A New Kid on the Block: the Australian Centre for Justice Innovation
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Law Issue 2/12 News from the Monash Law School community Professor Bryan Horrigan New Dean of Monash Law Inside this issue: Feature: A new kid on the block: The Australian Centre for Justice Innovation www.law.monash.edu News from the Monash Law School community Inside: Dean’s message Feature: 2 The Australian Centre for Justice Innovation Supporting evidence based Professor Arie Freiberg, AM justice system reform Dean, Monash Law School By Tania Sourdin and Sandy Caspian This is my twentieth, and last, Dean’s Report, for Law Matters and it is my pleasure to welcome Professor Bryan Horrigan as the new dean of the Law School. Bryan came to Monash in 2009 to the position of the Louis Waller Chair in Law and has held the position of Associate Dean New Patron of (Research) during which he has been a valuable and active member of the Faculty’s Executive 5 Lucinda Lecture Committee, among other Faculty governing bodies and a leader of our research program. Series When I assumed the position of Dean in 2004 we After nearly 50 years Monash is well-known The Honourable Marilyn Warren, were preparing for the Faculty’s 40th anniversary nationally and internationally and with over 14,000 AC, QC, Chief Justice of the celebration and as I leave we are preparing for alumni flourishing and succeeding in the law, Supreme Court of Victoria, the golden anniversary in 2014. The celebrations business, the public service, the arts and in the non-government sector the Faculty continues to accepts role as new patron should be memorable and I look forward to participating in them as an alumnus of the Faculty. gain in esteem. A history of the Faculty is in preparation for Our undergraduate courses, now primarily publication in that year. Legal profession combined degrees, are the legal destination of first 5 pledges support for Over my relatively short period in the history of the choice for school leavers. We are now seeing an Faculty much has happened, a deal of which has increasing number of second generation students, Clinical Program been chronicled in the pages of this publication. many of whose parents I had the pleasure of Our new premises at 555 Lonsdale Street have set teaching, and meeting at our Open Days. With a the standard for the Faculty and is now home to range of scholarships and other student support New publications over 600 students studying the JD and students in program together with our clinical programs at the graduate program as well as hosting numerous Clayton and Springvale, Monash Law School, both 6 Monash Law staff publications seminars, conferences, book launches, meetings in philosophy and practice, remains committed to and presentations. The Clayton building is being the concept of social justice. modestly renovated pending a new home some Q&A A Dean without the support of his or her academic 8 time in the future. and professional staff is like a conductor without Featuring Rachel Ball A range of new programs for students has been an orchestra – a lot of arm waving but without any introduced including a High Achievers Program, an effect. The real work of the Faculty is done by my colleagues and I thank them for their support and Ambassador Program, a Peer Mentor Program and commitment over the past 9 years to the task of Where are they our Prato and Malaysia programs provide students building a great law school. I also thank the alumni 9 with a stimulating and challenging international now? for their support in kind, financially and in the many educational experience shared with students activities of the law school which has seen them Monash Law alumni tell and staff from Canada, Israel, the United States, judge moots, give classes, run courses, provide us their stories France, Malaysia and Hong Kong. occasional addresses, mentor students, sit on Our research and teaching centres in human boards, committees and reviews and provide me Practical reflections rights law, mental health law, regulation and court with advice and encouragement. 16 innovation and our research performance in I look forward to continuing my association with on leveraging law areas of public law, legal philosophy, legal ethics, the Faculty as an Emeritus Professor, joining my school commercial law, intellectual property, taxation, colleagues Professors Richard Fox, Louis Waller, industrial law, international law and others have Bob Williams and Christie Weeramantry. By Stuart Bruce (LLB, 2006) propelled us to the top ranks of law schools in the world. These rankings are based not only on our Professor Arie Freiberg, AM research but our reputation around the world. Dean, Monash Law School 2012 2013 Diary dates: 25 October 2012 26 November 2012 February 2013 Conference Book Launch – Melbourne Seminar The Annual Castan Centre for Human Contemporary Perspectives on Commercial Court Seminar Rights Law Conference Human