Monash University Law Faculty
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The Monash Law Faculty is Victoria's second oldest law school, although it is itself, relatively new. The Monash University Law School was established in 1963, as a result of increasing demand for law school placements, after The University of Melbourne Law School imposed quotas on its intake. The Monash University Law School is located at Building 12 of the Clayton Campus. Today Monash Law School has become a recognised, respected school of law that attracts students and academics of high calibre. Monash University Law School Prides itself on its adaptivity and focus on modernity.
The Monash Law Faculty is comprised out of several key organisations, that form the greater Monash Law Faculty, these are:
- The David Derham Law School (Monash University Law School)
- The Monash University Law Chambers
- The Castan Centre for Human Rights Law
- The Centre for Law And Reconstruction in Southern Africa (CLARISA)
- The International Institute of Forensic Studies
History
In 1963, The University of Melbourne imposed quotas on law school candidates due to a lack of resources. A new law school was needed to cater for the extra students and Monash University was decided as the next educational institution include a law school. Melbourne University law school had for many decades been the only law school available to students in Victoria. Monash University at the time of establishment of the Law School, had only 5 faculties. In 5 months from October 1963 to March 1964, a law school curriculum was established and two teaching staff were appointed. Not until 1968 did Monash Law have its own faculty building; for the 5 years before the now David Derham Law School Building, two rooms for teaching were found within the Engineering faculty.Professor David P. Derham, was the Law School's first dean; beginning his term on 29 February 1964 after resigning his post as Professor of Jurisprudence at Melbourne University the day before. The first intake of law school students began in March 1964 with an initial enrollment of 149 students. Today the Law Faculity has over 2700 undergraduate and postgraduate students, providing practical legal education (PLT, through the Monash Law School PDLP) as well as formal legal education.
Monash University Law School Library
Student Areas
The Law School Library is split over 4 levels in the David Derham Law School Building. Academic staff offices surround the library. The main areas of student activity are located on the first level;- The Discussion Room (colloquially 'Disroom') provides an open space for students to carry out work and discussion.
- The Quiet Study Area towards the back of the building, over looking Ring Road North on campus, is a quiet area, but not silent, where most students carry out work.
- Level 1 Computer Labs provide computer and internet access for students and staff. Printing facilities and photocopiers are also present within the Computer Lab area.
- Level 4 Computer Labs provide much the same functionality, but provide access for postgraduate students located on campus.
- The lounge is another area for students to read newspapers, chat and often nap. The Chesterfield style lounges are often the most distinguishing and noticeable feature of the law building to 'outsiders', and are often regarded by members of other faculties as oppulent and excessive, perpetuating stereotypes of law students. The newspapers provided include The Age, The Herald Sun, Australian Financial Review, The Australian and Lawyers' Weekly.
- The Monash Law Students Society office (colloquially 'LSS') and the adjoining recreation room provide LSS members and LSS officials' office space, couches and tea and coffee facilities (the LSS offices are located in the basement).
Resources
The Monash University Law Library houses a major collection of printed and electronic material. Most Commonwealth jurisdiction reports can be found, including non official and official reports. These include reports from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Pacfic Island regions, the United States and Europe. A vast array of electronic materials such as journals, articles and professional publications can be found on a substantially large number of commercial and local databases that students have access to.There is a large focus on learning online, as there is as much focus as being on campus - which has resulted in programmes such as the Skills, Ethics and Research modules, being heavily based on online assesment work and tasks, as well as the vast majority of lectures being made available online in taped RealMedia format.
This push for an uptake in technology is reflected by the fact that the Law Library was the first fully wirelessly accessible building; encouraging students to take advantage of wireless Internet access within the building, and often on the lawns of the grounds surrounding the Law Library. This has also been recently reflected in the further addition of 30 new computers, to form a 4th Computer Labotory on the 2nd floor of the Law School Building.
A relatively large staff run the library, helping students, organising books, carrying out repair work and supervision of the law library. Some of the staff have are perceived to be on the same level of students, being friendly, helpful and social.
The Monash Law library is often seen as very well resourced; and attracts students from other faculties to study within the library.
Curriculum
The Monash Unversity Law School provides students a wide and varied array of subjects. As of 2006, subjects include:- The Priestley 11
- A diverse range of commercially orientated subjects including: Restitution Law, Intellectual Property, Comparative Legal Systems, Consumer Credit Law, Banking Law, Negotiation and Mediation, Biotechnology Law, Maritime Law and Cyberlaw.
- A diverse range of human rights and humanities law including: Indigenous Australian Reconciliation Law, International Human Rights Law, International Law, Migration Law, Legal Issues in Medicine, Environmental Law and Professional Practice.
- A strong selection of practical based subjects including: Jessup Moot, VIS Mooting and Trial Practice and Advocacy
- The Prato Programme, involving study at Monash Prato Italy campus involves much of the comparative studies, including: International Aerospace Law, Civil Codes, Comparative Criminal Law and International Commercial Arbitration. These subjects may only be taken in Prato, and are not made available to Clayton Based Students.
- Practical Legal Training courses and volunteer work including: Monash-Oakleigh Legal Service (MOLS), Springvale Monash Legal Service (SMLS), Family Law Assistance Program (FLAP), Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Skills and Ethics (PDLP). The PDLP programme is recognised by the Victorian Legal Board of Examiners (a part of the Legal Institute of Victoria (LIV)) as an alternative path to admission, providing students without articled clerkships to become admitted within 6 months.
Notable Alumni
Monash Law School, although realtively young, has produced some notable students.Past Monash Law graduates include:
- Peter Costello - Current Australian Treasurer
- Simon Crean - Former Australian Labor Party Leader
- Clare O'Neil - Youngest female mayor of a Local Government Area in Australia's history, and now Fulbright Scholar
- Graeme Samuel - Current Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (Postgraduate Masters Student)
- Richard Alston - Former Australian Senator
- Kevin Andrews - Current Australian Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
- Hugh Evans - 2004 Young Australian of the Year, Author and Philanthropist
- John Thwaites - Deputy Premier of the State of Victoria
Notable Academic Staff
Monash Law School has many nationally and internationally renowned academic staff, who are distinguished by either having worked in the profession or gained recognition in the academic sphere.Past and Current Notable Monash Law Academic Staff include:
- Professor H.P. Lee - Leading Australian Constitutional Law Academic
- Professor Arie Freiberg - Current Dean of the Law School and Chairman of the Victorian Sentencing Advisory Council
- Jeannie Paterson - Authorship of leading Australian Text on Contract Law
External links
- [Monash University Law School web site]
- [Monash Law Student's Society web site]
- [Castan Centre for Human Rights Law web site]
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