The technology of blockchain, smart contracts, and AI is set to revolutionise many industries. It allows for automated, trust-minimised interactions that limit the need for gatekeepers and middlemen. The widespread adoption of the technology could have profound impacts on the law, lawyers, and the justice system since lawyers and governments are key gatekeepers and middlemen in the justice delivery process. This course examines the legal issues underlying the "Lex Automagica" tech stack of blockchain, smart contracts, and AI. It provides an overview of each layer of the technology, how they can interact, and an examination of the many legal and policy issues arising from the implementation of the technology. It will examine the many other uses to which blockchain is or may be applied, including the development of so-called smart contracts. It concludes with an holistic view of the ways blockchains may impact the shape of our legal systems and our societies as more and more social and commercial interactions are forced “on-chain”.

To enrol in this course you must be studying a:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM);
• Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP); 
• Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses;
• Master of Military Law (MMILL).

Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the Mid-Year ceremony.

‘Principles of Australian Migration Law and Practice’ takes students through a comprehensive overview of Australian migration law and policy by examining the fundamental principles and the legal framework under which migration law exists, and some of the key concepts in the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) and Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth). It prepares graduates for careers in legal practice or in migration law and policy making.

Taught online, this course is designed to increase the students' knowledge and understanding of the relationship between levels of legislation, case law and policy in the migration law context. Students will experience legislation in operation through statutory interpretation and analysis, review and analysis of complex legislative requirements including visa validity and eligibility. The course informs academic scholarship in this area and increases students' experience in practice by teaching them to critically analyse legislative requirements, and to apply their integrated knowledge to help in providing migration related services and in managing client and stakeholder relationships.

The course complements and expands the knowledge and skills needed in professional legal practice. It is one of the four courses on aspects of migration law and practice. The other three courses are 'Family, humanitaian and other non-skilled visas', 'Skilled, employer sponsored and business visas' and 'Compliance, visa cancellation and review'.

To enrol in this course you must be studying a:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM);
• Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP);
• Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses;
• Master of Military Law (MMILL);

Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the Mid-Year ceremony.

The 'Family, Humanitarian and Other non-skilled visas’ course takes students through the statutory framework and its application to visas relating to family, humanitarian and other non-skilled visas. It enables students to understand the context and working mechanisms of these Australian visa systems, and prepares graduates for careers in legal practice or in migration law and policy making. It allows students to experience migration legislation in operation through statutory interpretation and analysis, review and analysis of complex cases in examining the range of specific requirements of these visas.

This course will inform academic scholarship in this area and increase students’ expertise in practice by teaching them to refer to legislation first, then analyse complex cases and correctly interpret legislation and policy. Students will learn how to apply their integrated knowledge when providing migration related legal services and managing client and stakeholder relationships. Students will be required to conduct research to evaluate law and policy on family, humanitarian and other non-skilled visas and produce submissions for the consideration of government decision makers in relation to visa applications.

The course complements and expands the knowledge and skills needed in professional legal practice. It is one of the four courses on aspects of migration law and practice. The other three course are 'Principles of Australian Migration Law and Practice', 'Skilled, employer sponsored and business visas' and 'Compliance, visa cancellation and review'.

To enrol in this course you must be studying a:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM);
• Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP);
• Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses;
• Master of Military Law (MMILL).

Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the Mid-Year ceremony.

Although a subset of legal drafting, commercial drafting is extremely broad, with areas like contract law, corporate law, banking and finance and intellectual property constituting well established specialisations in legal practice.

Principal topics in this online course include: Drafting techniques; Structure of commercial contracts; Sources of ambiguity and drafting solutions; and   Specific contract drafting issues (e.g. dispute resolution clauses and confidentiality clauses).

A professional background in commercial law is not a pre-requisite to the course. Legal drafting covers the whole range of legal practice – an almost impossibly broad range as attempts such as Butterworths Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents demonstrates. A comprehensive coverage of commercial legal content areas is not possible in this course. Rather, the course covers drafting techniques and a range of particular drafting issues to prepare students for the two major assessment tasks of Document Analysis and Original Drafting. 

In addition, it is important for students to note that, although contractual interpretation/construction is relevant to much of commercial drafting, due to the practical focus of this course, we will not be providing in depth coverage on this aspect of contract law. The course will provide students with practice and feedback in solving common drafting problems, particularly in a commercial context.

To enrol in this course you must be studying a:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM);
• Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP);
• Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses;
• Master of Military Law (MMILL).

Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the Mid-Year ceremony.

This course has been designed for lawyers who practice in, or who desire to practice in Federal Litigation.

This course will teach students how to apply the Federal Court Rules 2011 when commencing and conducting federal court litigation. The course includes the legal requirements and the following important principles of Federal Court litigation:

•   The Civil Dispute Resolution Act 2011;

•   Pleadings

•   Class Actions

•   Applications to the Court on the Papers Active Case Management

•   Complex Litigation and Discovery

•   Errors of Law

•   Appointing an Expert Witness.

To enrol in this course you must be studying a:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM):
• Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP):Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses;
• Master of Military Law (MMILL).

Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the Mid-Year ceremony.

This course has been designed for lawyers who practice in litigation.

Students successfully completing this course will gain a practical understanding of 10 key areas under the Evidence Act 1995 including:

• Standard of Proof;
• Relevance;
• Discretions to Exclude;
• Tendency & Coincidence Evidence;
• Opinion Evidence;
• The Hearsay Rule;
• Documents;
• and The “character” of the accused in a criminal trial.

