Continuing Professional Development (CPD) - Previous Activities

After Kyoto: International Welfarism and the Impossibility of Global Carbon Trading -  2 March 2012

Professor David Campbell is visiting the Murdoch Law School from Durham University, UK - one of his principal research interests is regulatory theory. His seminar, After Kyoto: International Welfarism and the Impossibility of Global Carbon Trading considers the possibility and plausibility of a global scheme regulating carbon emissions – details below: 

Date and Time: Tuesday 2 March 2012 at 4.30pm
Venue: Office of Freehills, Level 36, QV 1 Building 250 St Georges Terrace Perth WA 6000.
RSVP: Tom McPhee at t.mcphee@murdoch.edu.au
Topic: After Kyoto: International Welfarism and the Impossibility of Global Carbon Trading
Abstract: The attempt to develop international cap and trade markets for global warming gas emissions, ultimately aiming to determine a global price for carbon, is the most extensive attempt ever made to use market-mimicking mechanisms to deal with an environmental externality. Addressed to the problem of climate change, it is an exercise in the adjustment of the social welfare function on a global scale, and it envisages expenditures which will run into trillions of dollars. This paper will examine the Clean Development Mechanism, the most important of the three flexible mechanisms for carbon trade established under the Kyoto Protocol. Serious concern about the performance of the CDM so far will lead to the conclusion that the regulatory problems of creating shadow markets on this global scale are insurmountable. The implications of these problems for regulatory theory after Coase will be explored. The focus is not on the robustness of the claim of global warming but, accepting so far as possible the International Panel on Climate Change’s account of that warming, on the plausibility of the global scheme assessed as a problem of regulation.


Postgraduate Certificate in Chinese Law – December 2009/January 2010

Murdoch University is the first Australian university to offer an innovative Postgraduate Certificate in Chinese Law. Developed by Professor Gabriël Moens, Dean of the School of Law, this Program aims at helping lawyers, other professionals and law students to understand the real China – both its vigorous economic and legal development and its thousand years of history and culture. +More

 

Professional Training in Arbitration Law and Practice – 27 November – 4 December 2009  

This program offers lawyers, business people and professionals an opportunity to study domestic and international arbitration law under the guidance of some of the world’s leading arbitration scholars and practitioners. Practicing lawyers who successfully complete this course will be eligible to claim 7 CPD points in total - 4 in the area of Legal Knowledge, and 3 in the area of Legal Skills and Practice.

 

Joint Seminar on Aspects of Natural Resources Law: Wednesday, 17 June 2009

Presenters: Adjunct Professor Martin Klapper, Partner of Hopgood Ganim Lawyers will be presenting on Foreign Investment in the Resources Industry

Mr Duncan McLean, Partner at Minter Ellison Lawyers, will then present on Examination of issues relating to Sole Risk, Less than all parties, and withdrawal from Operating Agreements. 

Time: 6.00pm
Venue: Minter Ellison Lawyers, Level 49 Central Park, 152-158 St Georges Tce, Perth.

One CPD point from Competency Area 3 (Legal Knowledge) will be awarded for attending this seminar. The fee for the seminar is $55.00 (inclusive of GST).

Download the Registration Form here.

 

Climate Change Management in the United States Post-Bush : Focusing on Fiscal and Economic Policy. Monday, June 8 2009

During the U.S. Presidential campaign in 2008, candidate Barack Obama did not speak much about climate change policies specifically. However, he promised generous tax credits that would cover thirty percent of the costs of switching petroleum pumps to E85 clean fuel. He also promised to enact tax credits to increase fuel standards as well as tax credits for cellulosic ethanol production. Finally, he vowed to reinstate the 'Windfall Profits Tax' on oil company profits and distribute part of the revenue from this tax to U.S. families as an emergency energy rebate.

The presentation will assess whether, since taking office in January 2009, President Obama has had any success in carrying out his campaign promises, and how he compares with his predecessor.

Presenter: Professor Mona Hymel, Andrews Professor of Law at the James E. Rogers College of Law, the University of Arizona
Time: 4.00pm
Venue : Jackson McDonald Lawyers, 140 St Georges Tce Perth.
Abstract: This presentation will discuss the Bush administration climate change policies and compare Bush's legacy with the new Obama administration's actions towards dealing with climate change issues and environmental problems.

