Message from the Dean

Melbourne Law School is celebrating its 160th anniversary this year.

Melbourne Law School is celebrating its 160th anniversary this year. Much in the world of law and education has changed since the first law students arrived at the University of Melbourne in 1857, but being at the forefront of legal education, research and professional endeavour has always been paramount. Our students, staff and alumni continue to strive for excellence in their chosen fields.

Earlier this year, we celebrated the achievements of our alumni community with the unveiling of honour boards in the Melbourne Law School building. They lists many of our alumni who have made an extraordinary contribution to the legal profession or the community more broadly. We were joined by the Hon Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria, as well as nearly 200 MLS alumni that spanned the generations of our community. You can read more about this celebration on page six.

Many of you will be aware that MLS alumnus Allan Myers AC QC stepped into the role of Chancellor of the University of Melbourne in January. In this edition of MLS News, Allan reflects on his career, his time at the Law School and the role of the University in a changing world.

Also in this edition, MLS alumni working in regional communities share their experiences, and we hear from alumni leading some of Australia’s prominent think tanks. I know you will also enjoy our article about alumni working in foreign affairs. I hope you also find interesting the work being led by MLS Professor Julian Webb, exploring the future of legal work and trends in the profession.

As part of our 160th anniversary, this edition of MLS News celebrates the history of an institution at the heart of the Law School, the Law Students’ Society. Our article on page eight features the views of former LSS presidents about the changing role of the Society and the influence of the presidency on their careers.

2017 will feature a series of flagship events as part of our anniversary celebrations. We hope many of you are able to join us in celebrating at our Gala Dinner on 3 June. The event will be held at the Sofitel in Melbourne and feature a keynote speech from James Gorman, CEO and Chairman of Morgan Stanley. I look forward to catching up with many of you then.

Yours sincerely

Carolyn Evans
Dean, Melbourne Law School
Harrison Moore Professor of Law

This article originally appeared in MLS News, Issue 17, May 2017