Link:

https://www.executivelawgroup.com.au

Candidate statement:
My name is Jahan Kalantar. I am a first generation Australian, a litigator and someone who cares deeply about the law. My family came to Australia from Iran with a belief that education and justice could change the world. From working with low-income communities to assisting those with mental health issues, I believe that the work that lawyers do, across all the many spheres that we operate within is vital to the functioning of society.

I have been a lawyer for 9 years and in that time, I have seen substantial changes. Some of those changes have been very good and some of them have been exceptionally bad. I have seen the rising rates of mental health crisis, burnout and vicarious trauma in the profession. I have seen the rising of bullying, sexual harassment and other unacceptable ways that some members of the profession treat more junior lawyers.

I know that lawyers see their profession as more then just a pay check. We help our clients with fearless advocacy, clever advice and we put ourselves out there day after day to make sure that things are done in a proper and appropriate fashion.

My reason for running for council is because I believe that we can and should do better by the members of our profession. I believe that an organisation as important as this one has the power to transform the lives of the people that it serves.

If elected to law council, my mandate would be to focus on helping lawyers with practical and meaningful steps to alleviate some of the day to day stressors which affect us. These include:

1) Discussions to see how we can implement technological changes to reduce the substantial backlog and administrative burden on Courts and on lawyers
2) Collaboration with the profession to help tackle the mental health challenges that face lawyers
3) Bring awareness to the positive contribution that lawyers make throughout society and celebrate the value and importance of having the exceptional cohort that is the NSW law society.

I am proud of the work I have done to talk about these issues through social media and in both public and private forums. I believe that greater awareness of the real challenges lawyers face will help us to ensure that we safeguard the legacy we have built while building a more sustainable, resilient future.

If I receive the privilege of your vote, I promise to be of service and to work hand in hand with the profession to ensure that the same advocacy we use for our clients is used for our own interests.

Thank you for your time,
Jahan