Two CPD points from Competency Area 3 (Legal Knowledge) will be awarded for attendance at this seminar. The fee for this seminar is $125.00.

Download the Registration Form here.

 

Representing Small Businesses: Conflicts and Confidentiality. Tuesday, June 9 2009

Presenter: Professor Mona Hymel, Andrews Professor of Law at the James E. Rogers College of Law, the University of Arizona
Time: 4.00pm
Venue: Jackson McDonald Lawyers, 140 St Georges Tce Perth.
Abstract: The owners of a closely-held business often think of the lawyer who represents the business as their personal lawyer as well. This client attitude is fraught with ethical problems for the lawyer. These and other related issues will be discussed during this presentation, which will also look at examples of situations where these issues arise, as well as engagement letters used by U.S. lawyers entering into such joint representation.

One CPD point from Competency Area 1 (Legal Skills and Practice) and one point from Competency Area 2 (Ethics and Professional Responsibility) will be awarded for attendance at this seminar. The fee for this seminar is $125.00.

Download the Registration Form here.


Understanding Refugee Protest Against Immigration Detention - 14 May  2009

Between 1999 and 2005 approximately 11,500 refugees were detained in Australian immigration detention centres. Many IDCs were over-crowded and the slow pace of refugee application processing meant that significant numbers of people were detained for periods exceeding 1 year and sometimes as long as 5, 6 and 7 years. During this time news of hunger strikes, lip sewing, riots and other forms of refugee protest was regularly in the media. Refugee protest was almost invariably reported as evidence of ‘their criminality’ and ‘bad behaviour’ or as psychological manipulation. It was rarely, if ever, reported as legitimate social action against a human rights violation. Drawing on in depth interviews with people who participated in a range of actions, this research explores refugees’ political consciousness underpinning the protests. Early data analysis indicates that an extralegal concept of human rights and a need for recognition of a universal (if somewhat imprecise) concept of humanity were key motivations for participants.

Speaker: Lucy Fiske is a Visiting Scholar at Murdoch University School of Law. She is a Lecturer at the Centre for Human Rights Education at Curtin University and has previously practiced as a social worker with refugees and asylum seekers in Australia and the UK.
Title: Understanding Refugee Protest Against Immigration Detention
Date: Thursday, 14 May 2009
Time: 1.00pm
Venue: Library (South Wing 2.007)
Murdoch University


Patenting the Unpatentable: Genes, Proteins and Inventions? - 6 May 2009

This lecture will deal with the monopolisation of biological materials in Australia and explain how the Australian Senate has come to instigate gene patents and how they have, are and may impact upon medical and scientific research and the provision of healthcare in Australia. Although what galvanised politicians in 2008 was the controversy over an attempt by an Australian company to halt Australian public laboratories from testing for the BRCA 1 and 2 gene mutations associated with breast and ovarian cancers, there are thousands of patents over various biological materials that are identical or substantially identical to naturally occurring things - things that no one conceived, created or made.

The lecture should be of interest to a variety of disciplines including law, medicine, veterinary science, biological/life sciences and economics.

CPD for Legal Practitioners

Legal Practitioners attending this lecture are eligible to claim one CPD point within the Legal Knowledge competency area. Those attending this seminar for CPD purposes are subject to an enrolment fee of $55 (inc. GST). 

Speaker: Dr Luigi Palombi, Centre for the Governance of Knowledge and Development, The Australian National University
Title: Patenting the Unpatentable: Genes,
Proteins and Inventions?
Date: Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Time: 4.30pm
Venue: Freehills Lecture Theatre,
School of Law, Murdoch University
RSVP: By Friday, May 1 – mailto:M.Everall@murdoch.edu.au

Please download the CPD Registration Form here. 

Gal Research Training with AustLII - 16 March 2009

AustLII's Training Program on Free-access Online Legal Research aims to assist its users to obtain the maximum benefits from their use of AustLII and other free-access online legal research tools. The School of Law at Murdoch University is pleased to host the first AustLII Training Program for 2009.

