Thoughts on the new Mental Health & Cognitive Impairment Act and how it is working in the Local Court

Jane Sanders is the principal solicitor of The Shopfront Youth Legal Centre, a free legal service for homeless and disadvantaged young people, based in inner-city Sydney. The Shopfront provides court representation and other legal services to young people with high and complex needs who cannot effectively access Legal Aid and other mainstream legal services.Jane is an accredited specialist in criminal law and children’s law. She has almost 30 years’ experience appearing for children and young adults in criminal matters in the Children’s, Local, District and Supreme Courts. Of necessity, given the composition of her client group, Jane has become an expert in diversionary procedures for people with cognitive and mental health impairments.Jane's role also includes providing legal education and in campaigning for law reform on issues that affect young and disadvantaged people. She is an active member (and now the Chair) of the NSW Law Society Criminal Law Committee and also sits on other committees and working groups.

In 2008 Jane was awarded the NSW Law and Justice Foundation’s Justice Medal, for “outstanding individual achievement in improving access to justice, especially for socially and economically disadvantaged people”. In 2014 she received the Terry Keaney Memorial Award for “dedication to the profession, excellence as a criminal lawyer, commitment to clients and concerns for social justice”.

This event will follow the ANZAPPL NSW Annual General Meeting 2022. Please click here for further information about the AGM.

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