About the Section

Profile

The Business Law Section (BLS) was established in August 1980 by the Law Council of Australia with jurisdiction in all matters pertaining to business law. It is governed by a set of by-laws passed pursuant to the Constitution of the Law Council of Australia and is constituted as a section of Law Council of Australia Limited.

It provides a forum through which lawyers and others interested in law affecting business can discuss current issues, debate and contribute to the process of law reform in Australia, and enhance their professional skills.

The Business Law Section:

  • Prepares more than half of the Law Council's submissions each year, putting the views of the business community and the legal profession directly to the Federal Government and its agencies, and Federal Parliamentary Committees. From January 2009 to December 2009, the Section lodged 46 submissions.
  • Provides a forum for debate of current issues, and assists lawyers to develop and maintain their professional skills and knowledge, through a schedule of regular conferences, workshops and seminars.
  • Represents the Law Council on a number of bodies - for example, the National Taxation Liaison Group and its sub-committees, the Customs and Border Protection National Consultative Committee and its sub-committees and the ASX Corporate Governance Council.
  • Gives its members the opportunity to develop a network of professional contacts in their fields of practice.
  • Gives its members access to a range of discounts and corporate plan arrangements for domestic and international air travel, accommodation, and car rental.

Structure

The Section's membership and activities have grown steadily over the past 30 years. The BLS membership plateaued during the early 1990s and now stands at approximately 1,200 members. It is the second largest Section, with 13 specialist Committees, all of which are now active in most of the mainland capital cities.

  • Construction & Infrastructure Law
  • Corporations
  • Customs & International Transactions
  • E-commerce
  • Financial Services
  • Insolvency & Reconstruction Law
  • Intellectual Property
  • Media & Communications
  • Privacy
  • Resources, Energy & Environmental Law
  • SME Business Law Committee
  • Taxation
  • Trade Practices

The Section has also established two Regional Committees in Tasmania and the ACT.