Past Events and Workshops
The School of Law turns 30!
Thursday 24 July 2025: Gala Celebration at Parramatta Town Hall
The 30 Year celebration of the School of Law kicked off with a Gala Celebration at Parramatta Town Hall on 24 July. The Chancellor, Professor Jennifer Westacott AO, and the Vice-Chancellor, Distinguished Professor George Williams AO FASSA, welcomed . It will include an address by the Hon. Justice Virginia Bell, a discussion panel on the future of the legal profession with distinguished alumni, judges, and leading lawyers, and an original dance performance by a group of our own Indigenous law students.
The Gala event is an opportunity for alumni past and present staff to reconnect, and for the legal profession in Western Sydney and beyond to learn more about the School of Law and its extraordinary staff and students. This event will launch the 30 Year Scholarship Appeal, which is the cornerstone of our efforts to support our students. The link to purchase tickets to the event is below: please forward this to anyone who you think might be interested in coming along. Details are also on the School of Law webpage.
Donate to the 30th Anniversary Student Success Appeal here
The Palestine Project: A conversation with Professor Chris Sidoti on his work on the UN Human Rights Council's Commission of Inquiry into the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel.
When: Wednesday 28 May 2025, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: Conference Room 2, Level 9,WSU Parramatta City Campus - 169 Macquarie Street, Parramatta
Registration and light refreshments: 5:30pm-6:00pm
Seminar: 6:00pm-7:30pm
In March 2025 the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, presented a report to the United Nations Human Rights Council. The report details the systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other gender-based violence by the Israeli Security Forces since 7 October 2023. One of the report’s conclusions was that Israel had targeted civilian women and girls directly, and that these acts constitute the crime against humanity of murder and the war crime of wilful killing.
In this seminar you will hear from one of the report’s authors, Australian human rights lawyer Professor Chris Sidoti. Professor Sidoti will reflect on the work of the commission and the potential impact of the report.
InterAsian Legalities Cluster Seminar Series
InterAsian Legalities Connections and Frictions
When: Tuesday, 10 September @ 5:00-6:30pm (Parramatta City Campus, PC-01.7.29).
Speakers: Dr Sven Gallasch (Deakin Law School) and Associate Professor Jeremy Kingsley (WSU-SOL).
Reconciling Islamic and international contract laws
When: Thursday, 3 October @ 12:00-1:30pm (Paramatta South Campus, PS-EB.3.21).
Speakers: Associate Professor Lisa Spagnolo (Macquarie Law School) and Dr Maria Bhatti (WSU-SOL).
For more information please contact:
Associate Professor Jeremy Kingsley.
2024 WSU School of Law Student Career Seminar Series
In Spring semester 2024, the Law School, in partnership with the WSU Law Students' Association, is hosting Law and Beyond, a series of careers seminars for law students. This seminar series is relevant to students at all stages of their degree, and will culminate in a Law Careers Networking Event towards the end of Spring semester.
On 1 August, 2024 our seminar series began with Kick-Starting Your Career: Supports from the University and the Legal Profession. We were joined by Jan Thomas, from WSU Office of People and Success, and Emily Bolding from the NSW Law Society. Both speakers discussed the supports available to current law students to develop their careers.
Future seminars will cover topics such as careers in government, careers in criminal law, careers in human rights and careers in the legal assistance sector. Many of these panels will include WSU Law School alumni, who are out in the world doing amazing things.
WSU Law School is proud to be hosting this important initiative to support student employability.
Justice Clinic Alumni Network (JCAN) launch
Thursday, September 26
5:30pm - 7:30pm
Inspiring Regional Leaders: In Conversation with Justice Vui Clarence Nelson, Supreme Court of Samoa
The School of Law is inviting students and staff to an address by Justice Vui Clarence Nelson of the Supreme Court of Samoa. His Honour is also a former member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, and the first Pacific Islander to be appointed to that Committee.
Justice Nelson will share his experience of working with a United Nations body and drawing on his knowledge of and commitment to his country, region and heritage on the global stage.
Students and staff interested in human rights, regional development, especially in our South Pacific neighbouring states, and international development more broadly are invited to attend.
We warmly encourage staff and students with a Pasifika heritage or with lived experience in South Pacific countries to join us for this talanoa with an inspirational regional leader.
