THE Lawyer Exchange and Development (LEAD) program hopes to build professional career development and relationships between lawyers and law firms in Fiji and the region.

Australia’s Corney and Lind Lawyers business development manager Heilala Tabete said the LEAD program also allowed lawyers from each firm to be placed in another firm for one month.

“This answered our prayers of building a Christian legal network that existed to take steps to empower Christian legal individuals,” Ms Tabete said.

The Kingdom International Legal Network (KILN) was then formed to inspire Christians in the legal community and this has also resulted in mentoring, resource sharing and lawyer exchange programs.

“The spearhead group were the Corney and Lind team and Fiji’s Shekinah Law team.”

Shekinah Law associate Seruwaia Masi said the LEAD program also taught lawyers to think broadly of the legal areas of practice.

“I was part of the first LEAD program and went to Corney and Lind for a month and I noticed similarities in Fiji’s Family Law Act 2005 and the Family Law of Australia,” Ms Masi said.

“I was also exposed to new practice areas including School Law, Leasing and Employment Law and I plan to implement this in our practice here in Fiji.

“KILN is intentionally multi-denominational. Diversity and difference will be welcomed as an expression of unity and provides the opportunity to learn from one another, encourage one another and support one another,” Ms Masi said.