Message from the Dean

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

Dear alumni and friends

2011 has been another wonderful year for Melbourne Law School. Five members of the academic staff have won national teaching awards; our students continue to excel in mooting, winning the Castan Centre Human Rights Moot Competition, the Hon Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot and the World Trade Organisation Moot Court Competition in Geneva; and Melbourne Law School has been rated as the number one law school in Australia and one of the top ten law schools in the world.

For those of us working at the Law School, Melbourne's placement as 9th in the world by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings are not surprising. Every day I am impressed by the calibre of the people around me, and I have seen first-hand the extraordinary dedication and expertise of our teachers. It is, however, gratifying to have the outstanding work of the Melbourne Law School community – our staff, students, alumni and friends – recognised on a world stage. The rankings reflect the hard work and dedication of many people over many years to build a world- class institution.

One of the people who has been involved in building Melbourne's reputation for high quality teaching  is Professor Ian Malkin. This year, Ian marked his 25th year as a teacher at Melbourne Law School with an exceptional gift. He has made a generous contribution to establish a scholarship fund that will support students taking up an internship.

Many of you would know Professor Malkin personally. He has helped to educate and inspire so many students (and, indeed, colleagues) over 25 years of teaching. Professor Malkin is passionate about quality education, and the donation is yet another expression of his extraordinary commitment to the Law Schooland its students.

Finally, on a more sombre note,  all at Melbourne Law School were saddened to learn of the recent death of one of our former deans, Professor  Emeritus  Colin  Howard QC. Colleagues who worked with Professor Howard and former

students have spoken to me of his influence and the extraordinary breadth of his scholarship. He will be remembered for the difference he made to both the Law School and the wider legal world.

Yours sincerely

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

This article originally appeared in MLS News, Issue 6, October 2011.