News

Dean's Message

We begin 2024 with strong student enrolment numbers across all our law programs, and a renewed commitment to ensuring that we provide our students with the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world. The law graduates of tomorrow will need to be collaborative, deeply ethical, adaptable, first-class communicators and excellent problem solvers. Our law programs are designed to develop these skills. We will continue to build strong relationships with the profession, provide opportunities for clinical placements and transnational education opportunities, and integrate the School’s Indigenous Strategy into the   entire curriculum.

The research carried out by School of Law academics is oriented towards real-world impact, in our local communities, nationally, and across the broader Asia Pacific region. We value interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary approaches that enable us to tackle the big challenges of today and tomorrow. Our engagement with research partners is vital to helping us identify and address the most important research questions, and in 2024 we aim to cement our reputation for producing critical, engaged, world-leading legal and socio-legal research.

Over the past 5 years, we have worked hard in the School of Law at Western Sydney University to build a team of academic and professional staff that can produce exceptional law graduates, excellent research, and significant real-world impact. I am very much looking forward to leading the team in 2024.

Professor Catherine Renshaw
Interim Dean, School of Law

Staffing Update

In July 2023, Professor Anna Cody, Dean of Law 2019 – 2023, was appointed as the Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner. Professor Cody led the School of Law during a transformative period in its history and we continue to be grateful for Anna’s visionary stewardship throughout her tenure as Dean. Professor Cody’s background in academia and legal practice, and her long-standing commitment to human rights, makes her ideally suited to the role of Sex Discrimination Commissioner. The School of Law wishes her well in her new role and looks forward to her continuing engagement with the School. In 2023 we also farewelled our wonderful colleague Dr Beatriz Garcia, who left to take up an appointment at the University of Notre Dame, Paris.

New Staff

The School of Law continues to grow, with several new staff joining in 2023. Professor Rehan Abeyratne joined the School of Law in July. Rehan has deep expertise in constitutional law and comparative constitutional law. Rehan has taken up the role of Associate Dean, Higher Degree Research, and will lead the School’s Honours program. Associate Professor Jeremy Kingsley, a legal ethnographer and expert in Indonesia and Indonesian Law, has also joined the School in 2023. Jeremy has been appointed as Associate Dean, International, and has already led a group of students on a New Colombo Program study tour to Indonesia. In May 2024, Jeremy will visit the University’s new campus in Surabaya, to explore possibilities for Law in the Transnational Education space. Dr Robert Mezyk specialises in drug policy law reform and is an expert in Constitutional Law and Human Rights Law. Dr Jacinta Sassine, who researches across a range of areas, including legal philosophy and political theory, will teach the critical first year subject Legal Analysis and Critique in 2024. Dr Engi Messih also joined the School as a permanent staff member, after a very successful period teaching on a sessional basis. Ms Farzana Mannan joined the professional staff team as Project Officer.

Staff and Alumni Achievements

Brett McGrath

Below we highlight some of the notable research, teaching and engagement achievements of 2023.

In July 2023, a School of Law teaching team comprising Professor Catherine Renshaw, Dr Sandy Noakes, Ms Shreeya Smith, Dr Sarah Hook, Ms Fabi Fugazza and Mr Tom Synnott, were nominated as 2023 finalists in the Legal Innovation Law category of the Australian Law Awards. The nomination recognised the team's innovative contribution to cutting edge legal education in the field of Law and Public Policy. In November 2023, the same team received the University’s highest teaching honour, the Vice Chancellors Teaching Excellence Award.

The School’s national and international reputation for research excellence and impact continues to grow. In 2023 Professor Catherine Renshaw was elected to the Executive Council of the Asian Society of International Law, and to the International Human Rights Law section of the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law. Dr Manuel Ventura was appointed as Deputy Director of the Australian Defence Force’s Indo-Pacific Centre for Military Law. Dr Amira Aftab was appointed Senior Co-Chair of the Australian Lawyers for Human Rights Women and Girls' Rights Committee, and Michael Brogan was appointed to the Professional Conduct Committee of the Law Society of New South Wales. Khushaal Vyas was awarded the India Australia Business & Community Alliance Young Professional of the Year.

