LRSJ in the Curriculum

The College’s ethos of Law Reform and Social Justice and its pro-social values underpin all our educational programs. Students are encouraged to see their studies within a broader social justice framework, and to consider how they can contribute to wider debates about the direction, impact and purpose of the law. 

LRSJ values are increasingly being integrated into the Law School curriculum, with several courses exploring social justice issues themes and providing students with the opportunity to develop key law reform skill sets such as submission writing and public interest advocacy. Courses specifically tailored to practical LRSJ-related outcomes include the Internship Program (LAWS4230) which provides for placements in community legal centres, NGOs and various parts of the ‘integrity’ branch of government, the Prison Legal Literacy Clinic (LAWS4304) which started life as a LRSJ project, the clinical program which includes the Environmental Law clinic (LAWS 4281) and Community Law Clinic (LAWS4268), as well as a host of elective courses on human rights law, environmental protection, Indigenous rights, discrimination law, forced migration, and the intersection of gender, law and development.

LRSJ and Diversifying the Curriculum

LRSJ is proud to be part of an ANU College of Law initiative looking at reforming and diversifying the curriculum. This program challenges the ways in the discipline is traditionally taught and whose voices and histories are centred or silenced. 

In 2021, four LRSJ interns developed an annotated bibliography on the issues of gender, Indigeneity, sexuality and colonialism that can be tapped into as a resource for convenors and lecturers across the College. In 2022, we hope to involve students again, this time in as part of a process of mapping and evaluating core courses which all students are required to take.

 

If you are interested in being involved in this program, please contact the LRSJ Director, Associate Professor Matthew Zagor, at lrsj@anu.edu.au

Internships in the Sector

The College’s Internship Program offers invaluable work-integrated and experiential learning opportunities for students interested in careers in the law reform and social justice sectors.

 

In 2021, interns worked at Darwin Community Legal Service, the Kimberly Community Legal Service, Walk Free (the Modern Slavery Project), the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency, the Women’s Legal Centre (ACT), the Environmental Defenders Office, the First Peoples’ Social Justice Initiative, Gun Control Australia, the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, Green Law, Canberra Community Law and the LRSJ itself. 

The LRSJ has started to showcase some of the amazing work done by interns. In 2021, we highlighted the research on modern slavery supply chains carried out by students placed at Walk Free –  this will become a regular feature on our calendar in 2022 and beyond!

If you want to know more about opportunities to do social justice work through the internship program, contact Matthew Zagor or Jonathan Liljeblad, the course convenors. 

The following courses have significant LRSJ-related content, and are affiliated with the program:

Undergraduate courses

Postgraduate courses

  • LAWS6102 Lawyers, Justice and Ethics
  • LAWS6106 Criminal Law and Procedure
  • LAWS6267 Youth Law Clinic
  • LAWS6268 Community Law Clinic
  • LAWS6281 Environmental Law Clinic
  • LAWS6301 Law and Development Clinic
  • LAWS6304 Prison Legal Literacy Clinic
  • LAWS6307 Legal Education for True Justice: Indigenous Perspectives and Deep Listening on Country
  • LAWS8001 Introduction to Law, Governance and Development
  • LAWS8009 Transnational Anti-Corruption Laws
  • LAWS8016 Comparative Constitutional Law 
  • LAWS8146 Planning and Environmental Impact Assessment
  • LAWS8189 Fundamentals of Environmental and Sustainability Law
  • LAWS8234 International and Comparative Human Rights Law
  • LAWS8252 International Refugee Law
  • LAWS8254 Business, Human Rights and Corporate Responsibility
  • LAWS8264 International Law of the Environment
  • LAWS8314 Post Conflict Situations and International Law
  • LAWS 8405 Artificial Intelligence, Law and Society
  • LAWS8417 Family Law
  • LAWS8471 Refugee Law
  • LAWS8474 Climate Law
  • LAWS8594 Law and Society in South East Asia

Useful Links

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