- Australian First for International Court
- Swell of Students Predicted for Migration Course
- Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford
- ANU College of Law Highlights for 2005
- Upcoming Events
- General Law School News

AUSTRALIAN FIRST FOR INTERNATIONAL COURT
An ANU law graduate is the first person chosen directly from an Australian law school for a traineeship at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague in the Netherlands.

The ANU College of Law is the only Australian law school invited to participate in the ICJ Student Traineeship Program, which is based at the principal United Nations court for resolving disputes between states.

Ms Rebecca Jenkin, who graduated from the ANU College of Law in 2002, will take up the nine-month traineeship as an assistant to an ICJ judge in September. She said it will be a chance to pursue her ongoing interest in international affairs at the highest level.

“I’m excited. It will be an amazing opportunity to work with legal advocates at the top of their field in an international court,” she said.

“One of the things that attracted me to study at ANU was its strong international law program. Since coming to work in law with graduates from other universities, I know that the opportunities to study with fantastic international law experts are not available everywhere.”

The Dean of the ANU College of Law, Professor Michael Coper, extended his warm congratulations to Ms Jenkin.

“Rebecca has an outstanding record of commitment to international law, having been National President of the United Nations Youth Association (UNYA) in 1999, a member of the ANU Jessup International Law Moot Court team in 2001, Australian Youth Representative to the UN General Assembly in 2002, and winner of the UNHCR Prize for International Human Rights Law,” Professor Coper said.

“The selection also reflects well on the University. ANU is the only Australian university to have been invited to participate in the ICJ Student Traineeship Program. This is a mark not only of our high reputation generally in international law, but of international recognition at the highest level.”

Ms Jenkin, who grew up in Canberra, is currently working as an associate to Justice Mark Weinberg of the Federal Court in Melbourne. She has been a member of the Human Rights Law Group, and has done pro bono work for the Red Cross. Her role at the ICJ will entail supporting a judge by conducting research, preparing briefs, and assisting in court.

Article by Simon Couper, ANU Media Office (March 2006)

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From next semester, the Legal Workshop within the ANU College of Law will offer a Graduate Certificate in Australian Migration Law and Practice for graduates who want to qualify as migration agents.

The Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) will require all people who want to become a migration agent to have completed this postgraduate program from mid-2006.

“We’ve had an enthusiastic response, with more than 100 enquiries from prospective students even before we start officially advertising for our first intake next semester,” Legal Workshop Director Gary Tamsitt said.

“We’re prepared for 120 students in the first round, but we anticipate more than 300 students over next year. To put this in perspective, the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice offered by the Legal Workshop currently has about 400 students per year, making it the largest postgraduate offering at ANU. We think the migration program could soon be the second largest.”

ANU is the only Australian university allowed to offer the certificate online. The University will also offer the certificate on a face-to-face basis in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne. All courses will be available in full- and part-time modes.

“We’re expecting to get a big slice of the national market,” Mr Tamsitt said.

“We’re trying to achieve what MARA wants, which is to raise the standards of education for migration agents. At ANU, we’ve in an excellent position to achieve this because of out academic depth and online teaching expertise from our legal practice program.

Students will be required to successfully complete four courses to qualify for the graduate certificate, covering such topics as Australian migration law, visa requirements, and professional development.

The ANU College of Law has been teaching postgraduate courses for over 30 years. It has successfully delivered postgraduate legal education in a distance mode for several years, and its former students are now working in key positions overseas and in Australia.

“This certificate will allow people who want to qualify as migration agents to access some of the finest legal training and academics in Australia,” the Dean of the ANU College of Law, Professor Michael Coper, said.

“We look forward to working with MARA to help ensure that Australia’s migration agents are of the highest standard.”

Article by Simon Couper, ANU Media Office (March 2006)

Above (from left to right): Dick Glazbrook (Deputy Chair, MARA), Len Holt OAM (Chair, MARA), Susan Pegg (DIMA), Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs The Hon Andrew Robb, AO, MP, Professor Malcolm Gillies, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Education), Professor Michael Coper (Dean of Law), Professor Gary Tamsitt (Director Legal Workshop), Sue Tongue (Program Manager).

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RHODES SCHOLARSHIP TO OXFORD
Congratulations to Jennifer Kate Robinson who has been awarded a Rhodes Scholarship for 2006/2007. Jennifer is a recent Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Asian Studies (with First Class Honours in Law) graduate.

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ANU COLLEGE OF LAW HIGHLIGHTS 2005 - TAKEN FROM THE 2006 ANNUAL PRIZE CEREMONY PROGRAM
In 2004, the Times Higher Education Supplement (UK) ranked the ANU as the leading university in Australia and 16th amongst the world’s top universities. The ANU College of Law is proud to be a part of this fine university, and annually takes the opportunity to recognise its high-achieving students. This ceremony honours the select few academic prize winners from amongst a much larger body of talented and committed students.

Established in 1960 as the Faculty of Law, the ANU College of Law is one of Australia’s leading law schools, with a strong international reputation and many special strengths. It is home to some of Australia’s best-known scholars and law teachers, and has produced graduates who are now leaders in their chosen fields all over the world. It houses or hosts a wide diversity of associated bodies, including the National Judicial College of Australia, the National Institute for Social Sciences and Law, and the National Centre for Indigenous Studies.

Some of the many highlights of 2005 were:

• University awards conferred on Professor Phillipa Weeks (outstanding service to the campus community), Ms Judy Harrison (community outreach), and Legal Workshop (innovative IT application)
• ARC research grants won by Dr Juliet Behrens, Professor Tim Bonyhady, Professor Hilary Charlesworth, Professor Michael Coper, Dr Fiona Wheeler, and Dr John Williams
• Award to Professor Hilary Charlesworth of a Federation Fellowship
• Award to Dr Gregor Urbas of the American Society of Criminology Book Prize
• Appointment of Professor Kim Rubenstein (ex-University of Melbourne) as Director of the Centre for International and Public Law
• Appointment of Professor Don Rothwell (ex-Challis Professor at the University of Sydney) as Professor of International Law
• Appointment of Mr Ben Wickham as special counsel to High Court
• Winner of major tender to teach military law to defence personnel
• Launch of major books, including Suzanne Corcoran and Stephen Bottomley (eds), Interpreting Statutes; John Williams, The Australian Constitution: A Documentary History; and Robin Creyke & John McMillan, Control of Government Action
• First Australian law school to be invited by the International Court of Justice to join its student traineeship scheme
• Construction and opening of amphitheatre in the law courtyard

The ANU College of Law is committed not only to excellence in teaching and research, but also to making a significant contribution to law reform and social justice and to promoting a positive role for lawyers in adding value to the society they serve. Our graduates will be in the forefront of these endeavours.

Above: Legal Workshop awarded for innovative IT applications on campus.

Above: opening of new amphitheatre in Law School courtyard.

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UPCOMING EVENTS
The ANU College of Law hosts a number of events every month. Please visit our events page for more information.

LATEST EVENTS:
Detention at Guantanamo Bay: Legal Black-hole?
Dr Michael Smith, Visiting Fellow, ANU College of Law
Tuesday 4 April at 5.30pm

Law, Religion and Social Change Conference
25 - 27 May 2006

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GENERAL LAW SCHOOL NEWS
Visit the Law School News page for the latest on staff achievements, staff in the media and more.

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