AGLS Board 2021 Annual Report

This is the Australian Government Legal Service (AGLS) Board 2021 Annual Report to the Secretary of the Attorney General's Department (AGD), Katherine Jones PSM.

The AGLS Board Terms of Reference outline the board's responsibilities, which include reporting annually to the Secretary of AGD on the work of the AGLS Board and its committees, and the activities of the AGLS.

Since its appointment in November 2020, the inaugural AGLS Board has focussed on establishing key governance frameworks that will support the aims of the AGLS for years to come. This has included developing the AGLS Strategic Plan, AGLS Stakeholder Engagement Plan and AGLS Communications Strategy, and facilitating the AGLS committees developing charters and work plans.

Key initiatives led by the board include development of the General Counsel Charter and a 'Statement of expectations of Australian Government lawyers', establishing a working group to develop a heads of legal induction package and strategy, and facilitating the delivery of the very popular Foundational Government Lawyer Training program.

The board has also supported or facilitated initiatives led by the AGLS committees or the AGLS team in OLSC, including the very successful AGLS Conference on 14 October 2021, the Mentoring Circles program, a panel discussion with 3 senior lawyers working in law enforcement and national security, the inaugural AGLS newsletter and initial development of the key medium-term initiative of the Australian Government Legal Advice Database.

The ongoing success of the AGLS relies primarily on volunteer effort, and the workload can be significant. The board acknowledges the supportive and positive way board members approached agreeing to and articulating our vision for the AGLS. The board also thanks the many members of the AGLS committees for working so hard to bring AGLS initiatives to life.