Welcome from the Head of School

Welcome to the School of Law for 2009 to all our students both commencing and continuing. The School is in its 18th year having commenced in May 1992. Our first students were admitted in 1993 when 60 students commenced. Since then the School has been growing and this year we expect to have close to 600 students. We have been growing not only in numbers but also in reputation and our graduates are doing very well.

The School offers two streams of study, the LLB program and the Professional Program which combines the LLB with the requirements of admission to practice during the final two years of study. The Professional Program allows students to acquire clinical skills and experience including that of working on cases with real clients. Importantly this allows students to gain an insight into the central role of practice and procedure in the law.

This clinical program is based around the University of Newcastle Legal Centre in University House in the city of Newcastle. The School operates a comprehensive legal aid clinic at the Legal Centre where students enrolled in the Professional Program and others volunteering their services, interview and assist clients with advice. Selected matters are taken on by the Legal Centre and students work on files with the assistance of the staff of the Legal Centre.

The Professional Program would not be possible without the support which the School also receives from the legal profession in the Newcastle Hunter region. Students are placed with local firms, barristers and with other providers of legal work and local practitioners assist with our clinical teaching.

Places in the Bachelor of Laws/Diploma of Legal Practice are limited and entry is competitive. The demands of the dual qualifications mean students are expected to work very hard and choice of courses is limited. Subject to satisfying the requirements of good fame and character, successful completion of the Professional Program enables admission as legal practitioners in New South Wales. An admission ceremony is held in the Newcastle Supreme Court each February.

Students who want greater flexibility in their degree including a wider range of optional courses or those contemplating using their law degree outside legal practice frequently prefer to undertake the LLB program. As with other law students throughout Australia, these students undertake practical legal training at the end of their degree if they wish to be legal practitioners. Experience has demonstrated that LLB graduates compete effectively for employment in law firms in Newcastle, Sydney and elsewhere.

The School of Law prides itself on its pastoral care of students. A hardcopy of a Student Information Booklet is available from the School of Law office. In this booklet you will find contact details of the School Advisors who can assist you should you encounter any difficulties whilst a student with us. There is an active Law Students' Association (LSA) who can also provide assistance. Senior members of the School of Law meet regularly with the executive of the LSA. The LSA is an important part of the School and has an active social program as well as organising events such as mooting competitions, inter School sporting events and opportunities for students to take part in activities with the Australian Law Students' Association.

In 1999 graduates of this School launched the Newcastle Law Alumni as a means of staying in touch with each other and with us. We hope you will all become members of this association on completion of your law studies. We look forward to maintaining our links with you beyond your time as students.

The study of law places many demands on your time. However we hope you do find time to enjoy many of the wider aspects of university life. We are pleased to welcome you and wish you good luck with all your studies in 2009.

Professor Ted Wright
Head of School
School of Law