ANU COLLEGE OF LAW
Alumni Newsletter
Contents
ANU alumni sworn in as ACT Supreme Court judges
First Phillipa Weeks Scholarship in Law awarded
ANU College of Law student wins Malay public-speaking competition
University Medallist Honour Board unveiled at University House
ANU law graduate to undertake International Court of Justice traineeship
ANU College of Law Dean re-appointed
ANU College of Law Annual Prize Ceremony 2008
Dr Penelope Mathew receives a 2008 ACT International Women’s Day Award
Alex Bruce awarded the ANU Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Community Service
Three of Australia’s top lawyers at the ANU College of Law
New Mentoring Program for first year law students
Congratulations to Professor John McMillan
Applications invited for Academic Appointment Round 2008
New Zealand Governor-General visits ANU Law School
ANU alumni sworn in as ACT Supreme Court judges
Two distinguished alumni of the ANU College of Law have been appointed as judges of the ACT Supreme Court: Hilary Penfold, the former Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Parliamentary Services, and Richard Refshauge, the former ACT Director of Public Prosecutions.
For more details see: http://law.anu.edu.au/news/071211judges.pdf
Above: (left to right) Richard Refshauge, Professor Michael Coper and Hilary Penfold.
Vithiyasagar Sritharan is the first recipient of the Phillipa Weeks Scholarship in Law. The Scholarship was established in memory of Professor Phillipa Weeks who passed away in 2006. It is for a secondary student from regional Australia to study undergraduate law at ANU.
Vithiyasagar attended Dubbo College Senior Campus and applied to study law in 2008. He said he chose to study law because of his interest in the fundamental system of rules that allow the governance of our society and societies around the world. ‘It is a great honour to be awarded the Scholarship’, Vithayasagar said. ‘Although I was not fortunate enough to know Phillipa, I have read about her and she was a truly inspirational person, a great scholar and admired and respected by her colleagues and students alike.'
When asked about his career aspirations, Vithayasagar said that his Economics/Law degreewill offer him many options. ‘I wish to give something back to Australian society and use my knowledge of law and economics to help the people of Australia. I am particularly interested in policy development, and international law to advocate the rights and needs of Australia in our global community.’
The Phillipa Weeks Scholarship in Law is offered every year.
For more information, please visit the ANU College of Law website at http://law.anu.edu.au/scholarships.asp
Vithiyasagar Sritharan
Despite being legally blind, Nicholas Charles Parson won the international category of the Deputy Prime Minister’s International Malay Language Public-Speaking Competition on 22 February 2008. The 21-year-old student is studying for a double degree in Law and Asian Studies at ANU and has the distinction of receiving the highest marks ever recorded for Bahasa Indonesian.
For more details, please go to: http://www.nst.com.my/Sunday/National/2166935/Article/pppull_index_html
An alumni event to celebrate ANU medallists’ achievements was held on 16 February 2008 at University House. An honour board with all medallists’ names was unveiled in The Hall. Many of the university’s medallists attended the event with family and friends. More than 650 ANU alumni have University Medals, a prestigious award for outstanding academic achievement presented at graduation ceremonies.
Above: Ten of the ANU’s 63 university medallists in Law with ANU College of Law Dean, Professor Michael Coper.
Top left to right: Rickman Lilienthal, James Stellios, Wayne Leach, Jane Stapleton, Jacqueline Wootton,
John King, Pauline Ridge and Georgina Adams
Front left to right: Aparna Rao, Michael Coper,and Geraldine Chin MoodyPhotograph by Stuart Hay,
ANU Photography
Patrick Delaney, BA/LLB graduate and University Medal in Law winner (2005) has been chosen to work as an associate at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. He is the third ANU law graduate to be awarded the prestigious ICJ traineeship, where he will work with one or more of the ICJ judges, undertaking research related to cases before the Court, preparing case files, and drafting documents.
Patrick who is currently working with the International Law and Property Branch of the UK Ministry of Justice in London said he is really excited about the experience. ‘It’s hard to imagine myself working on the kinds of cases I once read in textbooks. I can only hope that I get a chance to contribute in some small way to the legal history that the court makes on a daily basis.’
When asked what he thought the most exciting aspect of working at the ICJ would be, Patrick said that he is looking forward to seeing the judges in action. ‘I think the ICJ is nothing without the judges. There are some truly stellar minds in the court.’ Patrick said that he thinks the opportunity will open doors for him. ‘I am interested in a future in international law and the ICJ will be a fantastic launching pad. The rest will have to be made up by hard work.’
