Former Justice of the High Court of Australia, The Hon. Michael Kirby yesterday launched Curtin University’s Law School, in the presence of The Hon. Chief Justice Wayne Martin.
The Governor of Western Australia, His Excellency Malcolm McCusker was also in attendance.
Curtin is offering a four-year Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree through the Curtin Law School, situated within the Curtin Business School (CBS) from semester one, 2013.
Curtin Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jeanette Hacket said the launch celebrated the work done to bring the Curtin Law School to fruition, and acknowledged leaders from within the legal profession and academia who had contributed their time, knowledge and skills to establish Western Australia’s newest law school.
“The dedication and commitment by all those involved in establishing the Curtin Law School will ensure our students will receive exposure to industry professionals and a program focused on the needs of industry, ensuring they will be job-ready when they graduate,” Professor Hacket said.
Professor Hacket said the Curtin Law School would also enhance CBS’s reputation for offering a comprehensive range of business courses which produce commercially aware graduates.
“CBS is Western Australia’s largest business school and the addition of the Bachelor of Laws will build on its strengths and complement its existing discipline areas such as commerce and business law,” she said.
Professor Paul Fairall, Foundation Dean of the Curtin Law School, said he was delighted with the calibre of the new Law School staff, which includes six professors and associate professors, and said also that members of the legal profession will act as teachers, mentors and research fellows.
“The Curtin Law School is based on the assumption that a law school cannot and should not function in isolation from the profession,” he said.
The Curtin Law School Advisory Board, chaired by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, The Hon. Wayne Martin, will consist of distinguished representatives from the legal profession, industry, secondary schools, the legal academy, and importantly, Curtin law students.
“It will have an important role in charting the future course of the Law School, in relation to strategic initiatives, relations with the profession, and the development of specialities, themes and clinical programs” Professor Fairall said.
Curtin’s Bachelor of Laws is designed to provide students with flexible study pathways including the ability to complete the four-year degree in a shorter timeframe, through trimester-based studies in their second and third years, as well as optional units in the resources sector, and compliance and governance.
Keynote speakers at the launch of the Curtin Law School were The Hon. Chief Justice Wayne Martin, The Hon. Michael Kirby, Professor Jeanette Hacket and Professor Paul Fairall. Inaugural Curtin Law students also attended the launch.
The first Curtin Law students start classes on Monday 4 March, 2013.
For more information on the Curtin Law School visit business.curtin.edu.au/schools/law/
Media Contacts:
Denise Cahill, Public Relations, Curtin University
Tel: 08 9266 1931; Mobile: 0401 103 683; Email: d.cahill@curtin.edu.au
April Kleer, Public Relations, Curtin University
Tel: 08 9266 3353; Mobile: 0401 103 018; Email: april.kleer@curtin.edu.au
