Law School The Future of Law at UWA A message from the Dean performance is the quality of its new JD graduates will be even more graduates – their record of professional mature and better equipped to meet achievement and success. The UWA the many professional challenges Law School has been immensely well that they will inevitably face in the served by its graduates. On this basis, 21st century. The proposed changes and indeed with reference to every will also further enhance our present other relevant criterion, we enjoy an reputation and standing as a major enviable reputation. Competition for Go8 Law School. entry into the School’s LLB programme is intense. Only students who have In anticipation of this new era for demonstrated the highest standards of the Law School the Vice Chancellor, academic achievement are selected. Professor Alan Robson AM, approved We then require those students to enrol the creation of no less than six In recent years, increasing attention in an appropriate combined degree, new senior Professorial positions. has been given by governments for instance Law/Arts, Law/Commerce Appointments were made to these and various agencies to developing or Law/Science. Finally, we closely positions during 2009. All of the criteria for measuring the performance monitor and control the distribution of successful candidates have strong – learning and teaching, research academic grades. The result is that our national and international teaching and community engagement – of student body is universally regarded as and research reputations. The new universities. These metrics are to among the most talented in the nation. Professors are Michael Blakeney be used for a range of purposes, Our extraordinary record of scholarship (Herchel Smith Professor of Intellectual including benchmarking institutions successes in the Rhodes, Menzies and Property Law, Queen Mary College, and ultimately funding. There have also Fulbright awards is testimony to this. London University), Stuart Kaye been suggestions that they could be (Professor of Law, University of used to produce a crude indicative A commitment to excellence, however, Melbourne, and formerly Dean of ranking of universities and faculties. necessarily entails a corresponding Law at Wollongong University), Mark Not surprisingly this proposal has commitment to ongoing review and Israel (Professor Law and Criminology, generated a great deal of debate and continuous improvement. This is Flinders University), Michael Gillooly criticism. The national tertiary education why UWA, including the Law School, (Dean and Professor of Law, Notre sector is now extremely diverse. has recently decided to restructure Dame University), Holly Cullen (Reader This is very evident with respect to and simplify its existing degree in Law, Durham University), and Law Schools. Currently there are 32 programmes. The new arrangements of course Christopher Steytler QC CALD recognised Law Schools in mean that from 2013 Law will be (formerly President of the WA Court Australia – all of them under-funded studied exclusively as a three year of Appeal). These appointments have and all conferring LLB degrees or their postgraduate coursework degree, resulted in the most radical expansion equivalent. The real issue is one of the JD (‘Juris Doctor’). There are many of the Faculty’s senior staff profile maintaining and improving academic good educational and social reasons in our 80 year history. They should standards rather than arguing about for this change. Some are explained consolidate our reputation as one of flawed league tables. A genuine in this booklet. Importantly, it will also the finest Law Schools in the country. reputation for quality has to be earned align legal education at this University We look forward to the future with over the long term; it is not won by with best practice elsewhere, including confidence and enthusiasm. pursuing transient educational in Canada and the United States. fashions and fads. Winthrop Professor William Ford This exciting development should be Dean of the Law School There is much to be said for the seen as part of UWA’s commitment Faculty of Law proposition that the best and most to international excellence in higher reliable measure of a law school’s education. We are confident that our The Law The first Law Summer School was held in 1961 and after that was an annual event for Summer about 30 years. It was revived as an annual event in 2006 through the joint initiative of The University of Western Australia Law School and The Law Society of Western School Australia. Throughout, it has offered an outstanding program of prominent and distinguished speakers on challenging and relevant topics. A profile of change – a new law degree UWA’s new courses What happens to the be offered guaranteed pathways to for a changing world Law Degree? A Juris enter the JD. Additional opportunities will be available for students to The shape of tertiary study is changing Doctor (JD) apply for the JD based on their rapidly. The University of Western undergraduate course results. Under the present degree structure, Australia is one of several leading the vast majority of students complete universities that are reshaping course The Law School will offer some a five year combined Law degree. structures to match the needs of ‘law and society’ units in relevant Students can enrol in a combined students in a changing world. undergraduate degrees at degree straight from secondary school. UWA. However, there will be no Only a small minority of students From 2012, the University will be prerequisite units for entering the complete a four year LLB or a three introducing a range of changes to its JD, nor will any credit be given year Graduate LLB. courses and enhancements to the towards the JD for completion of UWA student experience. The decision any law units in an undergraduate Integral to the UWA restructure is to change its courses was made after degree. the University’s commitment to a extensive public consultation and greater emphasis on professional international benchmarking. These It is anticipated that the first intake for degrees such as Law. Under the new changes will offer simpler, more flexible the JD will be in 2013. system, Law will become a three year study options for UWA students and postgraduate course and will be known provide the best possible student as a Juris Doctor (JD). This course What will the JD learning experience. The degrees will be available to students who have available to UWA undergraduate curriculum completed an undergraduate degree. students from 2012 will be: look like? • Bachelor of Arts • Bachelor of Commerce How will students be The JD will be a three year • Bachelor of Design selected for the JD? postgraduate coursework degree involving completion of 24 units, 8 per • Bachelor of Science To enter the JD, a student will first be year with a combination of compulsory • Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) required to complete degree studies and option units. Compulsory units in one of the five broad undergraduate will be taught over 4 hours per week Current undergraduate courses – and courses listed above or an equivalent and option units will be 3 hours per the option of combined degrees – will qualification from another university. week. The model for the JD for 2013 be discontinued. However, all areas of is still being finalised, but the current study currently available will continue Outstanding Year 12 students with high provisional model is set out in the to be offered, though in different forms. Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank following table. Courses designed to meet professional (ATAR) or equivalent qualification may accreditation requirements (such as Law, Medicine, Dentistry, Architecture and Engineering) will be offered at the postgraduate level. All the new undergraduate courses will include a focus on developing communication skills and research skills, along with an increased opportunity to participate in study abroad and community engagement activities.1 1 For more information on the requirements of the undergraduate degrees visit www.newcourses2012. uwa.edu.au (from March 2010). 1 Law School Year of JD First Semester Second Semester Focus on Law – our students 1 Legal Process Dispute Resolution The current degree structure puts Criminal Law Torts significant pressure on students to Contract Introduction to Public Law choose a career path very early in their Introduction to Property Land Law post school life. Typically under the current Law course structure, most 2 Constitutional Law Evidence Law students commence Law straight Equity and Trusts Corporations from secondary school and complete a Administrative Law Remedies combined degree with both Law 1 Option Legal Theory and Ethics and non Law subjects. 3 Procedure I Procedure II • The new structure provides more Commercial Practice 3 Options preparatory time for students to 2 Options make a considered choice. By the Total: 12 units Total: 12 units time they enter the JD, students should be more committed to the study of Law, having had several The introduction of new units which are A postgraduate JD will help meet these years to consider and explore not currently part of the Law degree objectives. other areas. curriculum (such as Legal Theory and Ethics) will commence before 2013 Secondly, the relationship between • The JD degree will provide a more as part of a ‘phasing in’ process, with the undergraduate degree and the JD challenging, exciting and focused some starting in 2011. will provide significant benefits to our environment for students with the Law students by permitting breadth focus of all study being on Law Given the change in the requirements and depth of study, encouraging (not combined with other non Law for completing a Law degree, the UWA focus for students and teachers and units) in a more mature cohort which Law School will be consulting closely providing opportunities for improved has academic experience and is with State admitting authorities over future networks in the Australian and committed to the study of Law.