About the La Trobe Law School
The rule of law plays a transformative role in promoting just and equitable societies. We believe that shaping the law for the better can improve individual lives and whole communities.
The La Trobe Law School’s progressive and practical courses ensure that graduates are career ready – and ready to make a difference in their local and global communities.
Our vision is to create a teaching and learning environment that emphasises academic excellence, access to justice and employability, with research outcomes that shape the law for the better.
We offer undergraduate programs in Law and Criminology – including a range of double degrees – at La Trobe’s Bundoora and Bendigo campuses. We also offer postgraduate Law (Juris Doctor) at our City campus, Masters by research and PhD programs.
Our degrees give students the skills and knowledge they need to graduate ready for the workforce.
We have educational partnerships with community legal centres, law firms and criminal justice organisations that provide outstanding clinical placement opportunities to ensure students graduate with valuable workplace experience, a commitment to professional responsibility and high ethical standards.
Our staff are research leaders who partner with industry, community organisations and government to produce high impact outcomes. We have a strong commitment to the rule of law and community service, and use our findings to advise on and drive law reform in Australia and overseas.
There are so many opportunities at the La Trobe Law School, including at the La Trobe Law Clinic which places 200 students annually. Our commitment to clinical placements means that our students move seamlessly from university to employment. We pride ourselves on producing highly skilled, flexible, career ready graduates.
A career ready education
The La Trobe Law School offers a strong core curriculum and a diverse range of electives, allowing students to tailor their study to match their career aspirations.
Learning is augmented by a range of clinical placement experiences, embedded career-related activities, and industry events that introduce students to the workplace.
Our Law graduates have become barristers, magistrates, partners in metropolitan and regional law firms, local and state politicians, and government solicitors.
Our Criminology graduates have pursued careers in corrections, policing, the public service and victim support services.
Whatever your passion, the La Trobe Law School will give you the skills and opportunities needed to make your career a reality.
Find out more about our courses and our distinctive student experience.
High impact research
Researchers in the La Trobe Law School are tackling some of the big issues of our time, partnering with industry, government and community organisations to influence law reform in Australia and overseas.
Our researchers participate in test case litigation, serve as expert witnesses in superior court cases and regularly engage with the media. Others secure competitive grants to undertake large projects that involve teams from across the globe, as well as graduate students.
Our graduate researchers are also helping to understand law in its social context, shaping law reform and facilitating social change. Our Masters and PhD programs give candidates the opportunity to conduct high impact projects under the direction of experts in their field.
The La Trobe Law School is rated at well above world average in the Australian Research Council's Excellence in Research for Australia.
Our research aligns with La Trobe University's research themes: Social change and equity, Healthy people, families and communities, and Resilient environments and communities.
Our research is grouped into two research clusters:
The La Trobe Law School is a leader in the contextual study of law and society. Our focus is on building a legal system that will result in a more inclusive, equitable and just society.
Our researchers are highly regarded for their critical examination of the relationship between law and society in areas such as mental health law and policy, disability, criminal justice, family relations and the environment.
They also partner with a range of industry, government and community organisations to tackle some of the most challenging issues facing our society, including how to eliminate seclusion and restraint in mental health facilities and how to protect the interests of children conceived through assisted reproduction.
A number of Law in Context cluster members are also research leaders in the La Trobe University Care Economy Research Institute.
The International and Comparative Law Cluster was established to provide a platform for research activities related to international and comparative law.
With a program that includes academic reading groups, research seminars, master classes, workshops, public lectures and a visiting fellowship program, the cluster cultivates, connects and amplifies research conducted in the School and with the broader community.
Members examine the role of international law in shaping the global order, and compare national laws in their social, historical, cultural, political and economic contexts.
The cluster’s research spans refugee law, international criminal law, international human rights law, public international law and international economic law. It traverses Hong Kong, Australia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Colombia and beyond, and addresses pressing concerns relating to gender, conflict, climate change and inequalities.
The cluster’s research is concerned with the role of national and international laws at times of global transformation.
With a key aim to build and foster research communities, the cluster welcomes postgraduate students wishing to pursue research in these areas, and we invite practitioners, academics at other universities and others to join the cluster as associate members.
Find out more about our research.
Meet the School's Executive, and read the School's Statement of Strategic Intent.