D-Brief
News from the Deakin School of Law Volume 4, Issue 9, October 2011
D-Brief is the electronic newsletter, providing law students with current information.
From the Head of School
Dear Students
Today I am again focusing on mental health and repeating what I have said previously about avenues for help. I have talked of this topic in D-Brief on a number of occasions but do so because of the importance of mental wellness and on the levels of depression in the legal profession and among law students.
The message is timed because of the looming examinations but the message is not one confined to this time. Examinations certainly are stressful even if you are well prepared and it is quite normal to feel anxious. Deakin University's website has some tips for coping with study pressure and exam anxiety. These can be found if you look under "Student Services".
However, if you find yourself grappling with levels of anxiety that go beyond what might be thought to be 'normal' and are concerned that you might be depressed, Student Life at Deakin can assist with help available through the Medical Centre and the Counselling Service. Please visit their website for more information.
If you begin to feel out of your depth, do seek help. There is no shame in seeking assistance. Similarly, if you notice a friend showing signs that they are not coping please urge them to seek help. Mental illness is not something to be taken lightly. Overuse of alcohol or the use of illegal drugs may be signs that all is not well. If this is relevant to you or your friends you might wish to ask whether this is to cope with stress and anxiety and, if so, whether assistance should be sought.
I do wish you well with your exams.
Professor Anne Rees
Head of School
Click on a hyperlink below to skip directly to the article you are interested in.
General News
New Law elective in Personal Injury Compensation now available
Intensive mode for MLL314 Introduction to Negotiation and Mediation in Trimester 3 2011
Applications are now open for MLL351 Law Clinic for Trimester 3 2011 and Trimesters 1-3 2012
International Financial Crime (MLL388/MLM788) offered in intensive mode in T1 at Burwood
Women lawyers and barristers inform and inspire Deakin students in Warrnambool
Are you eligible for Honours in law?
Win up to $33,000 in Undergraduate Essay Competition
An invitation to Deakin Law Students to share your good news
Events
March 2012
International Justice Conference, 8-11 March 2012, Perth, WA
Employment & Placement Opportunities
Placement available with Corporate Legal Group in a major bank
Professional Experience Placements available at Victoria Legal Aid in Trimester 1, 2 and 3, 2012
International Internships available in India and Indonesia
Volunteer positions available fighting the death penalty in the United States
School of Law Employment & Professional Experience placement and Internships opportunities web page
General Information
Key information for current students
Critical dates for 2011
IT and computing
The Library
Support for off-campus students
Course Structure examples
Assessment information
Your course progression
Receiving important information from the School
Professional Experience
Course/Student Advisers
Online University Handbook
School of Law website
Law Essentials
DUSA
Deakin Law Students' Societies
Deakin Law Students Society (DLSS) Burwood
DLSS Burwood congratulates competition winners
Careers Guide
Deakin Law Students Society (DLSS) Geelong
Deakin University Commerce & Law Society (DUCLS) - Warrnambool
General News
New Law elective in Personal Injury Compensation now available
MLL315 PERSONAL INJURIES COMPENSATION SCHEMES is a new unit that Dr Jason Taliadoros will teach in Trimester 3. This unit provides an introduction and outline of the no-fault and common law damages schemes for personal injuries under the Accident Compensation Act 1985 (Vic) and the Transport Accident Act 1986 (Vic).
One of the innovative aspects of this unit is that it requires both on and off campus students to attend both a pre-trial alternative dispute resolution procedure (e.g., a mediation or pre-hearing conference) as well as a trial, and then reflect critically on that experience in a written assignment.
Both WorkSafe Victoria and the TAC, have been involved in designing the unit and will facilitate this practical component with the unit chair. The contemporary significance of this area of law is illustrated by a recent special issue of the Law Institute Journal (May 2011) devoting itself to the topic of personal injury.
More information can be found in the 2011 Handbook. The unit is now open for enrolments for Trimester 3.
Intensive mode for MLL314 Introduction to Negotiation and Mediation in Trimester 3 2011
MLL314 Introduction to Negotiation and Mediation will be offered in Trimester 3 in intensive mode at both the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and the Melbourne Burwood Campus (NOW FULL).