The ANU College of Law was invited in 2006 by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to join its student traineeship program, which has previously been open only to the top North American and European law schools. The ANU College of Law is the only Australian university to participate in the traineeship scheme.
For details of the scholarship scheme please see: http://law.anu.edu.au/Undergraduate/ICJ_Scholarship.asp
Patrick Delaney
Professor Michael Coper, currently Robert Garran Professor of Law and Dean of the ANU College of Law, has been re-appointed as Dean for a further five year term, from 1 January 2008 to 31 January 2012. The Vice Chancellor of the ANU, Professor Ian Chubb AC said that following extensive consultation with staff and students, it was clear that Professor Coper enjoyed widespread support as Dean of the College, which had gone from strength to strength under his leadership. Professor Chubb noted that the College had grown significantly in all areas of its endeavours, and had an enviable reputation, nationally and internationally, as a world leader in legal research and education.For more details see: http://law.anu.edu.au/news/Dean_Reappt_News.PDF
Professor Michael Coper
On Wednesday 5 March, the ANU College of Law held another successful Annual Prize Ceremony. Ninety prizes were awarded to more than 78 of our top law students. Most prizes were presented by the prize donors, who enjoyed the opportunity to meet the students at the afternoon event. Professor Kim Rubenstein made closing remarks. Incidental music and a fanfare were performed by the Band of the Royal Military College Duntroon.
Above: Professor Michael Coper addresses the audience
Above: Fanfare performed by the Band of the Royal Military College Duntroon
ACT Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher MLA announced on March 7 that Dr Penelope (Pene) Mathew was one of the 2008 ACT International Women’s Day Award recipients. Pene is a Human Rights Legal and Policy Adviser at the Human Rights Commission in the Australian Capital Territory. Her research interests are in international law, human rights law and refugee law. Pene is currently on leave from the ANU College of Law where she has taught International Law, Feminist and Critical Legal Theory, International Law of Human Rights and International Refugee Law. In August 2008 she will take up an appointment as Visiting Professor and Interim Director of the Refugee and Asylum Law Program at the University of Michigan Law School.
For more details please see the media release.
Dr Penelope Mathew
Don Anton has been appointed Professor in the Diploma Course in International Environmental Law offered by UNITAR, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. Since 2000 he has been a tenured member of the faculty at the ANU College of Law. Don Anton teaches, researches, and advises in the areas of international law and environmental law. His current emphasis is the intersection between international human rights and the environment.For more information see: http://elp.unitar.org/Faculty.html
Don Anton
Ven. Alex Bruce received the ANU Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Community Service. Alex was nominated for his work in establishing the ‘Liberation Prison Project (Aust) Pty Ltd’. LPP(A) sends monks, nuns and other teachers into prisons around Australia helping prisoners with anger management, meditation, philosophy and other educative needs. He was also nominated for his work in creating interreligious dialogue initiatives, specifically the ‘One World - Many Paths to Peace’ Symposium with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, held at the AIS in Canberra on 12 June 2007; and his work in visiting schools and community organisations around Canberra to talk about religious tolerance and dialogue. Alex was awarded a prize of $1000 of which he donated $500 to the RSPCA and $500 to LPP(A).
Ven. Alex Bruce
For details of the symposium: http://info.anu.edu.au/mac/Events/_Dalai_Lama_2007/index.asp
The Australian Financial Review (7 March 2008) has listed Dennis Pearce from the ANU College of Law and Nigel Dobbie and Nick Seddon who teach in the ANU College of Law’s postgraduate programs, as three of Australia’s top lawyers. Dennis is an Emeritus Professor and Visiting Fellow in the College. He is also a Special Counsel with DLA Phillips Fox, Lawyers, and a member of the Copyright Tribunal. Dennis is the author of a number of books on statutory interpretation, delegated legislation and administrative law. He has held many appointments in the past including Dean of the ANU Law Faculty, Commonwealth Ombudsman, Chairman of the Australian Press Council and Chair of the Copyright Law Review Committee. He has conducted several inquiries for governments.
Dennis Pearce
Nigel Dobbie has been teaching in the Australian Migration Law & Practice Program since its inception in 2006 and is heavily involved in its course development. He joined Parish Patience after working for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Nigel practises in all aspects of immigration law, with particular expertise in business migration, business sponsorships, visa cancellations, skilled migration and refugee status applications. He has extensive experience representing visa applicants in the High Court of Australia, Federal Court of Australia, Federal Magistrates Court of Australia, Migration Review Tribunal, Refugee Review Tribunal and Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Nigel was a member of the Nationality and Residence Committee of the Law Council of Australia, and is a former Chairperson of the Refugee Advice and Casework Service (Australia).
