Issue 1 – March 2009

It has only been a year since I arrived in Melbourne, but in that time I have been overwhelmed by the vibrancy of connections between the Melbourne Law School and the wider legal community. Over the past 12 months I have had the pleasure of meeting many of you at reunions, public lectures and events in Melbourne, Sydney, Hong Kong, New York and London. I repeatedly come away struck by the affinity and enthusiasm shown for the Law School.

Melbourne Law School's Career's Office is dedicated to helping students make the transition from study to work – in the legal profession and beyond.

A few years ago, the Law School launched a dedicated Careers Office, one of the first law schools in Australia to do so. This year, to bolster the services offered to students, a Faculty Adviser, Judicial Associateships, and a Faculty Adviser, Academic Careers, were appointed.

The Rudd government is currently feeling the heat over its climate change policy. And rightly so. If Australia truly aspires to be a global leader in climate change law and policy, then the proposals put forward in the government's 2008 White Paper are no way to go about achieving this goal.

Professor James Hathaway is not your typical Australian Law Dean – AUS-trained, Spanish-speaking Canadian educator and leading expert on international refugee law.

Professor James Hathaway did not hesitate when he was asked to become the Dean of Melbourne Law School in late 2007 after a short stint as a visiting scholar.

Melbourne Law School's new Law Librarian, Carole Hinchcliff, has a simple philosophy about the importance of a law school's library.

"I always think of the law library as being at the heart of a law school and I think that's true of the Melbourne Law School Library."

Five outstanding students from Melbourne Law School have won semester scholarships to study at the CTLS, four generously sponsored by Clifford Chance and one by Herbert Smith.

Professor Julian Savulescu arrives to teach at Melbourne Law School with a reputation as one of the world's greatest bioethicists.

Julian Savulescu has been described as one of the most renowned and provocative philosophers in the world today.

He is qualified in medicine, bioethics and analytic philosophy.

Melbourne Law School is delighted that Dr John Kearney AM, QC and Mrs Alison Kearney BA (Melb) (pictured right) have chosen to support a new overseas scholarship program for our students.

An honorary Doctor of Laws, Bond University and Doctor of the University, Griffith, Dr Kearney says his decision to support scholarships at Melbourne Law School is inspired by Michael Crommelin, long-time Dean of Law until 2007, and by his gratitude to those who taught him at the Law School in the late 1940s.

Allan Myers has never forgotten the start in life he received from Melbourne Law School and his generous support has helped change the lives of countless students and academics.

Sitting in his office on a hot summer morning, Allan Myers shares his absolute belief in the benefits of education.

"An education is second to having good parents, I suppose. It is the second best opportunity you can have for a good start in life," he says.

Richard Clarke Sewell is best known as the man who inaugurated Australia's first university law course at Melbourne Law School, and as the nation's first law lecturer. But poor health – and the demon drink – cut short a fascinating career.

The man who inaugurated Australia's first university law course at the Melbourne Law School in 1857 has been faceless until now.