![SA's legal fraternity has agreed in-principle on measures to stop workplace bullying and harassment. SA's legal fraternity has agreed in-principle on measures to stop workplace bullying and harassment.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/40da667d-3ba3-4265-997b-b49585688f8d.jpg/r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A confidential process will be established to allow South Australian legal practitioners who experience workplace bullying or harassment to report the abuse and receive proper support and counselling.
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Supreme Court Acting Chief Justice Trish Kelly has presided over a meeting with key groups in the legal profession to discuss practical ways to encourage reporting of inappropriate behaviour.
Those involved included representatives from the Law Society of South Australia, the Women Lawyers Association of South Australia, the Australian Association of Women Judges and the Adelaide Law School.
They agreed in-principle to measures including development of the complaints process, a need for the issue to be tackled in law schools and compulsory professional development and training for all lawyers.
"The meeting also recognised a need for ongoing training for all practitioners to be undertaken annually and an acknowledgement of their understanding of the obligation they have in reporting inappropriate behaviour," a statement from the Courts Administration Authority said.
"The training would include an individual's responsibility, either as an employer or an employee or simple bystander, in relation to instances of bullying and sexual harassment."
Bullying and harassment in the legal profession came into sharp focus recently after allegations were levelled against former High Court judge Dyson Heydon.
Australian Associated Press