LAW PROGRAMS
Public Interest Law Stream
General Information
The Public Interest Law stream in the Masters Program continues the School's commitment to innovation and responsiveness to developments in the justice system. It offers the opportunity to study, at an advanced academic level, the intersection of law and the public interest.
La Trobe Law has developed the Program in collaboration with Public Interest Law Clearinghouse House (Vic) and Consumer Action Law Centre.
Participants
This program will appeal to individuals in a variety of fields including:
- lawyers currently in private or public law practice whose work already includes a pro bono or public interest component
- lawyers interested in developing a pro bono or public interest component in their practice
- policy makers and those involved in scrutinising policy who are interested in extending their knowledge and understanding of the impact of policy on the public interest
- those working in regulatory agencies
- community legal centre workers and those working in legal aid organisations wishing both to extend their skill base and to develop a theoretical framework for their public service work
- international students wishing to develop their study of law in practice
- practitioners and policy makers working in the area of human rights.
The Programs
The Public Interest Law subjects may be undertaken as part of the Master of Laws or as separate professional development subjects.
Students enrolled in the Master of Laws may take the Public Interest Law subjects in conjunction with subjects from the Global Business Law stream.
The Public Interest Law subjects are also available to students in the Master of Laws (International) and Master of Laws in Global Business Law with permission of the program coordinators.
Subjects
'Issues in Public Interest Law' (LAW5IPI), the core subject, examines the theory, principles and practices of public interest law through an examination of specific areas of legal practice and case studies. It extends participants' practical understanding of the skills required in public interest law practice and policy development.
'Current Issues in Consumer Law and Policy' (LAW5CLP) examines current issues in consumer law and policy. The subject includes discussion of emerging consumer issues in the global market and the interface of competition and consumer law. The approach taken to the subject area is a multi-jurisdictional and multi-disciplinary one.
Other subjects offered in 2008/2009 include:
Inquests, Inquiries, and Commissions (LAW5IIC)
Human Rights and Comparative Disability Law (LAW5HCD)
Health Regulation: Policy and Law (LAW5HPL)
Negotiating Indigenous Interests (LAW5NII)
Delivery
The subjects are offered in an intensive block mode during the summer and winter semester breaks and the Easter mid-semester break. Please refer to the website http://www.latrobe.edu.au/lawman/courses/single-subjects/public-interest-law for the current subject timetable.
The School of Law welcomes students from other LLM programs who might wish to take one of the subjects in the program, practitioners wishing to extend their professional development, and others wishing to participate in various subjects.