Nigel Dobbie
Dr Nick Seddon has had an association with the ANU College of Law for more than 25 years. Nick specialises in the areas of Contract, Government Contracts, Trade Practices, Privacy, Negligence, Property, and Public Administration and teaches Government Contracts in the ANU College of Law postgraduate program. Nick is Special Counsel at Blake Dawson Waldron and was a part-time Commissioner in the Australian Law Reform Commission from 1984 to 1992. From 1992 to 1999, he was a panel member for the independent report to the Victorian government, Audit Review of Government Contracts--Contracting, Privatisation, Probity and Disclosure in Victoria.
Dr Nick Seddon
The ANU College of Law welcomed its first year students at the O-week welcome event on Thursday 21 February. The students were addressed by the Dean, Sub-Dean and first year teachers in the Law Theatre, where many of their classes will be held.
The CHAT mentoring scheme was also launched with an address from the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ian Chubb and a BBQ on the Law School lawns. The scheme is a new initiative where small groups of first year law students will be assigned a later year student and two staff mentors to help them adjust to university life and their law studies.
ANU College of Law Professor, John McMillan, has today been reappointed Commonwealth Ombudsman for a further five year term commencing 17 March 2008.For more details see the following media release:
http://law.anu.edu.au/news/McMillan_reappointment.pdf
Professor John McMillan
The ANU College of Law is set to continue its growth of recent years by announcing its 9th annual academic appointment round. Applications are invited from suitably qualified and restlessly creative men and women who aspire to make a difference through world-class scholarship, inspirational teaching, and active community engagement. The closing date for the 2008 appointment round is 18 April 2008.For further details please go to: http://law.anu.edu.au/news/index.asp
For results of the 2007 round go to: http://law.anu.edu.au/news/Appointment_Round_News.pdf
The New Zealand Governor-General, His Excellency the Honourable Anand Satyanand, his wife, her Excellency Susan Satyanand and the New Zealand High Commissioner, Dr John Larkindale, and his wife, Mrs Philippa Larkindale visited the ANU College of Law on Tuesday 19 February 2008. They discussed with members of staff matters of mutual interest to Australian and New Zealand lawyers, in particular human rights, accesss to official documents, and the role of the ombudsman.
Above (Left to right): Professor Dennis Pearce (former Commonwealth Ombudsman),
Professor Michael Coper, Professor Lawrence Cram, His Excellency the Honourable Anand Satyanand,
Professor Kim Rubenstein, and her Excellency Susan Satyanand.
CIPL Seminar - Defence White Papers & International Law (Working Title)
Michael Smith, Melbourne Business School and Nicole Abadee, University of Sydney
Location: Phillipa Weeks Staff Library, Level 1, Bldg 5, ANU College of Law, Fellows Road, ANU
RSVP by 16 April 2008 to: cipl@law.anu.edu.au
CIPL Seminar - Australia’s Recognition of Kosovo (Working title)
Associate Professor Peter Radan, Macquarie University and Heather Rae, ANU
Location: Phillipa Weeks Staff Library, Level 1, Bldg 5, ANU College of Law, Fellows Road, ANU
Time: 1pm
RSVP by 23 April 2008 to: cipl@law.anu.edu.au
The Australian Centre for Environmental Law National Conference - The State of Environmental Assessment
Location: The National Museum of Australia in Canberra.
For registration and conference details, see: http://law.anu.edu.au/acel/Events.asp
The Centre for Climate Law & Policy (CCLP) Annual Climate Law Conference - Adapting to Climate Change - Law and Policy. Organised by Prof. Tim Bonyhady, Andrew Macintosh and Prof. Jan McDonald of Griffith University.
Location: National Museum of Australia, Canberra.
For more information and registration details, please see: http://law.anu.edu.au/cclp/events.asp
CIPL Public Lecture - Inaugural Kirby Lecture
Professor James Crawford
Visions Theatre, National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula. Time: TBC
Sixteenth Annual ANZSIL Conference - Security, Scarcity, Struggle: The Dilemmas of International Law
Location: National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula
For more information on all of CIPL’s events see: http://law.anu.edu.au/cipl/events.asp