Limited placed still available in MLL314 at Geelong
The Trimester 3 Geelong offering of the unit will be intensive mode on the Geelong Waterfront Campus. The dates for the intensive sessions are:
- Tuesday 25 October
- Wednesday 26 October
- Thursday 27 October
- Friday 28 October
- Saturday 29 October
- Sunday 30 October
- and Monday 31 October
- Tuesday 1 November
Class times are 10:00 am - 5:50pm each day. There are LIMITED places left for this unit so please contact the LLB Program Coordinator to express interest. Places will be offered based on request dates.
Information for students enrolled MLL314 at Burwood in T3
Burwood offering is now FULL and no further enrolments will be allowed. Class times are 10:00 am - 5:50pm each day. The dates for the Burwood Intensive are:
- Monday 24 October 2011, LB2.100 (Please note: this is the ONLY class at Elgar Road)
- Tuesday 25 October 2011, HE3.004
- Thursday 27 October 2011, HE3.004
- Friday 28 October 2011, HE3.004
- Monday 31 October 2011, HE3.004
- Tuesday 1 November 2011, HE3.004.
If you have any questions relating to the Burwood offering please contact Patricia Perlen via email or via phone on 9244 6058.
Applications are now open for MLL351 Law Clinic for Trimester 3 2011 and Trimesters 1, 2 and 3 in 2012
MLL351 Law Clinic counts for 12 days towards the Professional Experience compulsory requirement of the LLB course and is worth one credit point. If you have competed 16 units of Law, have a Law elective available and a course WAM of 65 you are eligible to apply.
T3 2011: Limited places are available at selected centres for Trimester 3 2011. Get your applications in quickly! First in, best dressed!
T1, T2 and T3 2012: Places are available at many centres across Melbourne, Geelong and the Western Suburbs for Trimester 1-3 in 2012.
To apply: Complete the Application form [87KB PDF] and return to the LLB Program Coordinator.
Applications close: Trimester 1 applications close Sunday 20 November. Successful applicants will be notified soon after this date.
International Financial Crime (MLL388/MLM788) offered in intensive mode in T1 at Burwood
International Financial Crime studies international and national legal, regulatory and corporate risk management responses to offences such as money laundering, corruption, insider trading, investment frauds and insolvent trading. It provides business and law students with perspectives on various business and crime risks that are of increasing relevance to businesses and their legal advisors.
In Trimester 1 of 2011 International Financial Crime was offered for the first time in intensive mode at Burwood. The main purpose was to enable many students who register as off-campus students for this unit, to attend lectures. This experiment was very successful. Students who are based in Geelong and even Warrnambool and Perth were able to join. The School is therefore looking into the possibility of offering it again in this mode. Much depends on the availability of venues at Burwood.
If we are able to secure venues, the lectures will run from 27 February 2012 - 2 March 2012, the week preceding the start of Trimester 1 lectures in 2012. An assignment will be submitted by the end of April and the final exam will be written in June.
We are giving advance notice of the possible intensive mode offering to enable interested students to block time in their diaries. However, please monitor further D-Briefs for developments regarding this unit.
The course leader is Professor Louis de Koker. Louis specialized in South Africa and at the University of Cambridge in financial crime law. His scholarship focuses on regulatory responses to financial crime in developing countries. He is a consultant to the World Bank on financial crime and has advised on regulation and risk management in countries as diverse as Indonesia, Kenya, Peru, Malaysia and the Ukraine. His research on the impact of financial crime laws on low-income persons was recently cited by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, the Financial Action Task Force and the World Economic Forum. In 2011 he was a co-author of a World Bank book on mobile phone banking regulation. Dr Cindy Davids, an expert onpolice integrity and anti-corruption, and author of "Conflict of Interest in Policing" Federation Press (2008) will be the key lecturer on the corruption theme in International Financial Crime.
Women lawyers and barristers inform and inspire Deakin students in Warrnambool
Deakin Law students attended the inaugural Victorian Women Lawyers and Women Barristers' Association CPD/CLE seminar, held at Deakin Warrnambool. The event provided the opportunity for law students and lawyers practicing throughout Western Victoria to engage with contemporary legal issues and to hear tips and advice from esteemed women lawyers and barristers. Read Ashlea Patterson's report to learn more.
Are you eligible for Honours in law?
