2014

The end of the Internet as we know it?

30 January | Melbourne Law School | Public Lecture

The US circuit court decision in Verizon v FCC marked the second time in recent years that the court has rebuffed the manner in which the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has sought to regulate ISPs’ provision of broadband service. The decision has been described as the unleashing of AT&T, Comcast and Verizon; the death knell for an open internet; a serious blow to the Obama administration’s net neutrality regulatory efforts; the herald of a substantial change in the business plans of Google and Netflix; and bad news for innovation, small businesses and end users in the United States

Professor Allen Hammond IV holds the Phil and Bobbie Sanfilippo Chair at Santa Clara University and is director of the Law and Public Policy Program at SCU’s Center for Science, Technology, and Society. A professor at Santa Clara University School of Law since 1998, he currently serves as director of the Broadband Institute of California. He is the author of many articles and the editor, with Barbara S. Cherry and Stephen S. Wildman, of Making Universal Service Policy: Enhancing the Process Through Multidisci- plinary Evaluation (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1999)

Defamation and Privacy: Comparative Law, Media and Public Speech Workshop

A workshop for invited participants

23 - 24 April 2014 | Melbourne Law School

The Centre for Media and Communications Law held a two day workshop at Melbourne Law School. The workshop formed part of a project conducted by Professor Andrew Kenyon, funded by the Australian Research Council and entitled “Defamation and Privacy: Law, Media and Public Speech”. The aim of the workshop was to consider current issues and research in defamation and privacy as related to media and journalism and to public speech more generally. The workshop involved a range of law academics from Commonwealth jurisdictions (Australia, Canada, NZ, UK, US). An edited book is being produced from the workshop.

Free and Fair Media Reporting of Elections

A free public seminar in association with ERRN (VIC) & Election Watch

3 June | Melbourne Law School

Organised in conjunction with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, this seminar brought a panel of journalists and experts to discuss these important questions from different national perspectives.

Stephanie March India Correspondent with the ABC’s overseas TV channel, Australia Network.

Mr Dhanjay Deo Fijian journalist

Lady Luseane News Editor at BroadCom Broadcasting, Tonga

Associate Professor Sally Young Australian Research Council Future Fellow.

The Defamation Act 2013 (UK) Seminar and Book Launch


A free public seminar presented by the Centre for Media and Communications Law, List A barristers & Gilbert + Tobin

4 June | Melbourne Law School

12 June | Gilbert + Tobin, Sydney

The Defamation Act 2013 (UK) commenced operation on 1 January 2014. It implements the most wide- ranging reforms ever undertaken to this ancient cause of action. Almost every aspect of English defamation law is touched by the reforms, whose implications will take years to percolate.
Book Launch

The seminar was timed to coincide with the Australian release of Dr Collins’ new book on the English law of defamation.

The Use of Survey Evidence in US Trademark Litigation

23 July 2014 | Melbourne Law School | Public Lecture

Chair: Professor Megan Richardson Melbourne Law School

Dr David Caudill briefly surveyed the use of survey evidence in US trademark litigation, including (i) conventional (social science) methodologies and the legal standards for admissible surveys, as well as (ii) recent cases using survey evidence to determine trademark infringement and offensive trademarks.

Followed by comments from Vicki Huang

Dr. David Caudill is professor and the Goldberg Family Chair in Law at Villanova University
Vicki Huang is a law lecturer at Deakin University

The Whistleblowers: Jesselyn Radack & Thomas Drake

29 July 2014 | University of Melbourne | Public Lecture

A seminar for media law students presented by the CMCL in association with the Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne

In this special lecture, two fearless whistleblowers talked about how their truth-telling subsequently saw them branded ‘traitors’. They gave hints for journalism practice, and discussed the implications for the law.

Jesselyn Radack, former USA Justice Department ethics advisor and whistleblower, is now the director of National Security & Human Rights at the Government Accountability Project (USA).

Thomas Drake is a former senior executive at the National Security Agency where he blew the whistle on massive multi-billion dollar fraud, waste and the widespread violations of the rights of citizens through secret mass surveillance programs after 9/11.

The legitimacy of press regulation: Assessing the political, popular and journalistic response to Leveson’s reform proposals

29 July | Melbourne Law School | Seminar

A seminar for invited guests presented by the Centre for Media and Communications Law

Dr Paul Wragg is an Associate Professor in Law  at the University of Leeds and an Academic Fellow of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple in London.

Litigating Media Privacy Cases

6 November 2014 | Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers Melbourne

In 2014 the Australian Law Reform Commission proposed a statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy. But what privacy protection is currently available to privacy litigants and how should lawyers approach media privacy cases? This seminar drew on the experience of lawyers who have been engaged in litigating media privacy cases in Australia and the UK and offered insights based on their experience.

Barrister Michael Rivette Chancery Chambers
Linden Golding A former partner at the London law firm Lovells

The Great Trade Mark Debate

10 December | Melbourne Law School

Motion: Trade Marks Should be Kept in their Place

The debate between four leading academic experts canvased issues including territoriality, functionality, and the proper legal protection of trade marks

Affirmative:

Beth Webster (Melbourne Institute of Applied Eco- nomics and Director, IPRIA)

Christine Greenhalgh (Economics Research Direc- tor, Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre)

Negative:

Graeme Dinwoodie (Director, Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre)

Graeme Austin (Melbourne Law School and Victoria University of Wellington Law Faculty)

Judging panel
The Honourable Julie Dodds-Streeton Q.C (former Federal Court judge)

Janice Luck (Melbourne Law School)

Kwanghui Lim (Melbourne Business School)

Thanks to the Oxford MLS Research Partnership and IPRIA (Intellectual Property Research Centre) for sponsoring the Oxford academic visits.