By Wendy Yang -
Legal practitioners may choose to obtain Specialist Accreditation for different reasons. For some, it is the next step to furthering their career and broaden their practice.
The blue Specialist Accreditation logo allows clients and the broader community to recognise and identify those who have been Accredited as Specialists in their area of practice. For others, it’s an opportunity to connect with other Accredited Specialists within their area of practice and across different areas.
The annual Specialist Accreditation Conference provides a forum for Accredited Specialists to come together to network, share ideas and to keep on top of emerging issues or hot topics. For Nick Birbas, partner at Newhouse & Arnold Solicitors, the conference provides an opportunity for practitioners like him to connect and to enhance their knowledge in their practice area.
Birbas was admitted as a solicitor in 1998 and became an Accredited Specialist in business law in 2013. After reflecting on his practice and his experience, Birbas realised he had sufficient experience to consider “taking the next step” and the benefits of obtaining Specialist Accreditation were clear.
“[O]ne of which was the [additional] study that was required to obtain the accreditation and also getting up to date with the latest in the law concerning commercial businesses and that involved many aspects including areas of tax, employment law, corporations’ law, contracts and the construction of contracts…,” he says.
The road to becoming an accredited specialist can be challenging. However, Birbas felt it was something he needed to do to service his clients better and to set himself apart from others.
He says that he, or his clients, would come across solicitors who professed to be experts or “specialise” in a particular area, however they lacked the accreditation. “[I] felt that [was] a differentiator that I wanted to have and that is to say, ‘well don’t trust me, it’s not what I’m telling you, it’s what the Law Society recognises and has either accredited me or accredited another practitioner in respect to the knowledge that has been tested and attained’…,” he says.
Birbas emphasises that attending the conference provides a valuable opportunity to network and connect with other Accredited Specialists. “[I]t’s good to … familiarise yourself as to who is in the space and the different specialty areas and often, we refer work to each other as well …
“For example, if I had an ACL (Australian Consumer Law) consumer law claim or a tax claim, I would refer it to an Accredited Specialist who is doing more of that work, as opposed to me doing commercial contract, franchise law and vice versa. They would refer things like that to me,” he says.
He adds the conference offers “real specialty and niche topics” that are not offered as part of the standard continuing professional development program and it provides an opportunity for practitioners to keep abreast of the latest developments as well as the emerging trends in topics that are difficult to find outside of the Specialist Accreditation Conference.
Birbas will be presenting an informative session on the latest developments in franchise law with John Gooley, barrister at 153 Phillip Barristers. “We’ll look at cases surrounding unconscionable conduct that has a franchise flavour. …
“I will go into other areas of the franchise code, what we’re seeing [play] out in the real world in respect to what franchisors and franchisees are experiencing, how they’re being applied and certain work around as to what practitioners should be taking away from the lessons …,” he says.
The Specialist Accreditation Conference 2026 will be held at the International Convention Centre, Darling Harbour on 13 – 14 August 2026. To view the full program and to register, please click here.
