Dear Alumni and Friends

As part of our commitment to be Australia 's global law school, I am thrilled to announce that from 2010 our students will have the chance to combine their Melbourne Juris Doctor (JD) degree with an additional degree from Oxford , New York University or Chinese University Hong Kong. These new partnerships give students unprecedented access to the world's top academic programs in law and unparalleled access to the international job market, while also preparing them for the most sophisticated forms of legal work in Australia and abroad.

It is important to note that these are not just traditional student exchanges. Melbourne JD students will be able to earn two elite graduate law degrees in only a fraction more time than it takes to earn a single credential. Students will be able to access the tradition and unquestionable calibre of  Oxford , the cosmopolitan vibrancy and global reach of  New York   University  and the opportunity to meet the next generation of Asian legal and business leaders at Chinese University Hong Kong.  

I hope you share my enthusiasm for the opportunities these partnerships will offer students. With these leading global partners, Melbourne students will have access to both the finest legal education Australia has to offer, and fantastic opportunities on the international stage.

Professor James Hathaway
Dean and William Hearn Professor of Law

Get involved

Interested in mentoring a first-year student? The MLS Careers Office's recently-launched mentoring program is seeking experienced professionals to assist to mentor for 2010 and beyond. ..... more

Host an international scholarship student to dinner as part of a new pilot program. more

Join our Alumni and MLS Events

CCCS Book Launch: 'Choosing the Republic' by Glenn Patmore, Senior Lecture at Melbourne Law School 's Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies. 5 November. ..... more  

Featured event: Chancellor's Human Rights Lecture, featuring The Hon Stephen Charles QC (LLB (Hons) 1960) speaking on the likely impact of the Victorian Charter on issues as diverse as legal aid, cross-examination, jury bias, and laws dealing with terrorism and bikie gangs. 10 November. ..... more

Brisbane Alumni Reception for all alumni and friends of the University currently living or working in or near Brisbane . Michael Baevski (BA(Hons) 1974), one of Queensland 's leading entrepreneurs and philanthropists, will be guest speaker at this evening of wine and canapés, held at one of Brisbane 's premier venues. 12 November. ..... more

Blogging and Media Law: In this Centre for Media and Communications Law seminar, leading US commentator Professor Brian Murchison will address key issues about blogging that arise internationally, especially related to defamation and privacy law. When can the identity of an anonymous blogger be obtained by a prospective plaintiff? When can bloggers protect their own anonymity - the issue that faced English law in the recent “Night Jack” case? And how much protection will the law give if those who have been targeted by blogs “speak back”? Steven Price, experienced New Zealand barrister and journalist, will provide commentary. Held in Sydney on 17 November and in Melbourne on 18 November. ..... more

Inaugural Frank Costigan Oration: The Hon John Cain (LLB 1953) will speak on the topic of "Corruption: Where to now?" asking what are the dangers of ever closer public and private sectors, the absence of transparency and an ever increasing vulnerability to corruption and fraud?  How can we work to foster a broader ethical practice? 18 November. ..... more

Full listing of MLS lectures, seminars and events here

Subscribe to MLS's iTunesU podcast by clicking here or copying and pasting the address below into your podcasting application.
http://deimos3.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/unimelb.edu.au.2087701697

Alumni in the news

“Money not too tight to mention” Libbi Gorr (LLB 1987, pictured left) is interviewed in The Age , 21 October. .... more

“Doveton pupils dealt a better hand in life” Julius Colman (LLB 1967, LLM 1975) is profiled in The Age, 12 September. ..... more

“Takeovers Panel saves taxpayers millions” Simon McKeon (LLB 1978) is profiled in The Australian, 14 September. ..... more

“Driven by indignation at injustice” The Hon Julia Gillard MP (LLB 1986) writes in The Australian, 21 September. ..... more

“Technology is not so advanced that protection for our authors can end” Natalie Hickey (LLB (Hons) 1992, LLM 2000) writes in The Age, 23 September. ..... more

“G20 the right body for economic leadership” John Denton (LLB 1982) writes in The Age, 29 September. ..... more

“Indigenous intervention a costly flop” Professor The Hon Alastair Nicholson AO RFD QC (LLB 1960) writes in The Age, 9 October. ..... more

“Fire commission a smokescreen” Tony Cutcliffe (MComLaw 2001) writes in The Age, 14 October. ..... more

Tania de Jong AM (LLB (Hons) 1988) has won the BrainLink Women of Achievement award. ..... more

Susanna Lobez (LLB (Hons) 1988) has co-written Dangerous to Know: An Australasian Crime Compendium. ..... more

“Islamic council rejects sharia law proposal” Hyder Gulam (GDipMilitaryLaw 2004, LLM 2007) is profiled in The Age, 19 October. ..... more

“Change in mind” Neil Cole (LLB 1979) is profiled in The Age, 17 October. ..... more

“No Vietnam echoes in Afghan action” Michael Sexton SC (LLB (Hons) 1969) writes in The Australian, 20 October. ..... more

“Politics wins at the expense of real justice” Gideon Boas (LLM 2001, PhD 2007) writes in The Age, 27 October. ..... more

“We are obliged to act on atrocities” Gideon Boas (LLM 2001, PhD 2007) writes in The Australian, 27 October. ..... more

“Key London job a historic first for women” Sally Capp (LLB (Hons) 1991) writes in The Age, 29 October. ..... more

"Finding a home in fiction" Nam Le (LLB (Hons) 2003) is profiled in The Age, 31 October. ..... more

MLS in the news

“Rudd's softer stance mugged by reality” Professor James Hathaway is quoted in The Australian, 17 October. ..... more

“Jakarta alliance hit by both sides” Professor James Hathaway is quoted in The Australian, 19 October. ..... more

Appointments

Dr Gordon Hughes (LLB (Hons) 1972, LLM 1973, pictured left), Associate Professor Peter McDermott (LLB 1973) and Mr Francis O'Loughlin (LLB 1958) have been appointed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. ..... more

Conferences

The Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies International And Comparative Perspectives On Constitutional Law Conference is being held at Melbourne Law School on 27 November 2009. It is a 21st anniversary celebration for the Centre. Registration now open....... more