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The Faculty of Law at the University of Melbourne is one of Australia's oldest law schools. It retains a reputation for high quality teaching and research, with approximately 3500 undergraduate and postgraduate students, and a number of Australia's leading legal minds.

Contents 1 History 2 Research 3 Scholars 4 Notable alumni 5 Publications 6 References

The teaching of law at the University of Melbourne begun in 1857, when Richard Clarke Sewell was appointed Reader in Law. This was in response to demand from young men wanting to practice law in the colonies, but wanting to stay in Australia to learn. This led to the first degree in law being made available in 1860, and the founding, in 1873, of the Faculty of Law.

The school continued to grow through out the 19th and 20th century, and underwent its first major transformation with the appointment of Sir Zelman Cowen as Dean in 1951. Sir Zelman shaped the law school after the United States model, reforming teaching, research and academic recruitment. Under his stewardship, full-time academics came to dominate teaching, instead of part-time practitioners. Many prominent international academics were invited to study at the School, and many Australians were given the opportunity to study abroad.

Recent developments in the Law School have seen a shift in emphasis towards postgraduate teaching, which will culminate in the 'Melbourne Model', to be introduced in 2008. This scheme will see the study of law available to postgraduates only, as part of the 'Juris Doctor' program.

The Faculty of Law is home to some key research institutes and centres, including:

• The Asian Law Centre
• The Asia-Pacific Centre for Military Law
• The Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies
• The Centre for Corporate Law and Securities Regulation
• The Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law
• The Centre for Resources Energy and Environmental Law
• The Centre for Media and Communications Law
• The Institute for International Law and the Humanities
• The Intellectual Property Research Institute of Australia

The University of Melbourne attracts many prominent legal academics, including the following notable members of staff:

• Professor Michael Bryan, equity and restitution scholar
• Professor Andrew Christie, intellectual property expert
• Professor Harold Luntz, professorial fellow and expert in tort law
• Professor Jenny Morgan, feminist legal academic
• Professor Ian Ramsay, expert in corporate law and corporate governance
• Professor Cheryl Saunders AO, constitutional lawyer
• Professor Gillian Triggs, international law expert

Some famous graduates of the Law School are:

• Sir Zelman Cowen, former Governor General
• Sir Daryl Dawson, former High Court Judge
• Alfred Deakin, former Prime Minister of Australia
• Sir Owen Dixon, former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia
• Harold Holt, former Prime Minister of Australia
• Sir Isaac Isaacs, former Governor General and Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia
• Sir Robert Menzies, former Prime Minister of Australia
• Sir Ninian Stephen, former High Court Judge and Governor General

The following publications are produced by students at the Law School:

• Melbourne University Law Review
• Melbourne Journal of International Law

• Law Faculty website
• Campbell, Ruth. 1977. 'A History of the Melbourne Law School, 1857 to 1973', Faculty of Law, Parkville. ISBN 0-909454-43-4.