Rights Law in Australia www.law.monash.edu.au/about-us/ [email protected] [email protected] events/index.html RSVP 20 November 13 November 2012 1 March 2013 Postgraduate Info Session 6 December 2012 Conference register at www.law.monash.edu.au/ Book Launch – Sydney Arnold Bloch Leibler Honours future-students/information-sessions/ Contemporary Perspectives on Conference (Winter intake) postgraduate or (03) 9903 8500 Human Rights Law in Australia [email protected] [email protected] RSVP 30 November Alumni Highlights Queen’s Birthday Monash ranked in Honours 2012 the world’s Top 15 Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) Professor Simon Molesworth AO QC (BA 1975, LLB 1977) Law Schools For service to conservation and the environment. Monash Law School was recently ranked 15th in the QS World Member of the Order of Australia (AM) University Rankings for 2012, up from 20th position in 2011. Mr Tony D’Aloisio AM (BA 1971, LLB (Hons) 1973) This is the second year in which QS Top Universities has ranked For service to business and commerce. universities by discipline. Determined by a combination of academic peer-review, employer attitudes and research output, the rankings are Ms Sandra Sdraulig AM (BA 1987, LLB 1987) intended to help students determine the best university at which to For service to the arts. study. Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) QS Top Universities has ranked international tertiary educators since 2004. Monash is currently ranked 60th in the QS World University Mr Henry Jolson OAM QC (BEc 1972, LLB 1972) Rankings, released in September last year. For service to the law. New Appointments New Dean Chief Magistrate Ian Gray (BA 1972, LLB 1973) appointed – appointed to State Coroner of Victoria Alumna named president of Australian Women Lawyers Monash alumna Kate Ashmor (BA 2005, LLB 2005) has been named the new president of Australian Women Lawyers (AWL), Professor an organisation concerned with issues relating to practice and Bryan Horrigan advancement of women in the legal profession. Following an extensive national and international search Ms Ashmor is the immediate Professor Ed Byrne AO announced that Professor Bryan past convenor of Victorian Horrigan has been appointed as the new Dean, Faculty of Women Lawyers (VWL), the peak Law and will commence his role in January 2013. organisation for female lawyers in Victoria. She has also been a VWL Professor Horrigan currently holds the Louis Waller Chair of Law board member for five years. within the Faculty and is also the Associate Dean (Research). He She has previously practised as is a distinguished scholar with an outstanding record of leadership an in-house corporate lawyer, in and management at the faculty level and is recognised nationally, private practice and as a volunteer internationally, and professionally for his expertise in the areas of lawyer. She also served as an public and corporate law and governance. elected Councillor for the City of We would like to thank Professor Arie Freiberg AM for his wonderful Glen Eira from 2005–2008. leadership over the past nine years. During his term as Dean, the “It is a tremendous honour and Faculty of Law has developed into one of the largest and most privilege to serve as President prestigious law schools in Australia, complemented by a broad teaching base, strong international links and an outstanding reputation. Kate Ashmor (BA 2005, LLB 2005) of Australian Women Lawyers,” *Photo courtesy of the Law Institute Ms Ashmor said. “I look forward to Professor Freiberg AM has been appointed an Emeritus Professor of of Victoria working hard to ensure that issues Monash University, and in this capacity will continue to contribute to of importance to Australian the academic life of the Faculty and University. women lawyers, such as high attrition rates, are effectively addressed.” 1 Feature A new kid on the block: The Australian Centre for Justice Innovation Supporting evidence based justice system reform By Professor Tania Sourdin and Dr Sandy Caspi Sable Professor Tania Sourdin Dr Sandy Caspi Sable They say the only certainties in life are death and taxes – but a building an evidence base to analyse, explore and support the justice system. glance at the dockets of our courts and tribunals might permit us Titled the Self-Represented Litigants (SRL) Project, this study forms part of a equal confidence in the inevitability of disputes. longer-term initiative to determine the prevalence of SRLs (and ‘unrepresented’ litigant) cases in federal courts and tribunals across Australia. This will enable And while (somewhat paradoxically) there is strong agreement amongst the the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department to “identify the unmet legal diverse stakeholders in our civil justice system that reforms are required, the needs for SRLs, in order to more effectively administer its financial assistance character of those reforms is a source of ongoing debate.