Guest Speaker Report

Local lawyer, Alan Alpass began practice in 1975 right here in Kilsyth where his practice

Alpass and Associates still remains with Alan as Principal. There is also an office in

Rosebud.

His book “Grass Roots – Adventures of a Suburban Lawyer” describes a diverse collection of

case studies which range from the horrific to the hilarious, revealing with insight and

sensitivity the full gamut of people struggling at the grass roots level across every aspect of

humanity, making his job one of constant surprise, challenge and revelation.

For the past 15 years Alan has been appointed by the Victorian Legal Services Board and

Commissioner into the exceedingly rarified area of external interventions into law firms which

require management, audit compliance and supervision. Only the most experienced lawyers

are ever considered for such an appointment.

Alan began his presentation with an amusing joke about a lawyer with a Czec visitor who

was staying with him at Sorrento, and the two of them went surfing at the beach. Suddenly

the lawyer spotted two sharks circling: a male and a female. To his horror, he saw the visitor

being attacked by the male shark, and hastily, he clambered back up the beach to his

Porsche, and sped to the local police station for assistance. The constabulary returned with

a gun at the ready and fired at the female shark. Appalled, our solicitor railed at the

policeman demanding to know why, when he’d specifically told the officer that the aggressive

shark was the male. The policeman agreed that he’d understood, but retorted, “Who

believes a solicitor when he says there’s a Czec (cheque) in the male (mail)?!!”

The numbers of questions at the end of Alan’s presentation indicated that he’d had a most

receptive and attentive audience who had been keenly interested and who felt that they

were given the opportunity to raise any queries concerning their understanding of the legal

process, their own experiences or their frustration! Alan was most gracious with his

responses and was very clear in his intention that all members of the public should be made

as aware as possible about what is very often both a misunderstood and an arcane

profession.

We thank Alan sincerely for giving us his time and his interesting presentation. As he gives

few of these talks to groups like ours, we were very privileged to be granted this

consideration and we appreciate it greatly.

Next month we will host as our Guest Speaker Janice Haynes, who lives at the Cape

Schanck Lighthouse and who is the Victorian representative on LOA (Lighthouses of

Australia) Inc. and upholds the values to 'Preserve, Protect and Promote' Australia's

Lighthouse History. Janice is also the owner and host of the historic Tara House Bed and

Breakfast home in Bairnsdale, along with being the Manager of the Forge Theatre and Arts

Hub in Bairnsdale and she has had a long career in the Arts as a dancer and performer. It

would seem that we are in for an altogether different perspective of life and another most

wonderful presentation.

Finally, don’t forget the “Antiques Roadshow” visit we have coming to us in January. If you

have items you would like to be assessed, please return the form to me giving the details by

the next meeting. We need to know how many items will be presented which will determine

the length of the session.

Rosemary Buchanan

Convenor of Guest Speaker

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