University News

Responding to the current resources boom, the UWA Law Faculty is offering a new Graduate Diploma in Energy Law in 2010. 

Centre for Mining and Engery and Natural Resources Associate Director, John Chandler says “this new 24-point postgraduate qualification will have a unique energy flavour. It emerged from a review of the existing courses offered through the Centre and complements the research activities of our Centre staff”.

The appointment of two new Winthrop Professors of Law have been confirmed. The successful candidates are Professor Mark Israel of Flinders University Law School and Ms Holly Cullen, who currently holds a Readership in Law at Durham University in the United Kingdom. 

Just released, another book by Dr Elise Bant, UWA Honorary Fellow (law) and visiting lecturer for the unit, Unjust Enrichment. Elise says her book, The Change of Position Defence (Hart, Oxford 2009) is ”the first exhaustive examination of the leading defence to claims in unjust enrichment. It examines all the current authorities, as well as the law of analogous defences, to provide an authoritative and rigorous definition of the defence."

Fifth year UWA Law student, Renee Kaczmarczyk, was awarded the Linda Cotton Memorial Law Scholarship to further her knowledge about the inter-relationship between Indigenous Australians and the law. 

Christopher Steytler QC, Parliamentary Inspector of the Corruption and Crime Commission of Western Australia, has been appointed as a Winthrop Professor of Law at The University of Western Australia.

Law honours student Janaki Tampi is passionate about human rights. Janaki is writing her law honours thesis on strengthening Australian laws to protect the human right to adequate housing.

A partnership with the Indigenous Martu community in remote WA, and an online game targeting young people's financial skills were some of the projects that won a team of students from The University of Western Australia a trip to Berlin in October to compete on the international stage.

UWA Law/Arts student Kate Rodrigues had the time of her life participating in MasterChef Australia, one of the TV hits of 2009.

Third year Law/Commerce student Georgia Baker has been selected in the Under-23 Australian Women’s Rowing Team to compete in the women’s quad scull at the World Championships.

The Progressive Law Students' Association is a group of UWA law students working for the benefit of the wider community. They encourage legal activism and education on a wide range of human rights and social justice issues, both within Australia and overseas.

Congratulations to our second-year law student Krista McMeeken, who was recognised for her leadership and commitment to Indigenous Youth when she was awarded the inaugural Wesfarmers Indigenous Youth Scholarship at the Citizen of the Year awards on 31 May 2009

Robert French, Chief Justice of the High Court and distinguished graduate from UWA's Faculty of Law, was named the second recipient of the prestigious Sir Charles Court Inspiring Leadership Award on 31 May 2009.

UWA Law graduate Elizabeth Shaw has been named Youth Citizen of the Year at the 37th annual Citizen of the Year Awards announced on 31 May 2009.

In keeping with our long-established tradition of providing top quality legal education and undertaking high-impact research, our law students will stand to benefit from the recent research activities of our teaching staff - for example:

UWA fourth-year Law student Hayden Teo was ranked as the second-best speaker in the world at the recent Jessup International Law Moot Competition in Washington DC.

UWA law graduate and part-time lecturer Hugo Leith has won one of the two West Australian Fullbright Scholarships for 2009

UWA Law graduate Elizabeth Shaw has been named a finalist in the 2009 WA Youth Awards

Law student Courtney Furner has resumed her law studies at UWA after an incredible 12 months in Europe.

The Hon Justice Michael Barker has been appointed to the Perth registry of the Federal Court of Australia.

Final year Law/Arts student Marc Livsey has spent several months volunteering as a Mission Assistant for the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL).

Mary Anne Kenny has been elected Chair of the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia.

Last year's top TEE student and Beazley medal recipient Neil Thomas chose to study a combined Law-Arts degree at UWA.

Congratulations to Dr Antonio Buti, Senior Law Lecturer, for winning the non-fiction category of the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards for his biography of Sir Ronald Wilson.

Leading Western Australian Federal Court judge Justice Robert French, who was named Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia in July 2008, is another distinguished graduate from the Faculty of Law who is helping to shape the nation.

UWA will be representing Australia in the International Rounds of the Jessup International Law Moot Competition in Washington DC.