The Challenge of Sentencing Offenders

Sentencing offenders is a complex affair. It challenges judges, defence counsel and prosecutors to get it right. The sentences that result are part law, part art and part wrong. Here is a story about one of mine (I was defence counsel, not accused).

I returned to my chamber, a space not deserving of the ‘s’ that bestows dignity. The floor scattered with briefs, each marked by pink ribbon, like land mines. The desk cluttered and the bookshelves ordered chaos.

Late afternoon light sneaks through the towers to my small window. No match for the cold buzz of the fluorescent light that flattens and sanitises everything.

Ten Common Blogging Mistakes.

What is your blog about? Good question. Some lucky little bloggers can answer this question with ease: Sailing the Pacific. Rocket science made easy. Fruit as pets.

Good luck to them, with their passion and clear vision of what to say and show.

They know what they are blogging about. I don't. Not for sure anyway. Not yet.

Barrister or Barista?

Barristers are supposed to like words. After all, without them we’d have no excuse to wear our gowns and wigs in public. So you might be surprised to learn that some counsel dislike words, or practice as if they do. Clogging submissions with such dross and confuscation as to make them meaningless.

Even barristers who like words can get things wrong. Trials happen in real time and sometimes shit happens. (This phrase has Prime Ministerial approval in Australia)

How to Beat Bullying. I have a dream.

Before Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, there was face-to-face bullying. Sometimes, fist-to-face bullying. Blood and bruises atop confusion, tears and shame. Here is my experience of old school bullying, and my sick, unlawful and moderately evil hope for the future.