Free online anti-harassment training launched by The College of Law and International Bar Association to make cultural change in the #MeToo era

SYDNEY, May 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Bar Association ^[1], The College of Law Australia ^[2] and The Legal Policy & Research Unit ^[3] have collaborated to develop a set of e-learning modules designed to assist individuals and organisations make the changes recommended by the 2019 landmark report Us Too? Bullying and Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession.

Since the #MeToo movement brought sexual harassment into the international spotlight in 2017, it has become clear that bullying and sexual harassment are endemic to many workforces worldwide. The legal profession is certainly not immune from these issues.

In 2018, a global survey found that bullying and harassment are rife in the legal sector. The survey found that one in two female respondents and one in three male respondents had been bullied in connection with their employment. One in three female respondents had been sexually harassed in a workplace context, as had one in 14 male respondents.

Free-for-all e-learning modules address bullying and harassment topics

The e-learning modules ^[4] cover information, data and examples contained in the report. Learning is supported by quizzes, videos and animations. All modules will be free to access.

Topics focus on bullying, sexual harassment, the role of individuals in driving positive change, and considering the importance of workplace action.

Neville Carter, Chief Executive Officer of The College of Law, said:

"Bullying and sexual harassment have no place in any profession. We are committed to providing our sector with the support it needs to improve its culture and practices. The 2019 report emphasised that frequent, high quality training is needed to address inappropriate workplace behaviours, which is why The College of Law is making the modules we have developed in collaboration with the IBA free for all individuals and organisations."

The training modules contain more than a dozen videos. Among those to feature in the training are:

Julia Gillard AC, former Prime Minister of Australia
Kate Jenkins, Australia's Sex Discrimination Commissioner
Dame Laura Cox QC DBE, Retired Justice of the High Court of England and Wales
Justin D'Agostino, Herbert Smith Freehills Hong Kong
Laura King, Clifford Chance, London
Deborah Enix-Ross, Chair, IBA Bar Issues Commission Policy Committee and of Debevoise & Plimpton, New York City
Claudia Benavides Galvis, Baker McKenzie, Bogota
Yosbel A Ibarra, Member, IBA Law Firm Management Committee Advisory Board and of Greenberg Traurig, Miami
Rachel Eng, Eng & Co, Singapore
Fiona McLeod SC, Co-Chair, IBA Diversity & Inclusion Council and of the Victorian Bar, Melbourne
Hanim Hamzah, Co-Chair, IBA Law Firm Management Committee and of ZICO Law Network, Kuala Lumpur
Iain Miller, Membership Officer, IBA Professional Ethics Committee and of Kingsley Napley, London
Sharon P Masling, Morgan Lewis, Washington DC

ENDS

Notes to the Editor

For information on the Us Too? Bullying and Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession campaign, visit the IBA website at www.ibanet.org/bullying-and-sexual-harassment.aspx ^[5]
The College of Law ^[6] is the school of professional practice for lawyers in Australia and New Zealand. It is also the largest provider of practice-focused legal education in Australasia. The College of Law's mission is to deliver innovative, practice-focused and flexible education and training to enhance the careers of professionals in the legal services industry. The College of Law has been at the forefront of practical legal education since 1974.
The International Bar Association ^[7] (IBA), the global voice of the legal profession, is the foremost organisation for international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. Established in 1947, shortly after the creation of the United Nations ^[8], it was born out of the conviction that an organisation made up of the world's bar associations could contribute to global stability and peace through the administration of justice.
The IBA Legal Policy & Research Unit ^[9] (LPRU) undertakes research and develops initiatives that are relevant to the rule of law, the legal profession and the broader global community.