When: Thursday 21 November, 12-1pm
Venue: Landerer Moot Court, Parramatta South Campus (PTA-EO.G.44)
First Annual Children’s Rights Symposium for Australia and Asia-Pacific
The School of Law, Western Sydney University inaugurates an annual series of children’s rights symposia with a Symposium themed The Convention on the Rights of the Child at 35: Developments in children’s rights in Australia, Asia-Pacific, and the World.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child turns 35 on the 20th of November 2024. The Convention has become synonymous with children’s rights, and has had a significant impact on legislation, policy and practice in Australia and the world.
With a focus on Australia and the region, this Symposium celebrates the achievements of the Convention and reflects upon some of the challenges it faces. The event brings together national, regional and international leaders in the field of children’s rights.
The keynote panellists are Commissioner Anne Hollonds, the National Children's Commissioner; Commissioner Natalie Lewis, Queensland Family and Child Commission; Justice Vui Clarence Nelson, the Supreme Court of Samoa and former member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child; and Professor Ton Liefaard, Leiden Law School. Presentations are also delivered by leading children’s rights scholars from Australia and overseas, and representatives of state institutions and courts that play important roles in protecting the rights of children.
When: Friday 22 November, 8:30am-6pm
Venue: Female Orphan School, Parramatta South Campus
Annual First Year High Achievers Awards Night
The Director of Academic Program, First Year, Sandy Noakes, in the School of Law, hosted our annual First Year High Achievers awards at Parramatta South campus on Monday 26th of August.
This event, which is a key engagement and retention initiative in the Law School, celebrates the achievements of our law students in their first semester of their law studies, and provides them with an opportunity to meet each other, their academics, and members of the legal profession.
The Palestine Project: Rights Under Siege - Gaza and the Challenges of International Criminal Law - Professor Kevin Jon Heller
The School of Law, Western Sydney University, is pleased to invite you to a seminar presented by Professor Kevin Heller, Special Adviser on War Crimes to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Professor Heller will discuss the role of the ICC in relation to the current conflict in Gaza.
When: Thursday 18 July, 4-5pm AEST
Venue: Landerer Moot Court, Parramatta South Campus (PTA-EO.G.44)
About the Event
In March 2021, the ICC Prosecutor announced an investigation into the Situation in the State of Palestine. In November 2023, following the Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent assault on Gaza, the Prosecutor confirmed that the investigation would extend to the escalation of hostilities. On 20 May 2024, the Prosecutor filed applications for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Defence Yoav Galant, and three Hamas leaders. This is the first time that a head of state supported by the West has faced possible prosecution under international criminal law. The seminar will discuss the significance of the proceedings for the future development of international criminal law.
About the Speaker
Kevin Jon Heller is Professor of International Law and Security at the University of Copenhagen’s Centre for Military Studies and Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law at Universidad Torcuato Di Tella in Buenos Aires. He is an Academic Member of Doughty Street Chambers in London and currently serves as Special Advisor to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on War Crimes.
About the Palestine Project
In 2023, the School of Law at WSU established the Palestine Project, as an academic space to discuss matters that profoundly affect our students and their sense of security and wellbeing. One of these matters is the Israeli state’s bombardment of Gaza and the violence carried out against the 2.3 million Palestinian people there. Our aim is to enable our students, and the broader university community, to gain deeper understanding of the political, historical, and legal context surrounding the Gaza crisis - and other local and global crises, now and into the future, that impact the vulnerable and the voiceless.
For more information about the event and the Palestine Project, please contact Professor Catherine Renshaw, Dean, School of Law, Western Sydney University.
The Spirit and Future development of the Chinese Civil Code
Presented by: Professor Weixing Shen, Tsinghua University, China
Time: 10:00-11:15am, Tuesday, 20 August
Venue: Ngara Baramada Room, EKa.G16, Parramatta South Campus, WSU
Professor Weixing Shen is a professor and the immediate past Dean of the School of Law at Tsinghua University, one of the top law schools in China. He is a leading expert in civil law and laws relating to cybersecurity and AI. He serves as Vice President of the China Law Society Cyber and Information Law Society, Vice President of the China Association for Legal Education, and Vice President of the China Health Law Society.
His talk, titled The Spirit and Future Development of the Chinese Civil Code, provides some excellent insights into the Chinese Civil Code and its future development. We also look forward to exploring future opportunities in joint research between the two law schools.