The Law School is thrilled that alumni Brett McGrath has been elected as 2024 President of the NSW Law Society. Brett is a Partner at Marsdens law firm and a former Senior   Judicial Registrar in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. He is also one of our wonderful sessional law lecturers, teaching Family Law, Advanced Family Law, and Family Dispute  Resolution.

Research Impact and Engagement

The School of Law aims to produce research that is recognised internationally for its excellence and has with real world impact.  Part of our commitment to research impact involves influencing government policy by making submissions to relevant inquiries. Last year, Associate Professor Liesel Spencer was quoted extensively in the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture Inquiry into Food Security. The Committee noted Dr Spencer’s statement that:
These manifestations of food insecurity are overlapping in that the people suffering long-term chronic food insecurity are even more vulnerable to crisis disruptions to food supply than the general population; their already precarious food situation is exacerbated by food system shocks.

Dr Spencer urged the Committee to view food insecurity from a public health perspective:
Food insecurity in Australia has distinct but overlapping forms: the chronic underlying food insecurity experienced by vulnerable population groups; and the crisis food insecurity resulting from short-term shocks to the food supply system, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, bushfires and floods.

Our work also has international impact. Early this year, Dr Maria Bhatti participated in the 7th World Islamic Economics and Finance Conference at Minhaj University Lahore, Pakistan. Maria’s paper on ‘Aligning Islamic Economics & Finance in Light of Global Developments and Challenges’ explored their impact on poverty, inequality, and global challenges like climate change and economic inequality. It aimed to address the need for development cooperation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic's impact.

The School of Law recognises that support for research, and establishing a collaborative and dynamic research culture, is vital. The School of Law held its Academic Writing Retreat on November 2-3, 2023, at the Carrington Hotel in the Blue Mountains. The retreat aimed to provide training sessions on research planning and productivity, create a focused environment with dedicated time blocks for writing projects and encourage the development of our research community. Dr. Hugh Kearns delivered two excellent training sessions: 'Being a strategic researcher' and 'turbocharge your writing.'

Higher Degree Research

The School of Law welcomed three new PhD candidates in January 2024. These students contribute to our existing research strengths while charting new frontiers of interdisciplinary and comparative scholarship. Richard McCullagh has an distinguished publication record, including the well recognised text on Australian Elder Law (Thompson Reuters 2018). Richard’s PhD project combines jurisprudence with elements of sociology and psychology. He will be supervised by Professor Rehan Abeyratne and Dr. Bradley Gooding.  Kate Brewer completed a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a Bachelor of Laws (with First Class Honours) from the University of Technology Sydney. Her PhD research examines legal and ethical issues related to childbirth in Australia, focusing on how informed consent can be reformed to better facilitate patient-centred decision making. Kate will be supervised by Professor Catherine Renshaw and Professor Hannah Dahlen of the WSU School of Midwifery, and Dr Bashi Hazard from the University of Sydney. Zarea Alrashidi has Masters’ degrees in law from University of Technology Sydney and in National Security Policy from the Australian National University. His PhD thesis will look at challenges and possible improvements in e-commerce legislation in Gulf Cooperation Council countries. This Middle East-focused project falls primarily in the fields of comparative and commercial law, but also includes elements of economics. Zarea will be co-supervised by Dr. Maria Bhatti and Dr. Edward Mariyani-Squire from the WSU School of Business.

Teaching and Learning

In 2024 the School will deliver revised Master of Laws and Juris Doctor programs, providing students with a wider range of subject offerings.  Our pursuit of teaching excellence also sees the expansion of our School of Law seminar series to include teaching and learning seminars on topics such as: Pedagogy and Trauma: How to talk about Palestine in the classroom; Preparing students for Generative AI in Legal Practice; Innovative Classroom Engagement and Class Participation; and Incorporating Climate Change in the core law curriculum.

Upcoming First Year Initiatives include the important School of Law Orientation session on Monday 26th February 2.30pm, followed by the Juris Doctor Orientation session at 5.30pm.

