Public Law in the Melbourne Law Masters 2016

A rich program in Public Law will be offered in the MLM in 2016.

The twelve core subjects are:

  • Statutes in the 21st Century (The Hon. Justice Michelle Gordon, High Court of Australia; the Hon. Mr Kenneth Hayne AC)
  • Regulatory Policy and Practice (Professor Karen Yeung, King's College London)
  • Current Issues in Administrative Law (The Hon. Justice Debbie Mortimer, Federal Court of Australia; Professor Cheryl Saunders)
  • Comparative Human Rights Law (former Justice Kate O'Regan, Constitutional Court of South Africa)
  • Constitution-making (Professor Christina Murray, University of Cape Town; Professor Cheryl Saunders)
  • Reimagining Human Rights Law (Professor Philip Alston, New York University; Professor Gráinne de Búrca, New York University)
  • Freedom of Speech (Professor Frederick Schauer, University of Virginia; Professor Adrienne Stone)
  • Comparative Federal Constitutional Law (Professor Vicki Jackson, Harvard University; Professor Cheryl Saunders)
  • Executive Power in Australia (Professor Simon Evans; Mr Graeme Hill, Victorian Bar)
  • Post-conflict State Building (Associate Professor Bruce Oswald; Professor Cheryl Saunders)
  • Judicial Reasoning (Justice Dennis Davis, High Court of South Africa)
  • Royal Commissions and Public Inquiries (Melinda Richards SC, Victorian Bar)

A wide range of subjects from other specialisations also are linked to the public law program. These include, for example, Law of Treaties, Philosophy of International Law and International Refugee Law. All public law subjects can be taken for credit towards a Master of Laws, a Master of Public and International Law, a Graduate Diploma in Government Law or as a single subject, with assessment or without assessment (on an audit basis).

The 2016 public law program has all the hallmarks of the Melbourne Law Masters

  • Teachers comprise judges and practitioners in the field from Australia (Gordon, Hayne, Mortimer, Hill, Richards); international experts from across the world (O'Regan, Jackson, Murray, Schauer, Yeung, Davis, Alston, de Burca); and leading scholars from Melbourne Law School (Evans, Oswald, Saunders, Stone).
  • Many subjects are taught in teams, blending theory and practice; Australian and comparative perspectives; and/or domestic and international law.
  • Some subjects are entirely new; other are offered annually or on rotation.
  • All subjects are currently highly relevant, dealing with questions at the cutting edge of public law.

Students who wish to specialise in Australian public law at an advanced level are able to do so by choosing from the following: Statutes in the 21st Century; Current Issues in Administrative Law; Executive Power in Australia; Royal Commissions and Public Inquiries.

Students who prefer international and comparative perspectives are able to build a program that meets their interests and needs from the following: Comparative Human Rights Law; Constitution-making; Freedom of Speech; Regulatory Policy and Practice; Judicial Reasoning; Post-conflict State Building; and Reimagining Human Rights Law.

Questions about the program should be directed to Professor Cheryl Saunders as the Director of Studies.