reported or confirmed cases of the coronavirus to date, we are taking steps to limit face-to-face contact.  

Our premises at Level 16, 15 William Street are still open, but we ask that you do not attend unless you have a scheduled meeting. 

Most of our staff will work remotely, and we will continue to provide services to our valued clients 

CPD Programs and Traineeship Workshops 

For that reason, as of Wednesday 18 March 2020 we will move as many CPD programs as possible into online delivery mode, both via livestreaming (where available) and pre-recorded CPD Webcasts. You can purchase these via the Leo Cussen website as usual. New Webcasts are being added daily.  

https://store.leocussen.edu.au/?taxons[]=pages/cpd-programs&taxons[]=pages/cpd-programs/type/online-seminars-and-intensives 

https://store.leocussen.edu.au/ 

Traineeship Workshops will be postponed until further notice.  

If you are already booked in to attend a program at our premises we will contact you to notify you about the postponement or available options. 

PLT programs 

Our PLT programs will continue to run uninterrupted, as staff and trainees work remotely via our online learning system. 

Venue Hire 

We will not be taking new venue hire bookings until further notice. 

We will continue to use our instant communication protocols to ensure we are taking the best possible care of each other, our CPD clients and our students, and we will resume access to the premises as soon as it is safe to do so. 

We ask that everyone: 

  • follow public health authorities’ advice. There are links to authoritative information and helpful resources set out below to assist you; 
  • please do not attend Leo Cussen premises unless you have a scheduled meeting or you receive communication that we are open to visitors as usual;  
  • when you are able to return, please use the hand sanitisers in the ground floor foyer and in the public areas of Leo Cussen; 

Our goal is to reduce the risk that anyone at Leo Cussen might contract or inadvertently spread the virus.  

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work together in these challenging times. 

Important links 

 

12/03/2020

Message from the Executive Director

Leo Cussen Centre for Law takes the COVID-19 seriously and is closely monitoring the evolving situation.

We plan to remain open and continue to offer our programs while taking all reasonable measures to keep our staff, trainees, clients and visitors safe and well. This includes offering our programs online via livestreaming where possible.

Rigorous precautions have been implemented for staff, including a non-urgent travel ban, daily health advice updates and instant communication protocols to ensure we are taking the best possible care of each other and our students, CPD clients and visitors.

Everyone can help support Leo’s response by:

  • following public health authorities’ advice. There are links to authoritative information and helpful resources set out below to assist you;
  • if unwell please do not attend Leo Cussen premises;
  • use the hand sanitisers in the ground floor foyer and in the public areas of Leo Cussen;
  • following the latest smart traveller travel advice when travelling and planning to travel – if you are returning from countries that the Australian Government considers to be at higher risk for COVID-19, please do not attend Leo Cussen premises, and follow the precautions set out by the Australian Government Department of Health

 

Our goal is to reduce the risk that anyone at Leo Cussen might contract or inadvertently spread the virus.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work together in these challenging times.

Important links