If you are considering a PhD on an interdisciplinary legal topic the Legal Intersections Research Centre may be the place for you. The researchers at the Centre undertake and supervise interdisciplinary research projects that cross the boundaries of traditional disciplines in order to produce fresh insights in areas that include:
- Regulation of speech and communication
- Democracy, constitutions and human rightsLaw and popular cultures
- Crime and society
- The construction and regulation of subjects
- Comparative Asian law
The Centre is accepting admission and scholarship applications from candidates interested in pursuing legal intersections research.
Applications due: Monday 17 October 2011
For more information: Visit the Legal Intersections Research Centre website
Please discuss your proposal with: Professor Luke McNamara, Director, by phone on 02 4221 3382 or by email.
Win Up to $33,000 in Undergraduate Essay Competition
The Governor-General's Undergraduate Essay Competition is Australia's most prestigious civics essay competition. It is open to all Australian undergraduate students and offers up to $33,000 in cash prizes to the winning authors of 2,500 word essays.
The essay questions include topics related to law, politics and other contemporary issues facing Australia. To find out more visit the competition website or contact Phuong Van via email.
Competition closing date: Friday 30 December 2011 at 5:00pm AEST.
The School of Law is updating our website and will be introducing a new Student News and Achievements area which will celebrate the diverse range of activities, events and programs that Deakin School of Law students are involved in, as well as awards and nominations they receive.
If you (or someone you know) have done something interesting that you think other law students would like to hear about, please send the details to Karen Mann. Karen will then guide you through the process for getting this published.
Events
International Justice Conference, 8-11 March 2012, Perth, WA
This conference brings together international and national experts in justice, forensic science, law, law enforcement, criminal psychology and criminology.
You will learn valuable insights into the processes and technology used to examine and solve a range of high profile cases, including:
- the September 11 attacks
- the Bali bombings
- the inquest into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales
- the crimes of Joseph Fritzl and Armin Meiwes in Austria and Ivan Milat in Australia.
Hear firsthand from those whose terrible ordeals as victims of injustice have been portrayed in Hollywood movies, including:
- Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton (Australia)
- Dr Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter (USA)
- Betty Anne Waters (USA)
- David Bain (New Zealand).
Date: 8-12 Mach 2012
Venue: Burswood Entertainment Complex, Perth, WA
Registration:
Early conc.= $990, Standard conc.=$1760, Late conc.=$2200
Early full= $1397, Standard full=$2090, Late full=$2200
Early Bird Special: Ends 30 November 2011!
For more information: Visit the conference website or view the registration brochure [1.4 MB PDF].
Employment & Placement Opportunities
Placement available with Corporate Legal Group in a major bank
A major bank based in Melbourne is offering a unique placement program for one student in Trimester 2 in their Corporate Legal Group. The placement is for a fourth or fifth year student with a minimum WAM of 65. The placement is unpaid and can be negotiated to be between 12 - 30 days. The placement will be located in Collins St, Melbourne.
The Corporate Legal Group includes:
- Global Sourcing Legal team
- Technology Legal team (including an IP specialist)
- Outsourcing Governance team
- Corporate Advisory team
Applicants will need to:
- have an interest in corporate law, technology law and/or governance
- undergo police and sanctions checks
- sign a NDA and comply with bank policies
- be available on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays
- wear corporate attire
- be patient getting through the administrative process!
To apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume to Marlene Ebejer
Applications open: Wednesday 26 October 2011
Applications close: COB Monday 14 November 2011.
Professional Experience Placements available at Victoria Legal Aid in Trimester 1, 2 and 3, 2012
There are limited placements for law students with Victoria Legal Aid at either Geelong, Dandenong or Ringwood in T1, T2 or T3. Students will be required to attend one day per week for 12 weeks and will work directly with a duty lawyer at the local magistrates court and assist them with administrative tasks on the day and have the opportunity to see how the legal process works in the Magistrates Court.
Applications open: 26 October 2011
To apply:
Please email Marlene Ebejer with your preferred trimester, preferred location and contact number and include a statement of commitment to attending the placement for 12 days over 12 weeks.
For more information: Visit the Placement Scheme webpage or email Marlene Ebejer.
