Animal Law Seminar

On 10 July 2014 the Bar Association of Queensland hosted a CPD seminar titled ” PRO BONO – ANIMAL LAW”. In this seminar –

1. Graeme Page QC spoke about the formation of BLEATS (Brisbane Lawyers Educating & Advocating for Tougher Sentences) and the improvement handed down in penalties since BLEATS started in October 2007.
2. Mark Townend the CEO of the RSPCA spoke about the value BLEATS lawyers have been to the RSPCA in terms of prosecutions.
3. Michael Byrne QC talked about prosecuting animal cruelty and neglect matters and he also emphasised the importance of BLEATS pro bono work and pro bono work in general for lawyers to be involved in.
4. The Chief Inspector of the RSPCA Annabel Buchanan talked about the RSPCA and how and why they prosecute offenders of the abhorrent crimes against animal abusers.

As a result of this seminar several more people have joined the BLEATS panel that takes the panel up to almost 500 people in total.

The Bar Association of Queensland thanked everyone involved in including Couper Geysen who assisted in having an attendance of about 60 people saying ” your hard work in preparing and presenting such interesting talks was tremendous particularly in light of other commitments.”

BLEATS especially thank Michael Byrne QC who is always very generous with his time and is currently defence counsel in one of the country’s biggest trials.

Pictured left are Annabel Buchanan and Michael Byrne QC.