CEO message
"No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you." - Jesus
How many of us can say with confidence that we know what Jesus is doing in our workplaces - and in our legal profession?
If you're not sure, do not fear - for our Lord Jesus goes on to say, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."
If we trust in His words, we can confidently ask God to reveal His invitation to work alongside Him wherever He has placed and appointed us.
In October 2023, I was appointed as the inaugural CEO of the Australian Christian Legal Society (ACLS). It is an incredible joy and immense privilege to serve and I am especially passionate about equipping and empowering Christians in the legal profession to minister in the workplace.
The ACLS was established in 2012 originally as a charity to support Christian legal education and research projects in East Africa, and today we still continue to support an annual mission trip and several other justice projects. In 2016, following an Australian-wide Christian legal conference, it was decided the charity would take a broader role to support local Christian fellowships in the States and Territories of Australia.
My vision for the ACLS is to create safe spaces where members of the legal profession can flourish in community.
Our strategic plan has 3 pillars:
prayer, fellowship & sharing our faith, and aid.
Prayer is the heart of the ACLS and we’ve started Monday morning prayer meetings where we gather online to pray for the legal profession. I strongly encourage you to come along and seek God’s presence and direction with us. The ACLS has also started to support prayer groups at various law firms including Allens, Hicksons Lawyers, King and Wood Mallesons and my old stomping ground - Herbert Smith Freehills. With one exception, they are led by emerging female leaders and they have taught me the meaning of leadership.
Fellowship & sharing our faith is driven by the local Christian legal societies around Australia. The ACLS is developing a 'shared service model' offering which provides administrative and marketing support to the societies so volunteer committee members can focus on building relationships. Currently, the ACLS Board comprises of Directors who represent all of the States and Territories except ACT, NT, TAS and WA. Our hope is that events can be run on a quarterly basis in each State and Territory so members of the legal profession have a regular opportunity to meet together.
Providing Aid is how the ACLS started and is the means for us to enable the expression of our Christian faith both domestically and internationally. To this end, we will continue to partner with the UK Lawyers Christian Fellowship to support The Rwandan Women’s Justice Program and are exploring other projects which we can be involved with. We have had several Australian lawyers and law students travel to East Africa over the years and I have been deeply encouraged by their stories. Given my international background and experiences, I am especially keen to expand our networks globally and to promote volunteer opportunities.
As Jesus said to His first disciples - Come and see!
The Lord is doing a new work, and it’s a great work, in the lives of the members of the legal profession and I invite you to partner with Him through the ACLS.
Stella Loong, CEO - Australian Christian Legal Society