Description
The Bar Council Child Rights Committee is organising an introductory workshop for lawyers on holding a watching brief.
This interactive workshop will cover the following topics:
(1) Introduction
- What is a watching brief?
- What is locus standi?
- What are the differences between watching brief lawyers and amicus curiae?
(2) Rationale for holding a watching brief; the role of the lawyer
- The watching brief as a tool for the protection of vulnerable victims / witnesses in the criminal justice system
- Who are vulnerable victims / witnesses?
- Understanding the challenges faced by vulnerable victims / witnesses in the criminal justice system (eg re-victimisation)
(3) Overview of applicable international treaties and conventions
- Convention on the Rights of the Child, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Facilitating access to justice
Speaker
Goh Siu Lin, Messrs Kee Sern, Siu & Huey
Goh Siu Lin graduated from the University of Bristol, England. She is the Immediate Past President of the Association of Women Lawyers. She has an active law practice with emphasis on banking litigation, contentious probate disputes, adoptions and matrimonial disputes with an international jurisdictional flavour. She has held watching briefs for the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (“JAG”) in several landmark cases involving interfaith conversion custodial disputes, citizenship for stateless children, and a domestic violence murder trial. She advocates and lobbies for law reform in child and family legislation. She is the Co-Chairperson of the Bar Council Family Law Committee, and Co-Deputy Chairperson of the Bar Council Child Rights Committee.
Sharmila Sekaran, Messrs Jerald Gomez & Associates
Sharmila Sekaran studied law in the United Kingdom, and graduated with an Honours degree in law and economics. She was admitted as an Utter Barrister to the Bar of England and Wales, and is a member of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, London. She was admitted as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya, and her area of practice focuses on intellectual property rights. She has an active corporate advisory and general litigation practice, and also provides legal advice in family law matters.
Sharmila is a co-founder and the founding Chairperson of Voice of the Children, a child rights advocacy group that raises awareness on all issues affecting children in Malaysia. She has been appointed onto a number of special task forces to advise the Malaysian Government on appropriate laws and policies to ensure the protection of children. She is also regularly invited to speak on issues on adoption, citizenship, juvenile justice, and rights of children and families, as well as on access to justice, intellectual property enforcement and protection, and data protection, both locally and internationally.
Sharmila has been a speaker and trainer at the human rights workshops organised by the Bar Council, Kuala Lumpur Bar Committee, and Selangor Bar Committee. She is a founding-director and trainer of Loyarburok and LB Training.
Terms and Conditions
Please contact the organiser for further Terms and Conditions.