International Internships available in India and Indonesia
International Internships is an organization which offers students access to internship opportunities in India (Mumbai), China (Beijing) and Indonesia (Yogyakarta).
The programs enable students to do an internship in their chosen field of study and therefore gain invaluable professional experience to add to the resume, as well as a deeper cultural understanding of the country where you work. International Internships is currently offering some positions that are particularly suited to law students.
India: A placement for a Legal Intern is available at Nishith Desai Associates, a well-regarded law firm in Mumbai.
Read more about the opportunity & how to apply.
Indonesia: A placement for a Legal Aid assistant is available at Legal Aid Indonesia (Lembaga Bantuan Hukum).
Read more about the opportunity & how to apply.
Please note: You may eligible for a Deakin grant of $1,000 to help cover the costs
Dates: Commencement dates & length of internship are flexible.
To apply: Complete the online application form. You need to attach a CV to your application.
For more information: Visit the International Internships website or contact Jack McNaught by email. (Jack is a Deakin University lecturer and also works for International Internships.)
Volunteer positions available fighting the death penalty in the United States
Reprieve is an Australian non-government organisation that fights the death penalty. It seeks to provide effective legal representation and humanitarian assistance to those facing the death penalty, to advocate against the death penalty and to raise awareness about human rights.
Established in Melbourne, Australia in May 2001, Reprieve places volunteers in the United States to help provide legal representation and humanitarian assistance to those facing the death penalty. They work with their sister organisation, Reprieve US, to place volunteers in the southern United States for periods of three months or more.
Over the last 10 years Reprieve have sent more than 70 volunteers to nine offices in six US states. The program continues to grow each year, attracting a mix of students and professionals from a variety of legal and non-legal backgrounds.
Fore more information: To find out more about the volunteer program and how to apply, visit Reprieve's website.
School of Law Employment & Professional Experience placement and Internship opportunities web page
The School of Law has a regularly updated webpage where we will post information about any job, Professional Experience placement or Internship opportunity as information becomes available.
If you are looking for a job, Professional Experience placement or an Internship, please visit this webpage on a regular basis.
Key Information for current students
StudentConnect is where you can access your enrolment information including your course, unit and address details, track your assignments, check and pay your fees, view results and re-enrol online.
Current Students should be the first place you visit to find key resources, study support, IT and computing information, student services and groups, activities, and news.
Students may withdraw (in Second Trimester 2011):
| Up to 7 October | WN |
Withdrawn Fail (appears on transcript) |
Students may withdraw (in Third Trimester 2011):
| Up to 15 December | WE |
Withdrawn Early (no penalty) |
| Up to 15 January 2012 | WL |
Withdrawn Late (appears on transcript) |
| Up to 10 February 2012 | WN |
Withdrawn Fail (appears on transcript) |
Important dates in the Handbook
IT and Computing
The Deakin IT website contains essential IT information including how email works at Deakin (including your email address, webmail and email redirection) and internet access.
Key links on the IT and computing site are:
- Software
- Usernames and passwords
- IT service desk
The Library
The Library provides information resources and services that will form an integral part of your university experience.
Support for off-campus students
Learn about the support available to off-campus students
The School of Law recommends that students follow one of the model course structures when planning their studies.
The School of Law is committed to maintaining appropriate assessment standards. Please review the assessment expectations for more information.
All students should use the Course Structure provided when planning their course progression. The Course Structures are designed to ensure students have the acquired knowledge they need to undertake prescribed units throughout their course (including co-requisite and pre-requisite units) and to assist you to complete your course in a timely fashion.
Students can check your own course progression by logging in to Student Connect and clicking on the ‘View course progress’ link.
Students can seek assistance from the Course Advisors on your home campus who are available to assist you with any course queries that you may have, or alternatively you might like to contact your home campus with any course enquiry.
Important information about staying in touch with the School of Law
Receiving important information from the School
Important information from the School of Law is distributed via D-Brief, the School's monthly newsletter, and also other occasional emails. These emails are ONLY sent to your DEAKIN EMAIL ADDRESS. If you want to have these email redirected to a different email address you can arrange this by using the email forwarding facility. Please set this up so you receive important updates from the School of Law.
