Issue: April 2004
News
New Law degree at Bendigo
SENIOR LAW APPOINTMENT FOR LA TROBE BENDIGO
La Trobe University has appointed lawyer and specialist in legal aid issues, Ms Frances Gibson, to head its new Law degree at Bendigo.
This is the first year a Bachelor of Law program is being offered at La Trobe Bendigo to encourage more regional students to study and practice law. The new program has attracted some 30 students who will undertake a law degree with another bachelor degree of their choice at the campus.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Sullivan, said La Trobe Bendigo was delighted to have Ms Gibson lead the program.
'Frances Gibson brings a wealth of legal practice, teaching and research expertise to Bendigo. She has worked as a lawyer and educator in legal aid organisations and universities and is recognised as a specialist in legal aid issues and legal education,' Professor Sullivan said.
'Prior to her appointment at Bendigo, Ms Gibson was a director and senior lecturer at the Kingsford Legal Centre at the Law Faculty of the University of New South Wales. She has worked with the Aboriginal Legal Service and the Legal Aid Commission of New South Wales, and was a principal lawyer with the Independent Commission Against Corruption (1995).'
Professor Sullivan said Ms Gibson's expertise was recognised by a number of awards. In 1999, she was invited to be the first Visiting Clinical Scholar at New York University for six months. She is a recipient of the Vice-Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence at the University of New South Wales, has a Quality Teaching Award from the NSW Minister for Education & Training and the Australian College of Education, as well as the national 2001 Australian Universities' Teaching Committee Award for University Teaching, Law and Legal Studies.
In the same year she was also selected by the Human Rights Commission as the leader of a delegation from Australia to China to work with Chinese lawyers on legal aid issues.
Professor Sullivan said Ms Gibson will be an important addition to the staff and the Bendigo community. 'Her appointment will ensure that students in law will be given the best possible support and tuition.'
Ms Gibson said the prospect of helping to start a whole new law program was an exciting one.
'This is an opportunity to offer a high quality teaching program that offers students a great deal of individual attention. I am keen to encourage links between the local legal profession and students. I would also like students to have the chance to meet and discuss issues with visiting academics, and leading lawyers from all over Australia and overseas.
'I will be working to set up opportunities for students to get practical legal experience and assist clients in need through contact with Legal Aid and other agencies from the beginning of their degree.'
Ms Gibson said she believed the course at Bendigo would expand in the future. At present students will undertake the first two years of law in Bendigo then transfer to La Trobe University at Bundoora for the final years of study.
'I have no doubt that Bendigo is capable of offering a course equal to the best in the country and it is my job to ensure that is what students get,' she said.
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