A three-day Commercial Litigation Workshop, hosted by the Bar Association of Queensland, started on Tuesday, offering specialized training to around 30 government lawyers in Tonga including the Anti-Corruption Commissioner’s office staff.
Justice Cooper opened the workshop, designed to improve skills in handling commercial litigation cases within government ministries and public sectors.
Participants were divided into groups and engaged in mock exercises, focusing on real-life cases like the Whale Watching & Swimming Act and the Intoxicating Liquor Act.

The program covered key areas such as pleadings preparation, interlocutory injunctions, ethics and professional conduct, and techniques for Evidence-in-Chief and Cross-Examination.
The workshop was led by six experienced Australian legal professionals, including Justice Muir, Andrew Crowe KC, and Matthew Brady KC. Certificates were awarded to participants upon completion.

A separate Government Lawyers Workshop was also held to continue the training efforts in strengthening the legal capacity within Tonga’s public sector.