Please note: When communicating with the University it is very important to include ALL the relevant information in your email, phone message etc. Your full name, student ID, course name/code, unit code and title, campus are all relevant and assist us to help you more efficiently. Consider creating an email signature for your name, ID, course and campus that can be added to the bottom of your emails. Please view instructions on how to create a signature.
Requesting information
If you are seeking information about any aspect of your law studies you should:
1. Visit the Current Students area on the School of Law website.
2. Email or ring the appropriate staff member. You MUST include your full name and Student ID number in all correspondence.
Professional Experience Requirements
The practical legal skills you will learn throughout your study, combined with the professional experience and networks you will develop, will put you on the right path for achieving your future career goals.
Regular, compulsory practical experience placements throughout the course also offer you the opportunity to experience legal environments first-hand and develop useful workplace contacts.
Employers of law graduates have noted that many of the graduate positions or traineeships that are taken up annually are offered to graduates who have previously been employed at these organisations by way a seasonal clerkship, internship or professional experience placement or to graduates who have strong evidence of professional experience on their resume.
To facilitate this the School of Law requires that all LLB students undertake a minimum of 30 days Professional Experience placement (unless otherwise stated in their course rules) in a legal related field over the duration of their course (and prior to completion).
It is not possible to graduate without having satisfied this requirement. In line with Deakin University's policy, before commencing Professional Experience placements, students are required to obtain pre-approval from the School of Law.
To obtain pre-approval, download the Pre-Approval Application Form [256KB PDF] and complete and return to Kylie Wiffen.
It is a student’s responsibility to locate and formalise a Professional Experience placement. Work readiness is an extremely important aspect of you completing your degree and it is to your advantage to make the most of the resources available to you.
For more information please visit the Professional Experience webpage.
Contact your campus office to make an appointment with a Course Adviser.
Burwood Campus
Phone: 03 9244 6555
Email: enqblm@deakin.edu.au
Geelong Campus
Phone: 03 5227 1277
Email: enqblg@deakin.edu.au
Warrnambool Campus
Phone: 03 5563 3510
Email: enqblw@deakin.edu.au
The University Handbook is available online. Please refer to the online version for the most up-to-date information about units, pre-requisite unit changes and other enrolment information .
Avoid fees and missing due dates- check out important dates listed in the 2011 Handbook.
Make the Current Students section of the School of Law website your first stop if you have any questions.
Law Essentials is a great resource for all law learners, law graduates and for anyone thinking of studying law at Deakin University.
Need Help? Ask DUSA
DUSA offers a variety of support services to students in the following areas:
- Support
- Advice
- Representation
- Groups
- Advocacy
Contact DUSA today.
Deakin Law Students' Societies
Visit the DLSS Burwood website for more information on events and services.
DLSS Burwood Congratulates Competition Winners
DLSS Burwood would like to congratulate:
- Simone Linham (from Geelong) for winning the Maddocks Paper and Oral Presentation Competition
- Shaun Clement and Jerry Fung for winning the Blake Dawson Witness Examination Competition.
The DLSS Burwood has recently published My 2011 Career Guide Book [PDF 5.1MB], which aims to assist students to start planning for their futures. The Careers Guide includes:
- Current seasonal application dates
- Tips for applying for seasonals
- Suggestions for planning your studies to make application time less stressful, even if you are in your early years of study.
For further information: Visit the DLSS Burwood website and also the Deakin Law Students' Society Facebook page and Careers Facebook page. Alternatively you can contact Claire Groves to find out more.
The DLSS Geelong 2011 aims to be a responsible body which provides strong academic support, opens the doors to a variety of career development opportunities and also offers a range of social functions for all law students.
For more information please contact your committee members:
- Amber Colbourne - President, phone: 0414 862 836
- James Turnbull - Secretary, phone: 0403 313 656
- Alex Morell - Treasurer, phone: 0400 524 271
The Geelong DLSS has published the Harwood Andrews Dossier so you can access information about:
- the Society
- its Committee
- seasonal clerkships
- competitions
- social functions
- educational assistance
- the ALSA conference.
“A student’s idea. A student’s perspective. Your voice.”
The DLSS Geelong membership card is on sale.
It is $10 and will be available from the DLSS office or the Reception office for the Faculty of Business and Law.
Deakin University Commerce & Law Society (DUCLS)
Visit the DUCLS (Warrnambool) website for more information on events and services.