In December, the latest marketing videos were finalised for the School of Law’s Bachelor of Laws (non-graduate entry) and Juris Doctor – they are available here:

Law Apps Showcase
 
The 2023 Law Apps Showcase was held on 24th February. The winning team was created the 'Health Data Breach Guidance Tool' - our students were Abdi Mohamed, Julia Lee, Sara Rahem, Sumin Lee, and Zainab Khavary. 		Law Apps
Study tour in Fiji

From 10 - 23 September 2023, a group of 23 School of Law students enrolled in LAWS3089: Children's Rights: Local and International. The students, together with the subject coordinator, Dr Meda Couzens, took part in a study tour in Fiji. Funding was provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under the New Colombo Plan. The students attended lectures and presentations on child rights topics by the University of the South Pacific (USP) academics; representatives of international organisations such as UNICEF and UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights; and local NGOS, such as Save the Children, Child Benefit Fiji and Medical Services Pacific. Students also visited the Ministry for Children, Women and Social Protection and the Australian High Commission in Fiji.

Some students attended the USP Moot Final held at the High Court in Suva. Students also participated in a village immersion in Naisaumua village, Tailevu province and attended the Sunday church service. The tour concluded with students presenting their reflections on what they have learnt in Fiji and what Australia can learn from its Pacific neighbour in the field of children's rights. As well as Associate Professor Kingsley’s trip to Indonesia in 2023, Michael Brogan also led a trip to Japan in February 2024. This year we aim to expand our range of international offerings with the ambition of ultimately having every student graduate with an international experience, and a practical clinical experience, as part of their law degree from Western. 		Study tour 
Referendum Stall at Parramatta Square

The School of Law was deeply engaged in the issue of establishing a First Nations Voice to Parliament in 2023. We participated in public seminars, engaged with the public in a variety of forums, debated the issues in class, and supported our Indigenous law students during what was a stressful and uncertain period. On 9 October 2023, the School of Law organised a referendum information stall at 1 Parramatta Square.
 
The stall aimed to educate the public about the referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament by providing information to the public and addressing questions. Professor Catherine Renshaw led the Referendum Project. The School’s commitment to its Indigenous students and our work for recognition of First Nations peoples and a First Nations voice in our national framework is ongoing. 		Stall 

International

Under the leadership of new Associate Dean, International, Associate Professor Jeremy Kingsley, the School finalised an MOU for a significant international research collaboration – the InterAsian Legalities Cluster – with the Arab Council of Social Science/ACSS (Beirut) and Melbourne Law School. The collaboration was concluded last week by colleagues in Beirut as part of the InterAsia Partnership. The cluster’s projects and activities will consider the contemporary realities and historical foundations that legal systems and cultures are built upon in Asia (defined broadly).

The cluster’s research recognises that borders are being crossed more easily than ever before, including by technological advancements in digital infrastructure, whilst local legal regimes and actors often continue to maintain their socio-political and territorial resonance.

Justice Clinic

Justice Clinic

The Justice Clinic is integral to the School’s commitment to building graduates with strong skills and an orientation to social justice. Rebecca Dominguez leads the Justice Clinic as Director in 2024. The Clinic also welcomed Michelle Yang and Zaky Orya to the team in 2024.  Michelle is a WSU alumna and former Justice Clinic student from our inaugural cohort in 2020 and joins the Clinic as a new solicitor / clinical supervisor, while Zaky is an experienced lawyer and academic who joins as subject coordinator for the Internship subject.

2023 saw 62% of final year law students being offered a Clinic or Internship opportunity; over 170 clients being assisted through our Student Legal Service; over $45,500 won in compensation for family violence and modern slavery victims; and more legal referral pathways and projects being established with community partners in Western Sydney. Reports are due this year in response to previous Clinic submissions to the statutory review of the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013 (NSW), and the NSW government’s review of legal protections for victim-survivors of forced marriage in NSW.

One of the aims in 2024 is to revitalise the Internship Program for law students.  This fits well with the Clinic’s 2024 focus on mapping and understanding our whole School of Law engagement and partnership with business, industry, community and government organisations.  The final report of the Australian Universities Accord argues for better recognition, sufficient resourcing, and appropriate and streamlined evaluation and classification measures for ‘community engagement’ – the Clinic is well-positioned to respond.

Clinic Director Rebecca Dominguez and Clinic solicitor Emma Doukakis were featured together with their wonderful students, in the latest publication of the Australian Pro Bono Centre : Access the full article here Pro-Bono-Voco-November-2023.pdf (probonocentre.org.au)