Issue 7 – May 2012

Late last year, we were all saddened to hear the news that former Dean and Professor of the Law School, Sir Zelman Cowen, had passed away. His impact on the Law School, as well as the broader Australian society, was immeasurable and you will find inside a reflection on his legacy. I know that Sir Zelman retained a great affection for the Law School at which he both studied and taught, and I have heard from many of his students about the impact that he made on their lives.

Over the years, Melbourne Law School has benefitted from alumni who have assisted the next generation of law students. Professional mentors, alumni speakers, donors: the generosity of those who have gone before is greatly appreciated by our students.

The Hon. Michael Black AC QC is Melbourne Law School's first Judge in Residence. JD student, Emma Henderson, spoke to the former Federal Court Chief Justice about his career, the law and his new role.

Melbourne Law School has had great success in moot competitions over the last 12 months, not just in Australia but internationally. Students and alumni tell us what it's like testing your skills on a world stage.

The court environment and the legal problem might be simulated, but it's a very real competition of mental agility on a global scale. It's the best chance any law student will have to test their ability to win a legal argument – and what really makes a great legal team

Professor Sundhya Pahuja's book, Decolonising International Law: Development, Economic Growth and the Politics of Universality (Cambridge University Press, 2011) was recently awarded the American Society of International Law's Certificate of Merit.

Professor Michael Crommelin AO, former Dean of Melbourne Law School, remembers one of its greatest champions: the Rt Hon. Sir Zelman Cowen AK GCMG GCVO QC (LLB 1940, LLM 1941).

Driven by the ability of the internet to relay news instantaneously, the days of newspapers as the dominant news source are long gone. As a result, there are now many new legal and practical challenges for defamation law as journalistic styles become increasingly blurred and news outlets seek to maintain a foothold.

Kim Crow (LLB(Hons) 2010) is a member of the Australian rowing team and will compete in the women's double scull in the London 2012 Olympic Games. She is also a lawyer at Buchanan Law in Canberra.

What's it like to be a graduate researcher at Melbourne Law School?

Many alumni at some point dream about a life dedicated to pure research. For some, that brief thought is folded away along with the academic gown on graduation day as a different career path beckons.

The visit of Mrs Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor Elect of the ICC, to Melbourne Law School coincides with a critical stage in the court's history.

JD student Katerina Stevenson spent three months working on death row cases in the US late last year when she was selected for a Reprieve Australia internship with the Gulf Regent Advocacy Centre in Texas, a legal office that specialises in capital defence, specifically for underprivileged or disadvantaged clients.l

MLS News spoke to industry professionals and legal specialists about working in the rapidly-changing field of construction law.

On 3 February 2012, Professor Patrick Donovan, the fi holder of the Chair of Commercial Law at Melbourne Law School, passed away.

Born in 1922, Professor Donovan graduated with an LLB from the University of Queensland in 1946, where his study was interrupted by wartime service in the Australian Army. He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University where, in 1949, he graduated with a Bachelor of Civil Law.

From Hobart, Bendigo and Brisbane – these three JD students have come to the law from different paths, but have in common the Zelman Cowen Scholarship.