Attorney General Address: Gabrielle Upton Lecture
On 5 August, 2024 The Hon. Gabrielle Upton, the first (and to this day the only) female Attorney-General of NSW, gave an address today to law school students and staff. The address covered the intersection of law and politics, principles of responsible government, the unique role of the Attorney-General in our system of government, and the challenges faced by women in law and politics. The event is part of the School of Law's Attorney-General lecture series, and follows the address by the Commonwealth Attorney-General, Mark Dreyfus KC MP, late in 2022.
AI, Access to Justice and Human Rights - An Address by Brett McGrath, President of the Law Society of NSW
Join us for a special address with Western Sydney University alum and President of the Law Society of NSW, Brett McGrath. In this session, Brett McGrath will explore the multi-faceted implications, present and future, of artificial intelligence on the justice system.
How will the AI revolution affect lawyers’ ability to advocate for their clients, and meet their duty to the courts? Can today’s lawyers adequately harness technology to improve access to justice? And is access to justice a service or a human right?
Date: July, 1 2024
Time: 2pm - 3pm
RSVP: https://events.humanitix.com/ai-access-to-justice-and-human-rights-an-address-by-brett-mcgrath-president-of-the-law-society-of-nsw
InterAsian Legalities Cluster Launch
We are pleased to announce the InterAsian Legalities Cluster, a research partnership between the The Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society (CILIS / based at Melbourne Law School), the Arab Council of Social Sciences, and WSU School of Law.
WSU's InterAsian Legalities Cluster fosters global collaborations to reshape Asia-Australia connections amidst globalisation and environmental challenges. Led by Professor Catherine Renshaw and two of the cluster leaders, Associate Professor Jeremy Kingsley and Melbourne Law School’s Professor Tim Lindsey, it emphasises cross-border legal interactions and local legal systems' significance. Through research, it aims to redefine Australia's regional role.
Join us for the launch event on Tuesday, April 30 2024, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Conference Room 1 (PC-01.9.10), Western Sydney University Parramatta City Campus, 161-169 Macquarie St, Parramatta NSW 2150, Australia
RSVP: https://events.humanitix.com/launch-of-interasian-legalities-cluster
The Palestine Project: Gaza 2024
The Humanitarian Crisis and its Legal Implications
Join us for a panel to discuss the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the findings and implications of South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel.
Hosted by the School of Law, Western Sydney University.
Chair: Dr Souheir Edelbi, Lecturer School of Law and Project Co-Convenor School of Law Palestine Project.
Panel Members:
- Jennifer Tierney, Executive Director MSF Australia
- Rawan Arraf, Execuritve Director and Prinicpal Lawyer ACIJ
- Ottilia Maundanidze, Head of Special Projects at The Insitiute for Security Studies.
17 April 2024, Light refreshments @ 5:30pm, Seminar @ 6pm-7:30pm
Conference Room 2, Level 9 Parramatta City Campus, Western Sydney University
169 Macquarie Street, Parramatta
RSVP: https://events.humanitix.com/the-palestine-project-gaza-2024
Exploring Fiduciary Duties and Breach of Confidence in Equity & Trusts with The Hon. Justice JK Ward
On Wednesday, 10th April, WSU law students and faculty are invited to a lecture by The Honourable Justice JK Ward. Justice Ward will discuss fiduciary duties and breaches of confidence within the context of Equity & Trusts. Justice JK Ward's appointment as the first female solicitor directly to the Supreme Court bench highlights her expertise. Her tenure in the Equity Division, leading to her roles as Chief Judge in Equity and President of the Court of Appeal, further underscore her authority in the legal field.
Please join us, 10 April 2024 at 1-2pm in the Landerer Moot Court, Parramatta South Campus, Building EO
Justice Julie Ward
Supreme Court of New South Wales
Court of Appeal
Justice Ward studied arts/law at the University of Sydney, graduating in law in 1982 with First Class Honours and the University Medal. Her Honour was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court in 1982.
Following graduation, Justice Ward worked for a year as the associate to Sir Nigel Bowen, the first Chief Justice of the Federal Court. Justice Ward worked for Stephen Jaques Stone James (now King & Wood Mallesons) for two years, then completed a BCL with first class honours at Oxford University, having won a post-graduate scholarship from Sydney University.
Justice Ward was made a partner of Mallesons in 1988. At that time she was the youngest female partner to be appointed at that firm. Her Honour was appointed to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in September 2008. She was the first female solicitor directly appointed to the Supreme Court bench. She sat in the Equity Division of the Court, until her appointment to the Court of Appeal in November 2012.
She was appointed Chief Judge in Equity in March 2017 and appointed President of the Court of Appeal on 6 March 2022.
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