Widening and innovating the pathway to a Master’s in Law

Widening and innovating the pathway to a master’s in law

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Demand for legal services is at an all-time high, and lawyers are increasingly seeking further study to advance their skills. Now, through the University of Newcastle’s LLM program, non-law graduates also have the opportunity to gain legal knowledge and skills, and to study at one of the most rapidly growing clinical law schools in Australia

DEMAND FOR legal advice is hitting an all-time high, and Reuters estimates that law firms saw a 6.6% rise in demand in the first nine months of 2021 – a level of increase not seen in over a decade. The trend has continued into this year, with Lawyers Weekly reporting 6.4% growth in demand for Australian law firm services in the first half of FY22 – a figure it says “represents a continuation of nearly constant growth in demand for law firm services dating back to FY 2018”. As demand increases, lawyers are also becoming more specialised. The last several years have seen higher demand for practitioners specialising in HR, environmental law, dispute resolution, and technology, and, as a result, many have been seeking out further study to expand on their skills and knowledge. Broadening the pathways to law A growing number of study pathways are starting to open up for students without a law degree. The University of Newcastle recently started accepting non-law graduates onto its LLM course, and, according to Professor Tania Sourdin, the timing of this development couldn’t be better given the increased need for legal specialists. “We’ve always had a very vibrant master’s program, but over the last 12 months we’ve shifted to start accepting non-lawyers into our LLM course,” Sourdin says. “For example, two of our very popular courses are Master of Human Resources and Law and Master of Environmental Law, and they can be accessed by students with a degree in a subject other than law.

Newcastle Law School has some of the highest rates of graduate law employment in the country, excellent teaching staff, and a world-class legal research program. We run our own community legal centre, and our students can receive extensive experience assisting real people to solve real legal problems. Newcastle Law School offers an innovative legal education incorporating experiential learning that is interdisciplinary and internationally focused. Through first-class, research-led legal education, we integrate the study and practice of law. Our staff and graduates are world-class professionals who develop legal and regulatory solutions to some of the most pressing social, commercial and environmental challenges facing our community, region and world. Our graduates are ethically responsible global citizens who have a strong sense of social justice, understand how technology is reshaping the justice system, uphold the rule of law and are committed to the highest professional standards.

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“We’ve always had a very vibrant master’s program, but over the last 12 months we’ve shifted to start accepting non-lawyers into our LLM course”

Professor Tania Sourdin, Newcastle Law School

“We’ve seen a lot of growth in interest across the board, particularly in our dispute resolution courses,” she continues. “Thomson Reuters’ Australia: State of the Legal Market reports that 22% of all hours worked by lawyers are [spent] on dispute resolution matters. “These courses meet a demand because so much of legal practice is now related to having fabulous negotiation skills, and to really understanding mediation and advocacy. Our expert evidence course has also proved very popular, and we’re very lucky to have Professor Jane Goodman-Delahunty as our course leader. She has a background in cognitive psychology and law, and has led large-scale projects with the FBI in which she’s looked at expert and forensic evidence.”

The University of Newcastle’s law school focuses on five key areas of specialisation: dispute resolution, environmental law and policy, human resources and law, international law, and law in practice, which prepares overseas lawyers for practice in Australia. While the LLM does not qualify non-law graduates to work as solicitors (the University of Newcastle offers the Juris Doctor program for that purpose), the LLM is a great way to gain the legal knowledge and legal skills that are becoming essential for a range of other careers. The university also offers study in more niche areas of law, such as its intensive food and wine law course, which runs in the nearby Hunter Valley region.

“This kind of course really takes advantage of our regional location, which means we can access resources in a way other schools perhaps couldn’t,” Sourdin says. “These are all programs that we see as really critical for the future.” Focusing study on ‘what really happens in practice’ When it comes to academic background, Sourdin says that the university sees a broad array of students from different backgrounds entering its law school, from experienced legal practitioners to new industry entrants. A large proportion of master’s students are practising lawyers who take on new courses to expand their knowledge, thinking and areas of expertise. Sourdin notes that a number of courses can be useful to practitioners across all areas of law – for example, negotiation and advanced communication skills. “Those types of courses can be quite foundational no matter your specialisation, so there are core components that are offered across the board. Our expert offerings then build on those strengths,” Sourdin says. “Our focus is always on a very clinical and applied approach to a master’s, while at the same time ensuring that students receive a theoretical background that allows them to really explore issues, and to take their learning into their career. “Having that practical, applied approach is really important for students because we go well beyond the theoretical,” she adds. “We provide real-world examples, and encourage a really stimulating conversation in which we focus on what really happens in practice.”

“Having that practical, applied approach is really important for students because we go well beyond the theoretical. We provide real-world examples, and encourage a really stimulating conversation in which we focus on what really happens in practice”

Professor Tania Sourdin, Newcastle Law School

Sourdin is a leader within the law school and has over 30 years’ experience in litigation and dispute resolution, with technology being a key area of focus. Goodman-Delahunty is also a key figure. She runs a series of courses, including expert evidence, jury behaviour, questioning of witnesses, and credibility assessment. Sourdin notes that Goodman-Delahunty's wealth of practical experience allows here to speak to things that aren’t necessarily covered in many other master’s programs, such as preparation of expert reports. The university also hosts dispute resolution expert Professor Laurence Boulle, who runs commercial dispute resolution and negotiation courses. He has over 30 years’ experience in disputes across a broad range of states and territories, and has also conducted dispute resolution seminars in 12 overseas countries.

A vibrant life on campus Aside from academic excellence, the University of Newcastle also takes pride in its location, campus and surrounding regions. Located on the New South Wales coast, students have the luxury of accessing the beach and harbour within 15 minutes, and a short drive will take them to the picturesque Hunter Valley wine region. Nodding to the campus’s modern architectural buildings, state-of-the-art classrooms and many well-lit study areas, Sourdin notes that an attractive place of study is often just as important to students as the subjects and courses on offer.

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“I think that this is probably the only law school in Australia with great water and beach views! Our university is located in downtown Newcastle, and there are lots of places for students to come and stay if they come down here for an intensive study experience,” Sourdin says. “A student from any other part of the country could fly over and complete an intensive course in a week. We’re also a 45-minute drive from the Hunter Valley wine region, so we have the beaches on one side and the wineries on the other. We’ve been at our current campus for five years – it’s a brand-new, innovative building, and it’s connected to the train station via light rail. “Our classrooms are all state of the art in terms of how students sit and engage, and there are lots of places to do the differing types of educational activities that are required by master’s students,” she adds. “All of our courses will feature engaging presentations, direction from world-class experts, and a lot of peer learning. We are also steps from the new court, and on the doorstep of a thriving café and restaurant district – in short, everything students might want from their place of learning.” To find out more about the University of Newcastle’s Master of Laws program, its experts, accommodation, and campus life, click here.

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Professor Jane Goodman-Delahunty Professor, Newcastle Law School

Professor Tania Sourdin Dean and head of school, Newcastle Law School

Professor Laurence Boulle Belle Wiese chair of legal ethics, Newcastle Law School

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