Presenter: Professor Graham Greenleaf, Faculty of Law, UNSW, Co-Director, AustLII. Professor Graham Greenleaf is a founder and Co-Director of AustLII and the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre. He teaches cyberspace law and computerised legal research at UNSW.
Location:  Perth , Murdoch
Course: Free-access Online Legal Research
Date: 16 March 2009
Time:  9:00 - 5:15pm

About AustLII:

AustLII is Australia’s most popular free-access online resource for Australasian legal materials, serving the needs of a multitude of users with over 700,000 hits daily.

Since its establishment in 1995, AustLII has grown to be a reputable and credible source of legal information with extensive data source agreements in place with Australasian governments, courts, educational institutions and businesses.

Register Now: To register please download the brochure or call Serena Zhang at Murdoch Law School on 08 9360 2408.

CPD Seminar: The Global Financial Crisis – A Big but Unanswered Chanllege for the EU- 11 February 2009

Professor Dr Achim Rogmann, will be visiting the School in February to give a seminar on the European Union’s response to the global financial crisis. Professor Rogmann is visiting from the Brunswick European Law School in Wolfenbuttel, Germany. The seminar will take place on Wednesday, February 11 at 11.30am, and is accredited for the award of 1 CPD point in the competency area of Legal Knowledge.

Speaker: Professor Dr Achim Rogmann, Brunswick European Law School in Wolfenbuttel, Germany
Date: Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Time: 11.30am – 1.00pm
Venue: Library Seminar Room
South Wing, Level 2, Room 2.007


This seminar is approved for 1 CPD point  within Competency Area 3 (Legal Knowledge). Registration Fee: $55 (inc. GST).

The seminar’s abstract and registration form can be downloaded here.

CPD Seminar: Creative Industries and Intellectual Property Protection - 23 October 2008

Professor Sanguan Lewmanomont, Associate Fellow and Former Dean at Thailand’s Yonok University, will be visiting the School on Thursday, October 23 to give a guest lecture on Creative Industries and Intellectual Property Protection.

Professor Lewmanomont is the Director of the Trademark Appeal Board within the Thai Ministry of Commerce, an Advisor to the Thai Ministry of Justice, and President of the Thailand-Chinese Law Society. Professor Lewmanomont is also President and Founder of Lewmanomont International Law Office, one of Thailand’s principal firms specialising in trade mark, patent and copyright law. 

Date: 23 October 2008
Time: 4.00pm
Venue: Freehills Lecture Theatre, Murdoch University School of Law

This Seminar has been approved for 1 CPD point within Competency Area 3 (Legal Knowledge). Practitioners who wish to attend are invited to register at a fee of $55 (inclusive of GST).

The Registration Form can be downloaded here

CPD Seminar: An Inconvenient Truth: Refugee Status Determination in a Hot Political Climate 17 November 2008

Refugee status determination in receiving countries such as Australia claims to be an independent process with decisions made on the basis of objective empirical country information and a non-discriminatory application of legal principles. It is often asserted that decision makers approach their decision making function unaffected by politics ‘without fear or favour’. The arrival of asylum seekers in developed countries is always a controversial area of domestic politics. This raises questions whether decision makers are influenced by the political environment in which they operate.

Using a sample of decisions made by Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) in relation to Afghan asylum seekers in 2002-2003 this paper will explore the nexus between refugee status determination and the domestic and international politics of the time. Given the difficulties of establishing persecution in the shifting politically charged atmosphere in Afghanistan we will examine what factors may have influenced decision makers, in particular the provenance and reliability of ‘country information’ relied upon by DIAC decision makers. 

Date: 17 November 2008
Time: 1.00 pm
Venue: Murdoch University Library, South Wing, level 2, room 2.007
Speaker: Mary Anne Kenny, is a Senior Lecturer, School of Law, Murdoch University and Western Australian Law Reform Commissioner. She was formerly Director of SCALES and founder of SCALES’ ‘Advanced Immigration Law Clinic’. Mary Anne has considerable experience as a migration agent and in the conduct of refugee litigation.

 A light lunch will be provided

RSVP: J.goodie@murdoch.edu.au by Monday 10 .11. 08

This seminar is offered as part of the WA Legal Practice Board Continuing Professional Development program (CPD). This seminar has been approved for the award of 1 CPD point in Competency Area 3 (Legal Knowledge). Click here to download the CPD Registration Form for this seminar.