Join the CIJ for Victorian Law Week 2025: Two events exploring justice, connection and community
Each year, Victorian Law Week invites us to consider how the law intersects with our lives — and how it can better serve the people it impacts. Once again, the CIJ is proud to contribute to these important conversations, this time with two thought-provoking events that speak directly to justice, access, and the power of human connection. Whether you’re joining us in person or tuning in online, we invite you to be part of the discussion.
Justice and COVID: Five Years On
Wednesday 21 May | Doors at 530pm | Event 6–730pm (AEST) | In person at Building 80 RMIT Melbourne CBD– and livestreamed online Register now
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way that our justice and service systems operated — with technology stepping in almost overnight to replace face-to-face processes. Some of these changes have endured and some have been abandoned or refined – but what have we really learned from this rapid shift? Did these changes improve access to justice and service support, or simply create new barriers?
Five years on from the pandemic, this panel event, hosted by CIJ Associate Director Elena Campbell, brings together experts across the legal and social justice sectors to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and what should come next. From the dramatic shift in court operations and service delivery to the way in which our statutory and legal systems responded to vulnerable cohorts, this in-depth discussion will explore findings from major current and forthcoming CIJ research reports to shed light on all these questions and more. It will also be a chance to hear from special guest, Human Rights Commissioner, Lorraine Finlay, about the Australian Human Rights Commission’s recent inquiry into the impacts of COVID on our collective human rights. As our ways of working settle into a ‘new normal’, this is a chance to examine how justice can be more responsive, inclusive and humane — particularly for those who have traditionally been excluded or underserved.
Panellists
We are incredibly excited to announce the panellists unpacking these important topics are none other than:
- Lorraine Finlay – Human Rights Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission
- Beth McCann – Director, Centre of Family Research and Evaluation, Drummond Street Services
- Elena Pappas – CEO of Law and Advocacy Centre for Women (LACW)
- Louise Anderson – CEO of Court Services Victoria
Join us for an evening of rich discussion, hosted in person at RMIT Melbourne CBD and livestreamed for those joining us from afar.
Road Trauma and Restorative Justice
Thursday 23 May | 1-2pm (AEST) Online event Register now
Road trauma can leave lifelong impacts — not only for who experienced harm, but also for those who have caused it. Traditional legal responses often fall short of meeting the emotional and relational needs that arise in the aftermath of these incidents.
This lunchtime webinar will explore the potential for restorative justice to offer a more meaningful way forward. Streamed live from TAC headquarters and drawing on the CIJ and TAC’s work in this space, the event will share insights from people with lived experience alongside reflections from industry experts. Together, they’ll explore what it means to take responsibility, seek understanding, and move toward healing — even in the wake of tragedy.
Panellists
This thought-provoking event brings together a group of individuals with rich and diverse backgrounds.
Your Host: Rob Hulls, CIJ Director and former Attorney General
Your Panellists:
- Renee Handsaker – Principal Convenor at CIJ’s Open Circle
- Daina Flynn – Restorative Justice Initiative Lead at TAC
- An individual with lived experience of road trauma and the restorative justice program offered through TAC and Open Circle
This is a unique opportunity to hear about a growing area of justice innovation that centres accountability, empathy, and repair.
Both events are free and open to all. Whether you work in the legal system, have lived experience of justice processes, or are simply curious about how we can do justice differently — we’d love for you to join us.
Let’s use Law Week as a moment to listen, reflect, and imagine something better.