Students, on successfully completing this course, will be able to apply these principles when considering whether evidence is capable of being admitted in a court or tribunal.

To enrol in this course you must be studying a:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM);
• Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP);
• Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses;
• Master of Military Law (MMILL).

Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the Mid-Year ceremony.

A research paper of 12,000 - 16,000 words in length on an approved topic in Legal Practice. The topic must be approved by the MLP Program Director and the appointed supervisor in consultation.

If you wish to undertake a Graduate Research Unit, please note that the application process has changed.

Please go to the ANU College of Law website for information and the application form https://law.anu.edu.au/graduate-research-unit 

To enrol in this course you must be studying a Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP) or a Master of Laws (Legal Practice) (7312XLLMLP), have completed at least two 8000 level LAWS courses and have a distinction average across 12 units of 8000 level LAWS courses.

You will need to contact the ANU School of Legal Practice to request a permission code to enrol in this course.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the Mid-Year ceremony.

Advocacy is, in many ways, a specialised form of presentation, conducted within specific rules, processes and procedures. In this Advocacy course, you will have the opportunity to experience, both from the theoretical and practical, in practice perspectives that are the key elements of good Advocacy.

In this course, you will: 

• analyse case theories; 
• consider, discuss, prepare and perform competent examination and cross-examination of both lay and expert witnesses; 
• understand the principles and procedural requirements for experts’ reports; 
• consider, discuss, prepare and present competent openings and final submissions.

To maximise your learning opportunities, the course has a substantial face-to-face component involving active class participation and advocacy performance. This is combined with an intensive online component, providing opportunites to experience case preparation and drafting relevant documents.

To enrol in this course you must be studying a:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM),
• Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP),
• Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses;
• Master of Military Law (MMILL).

Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the End of Year ceremony.

This course allows students to apply the knowledge they have learned in Blockchain & Legal Innovation I to solving systemic legal problems by completely re-imagining how particular relationships or transactions can be automated by fusing traditional legal services with the "Lex Automagica" tech-sytack of blockchain, digital assets, smart contracts and AI. We begin with some initial workshops and a case study. Then the focus is on mentor-assisted team-based projects, applying knowledge from the previous course to the problem of designing specific solutions. The major assessment is a research or whitepaper addressing the technical and regulatory barriers to an original, innovatve, and holistic solution to a systemic legal problem, such as digital identity, bockchain-based real estate, online dispute resolution, international trade, money, finance and securities, government regulation and oversight, or any of the other potential use-cases for blockchain and smart contract technology.

To enrol in this course you must be studying one of the following programs and have completed LGEM8001 Blockchain & Legal Innovation I:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM);
• Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP);
• Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD);
• Master of Military Law (MMILL).

Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the End of Year ceremony.

'Skilled, employer sponsored and business visas’ takes students through the statutory framework and its application to visas relating to skilled, employer sponsored and business visas. It enables students to understand the context and working mechanisms of these complex visa systems. Students will experience migration legislation in operation through statutory interpretation and analysis, review and analysis of complex cases in examining the range of specific requirements of these visas.

Taught online, this course will increase students’ knowledge and skills in practice by teaching them to analyse complex cases and correctly interpret legislation and policy. Students will learn how to apply their integrated knowledge to help in providing migration related services and in managing client and stakeholder relationships. Students will be required to conduct research to evaluate law and policy on skilled and business migration and prepare submissions for the consideration of government decision makers in relation to visa applications.

The course complements and expands the knowledge and skills needed in professional legal practice. It is one of the four courses on aspects of migration law and practice. The other three courses are 'Principles of Australian Migration Law and Practice'; 'Family, humanitarian and other non-skilled visas'; and 'Compliance, visa cancellation and review'.

To enrol in this course you must be studying a:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM); Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP);
• Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses;
• Master of Military Law (MMILL);

Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the End of Year ceremony.

'Compliance, visa cancellation and review' takes students into the fascinating world of migration compliance and sanction regime as set out in the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) and Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth) and explores a range of mechanisms for review of migration and refugee related decisions 'when things go wrong'. Through investigations, critical analysis and effective advocacy on issues such as visa cancellation and refusal, this course offers unique insight into the operations of Australia's immigration compliance system. The course also enables students to examine review options (including ministerial intervention) and complaints to the Commonwealth Ombudsman and the Australian Human Rights Commission.

This course will inform academic scholarship in this area and increase students’ expertise in practice by teaching them to refer to legislation first, then analyse complex cases and correctly interpret legislation and policy. Students will learn how to apply their integrated knowledge when providing migration related legal services and managing client and stakeholder relationships. Students will be required to conduct research to evaluate law and policy on compliance issues and produce submissions for the consideration of decision makers.

The course complements and expands the knowledge and skills needed in professional legal practice. It is one of the four courses on aspects of migration law and practice. The other three course are 'Principles of Australian Migration Law and Practice'; 'Family, humanitarian and other non-skilled visas'; and 'Skilled, employer sponsored and business visas'.

To enrol in this course you must be studying a:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM), 
• Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP),
• Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses;
• Master of Military Law (MMILL);

Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the End of Year ceremony.

Although a subset of legal drafting, commercial drafting is extremely broad, with areas like contract law, corporate law, banking and finance and intellectual property constituting well established specialisations in legal practice.

Principal topics in this online course include: Drafting techniques; Structure of commercial contracts; Sources of ambiguity and drafting solutions; and   Specific contract drafting issues (e.g. dispute resolution clauses and confidentiality clauses).

A professional background in commercial law is not a pre-requisite to the course. Legal drafting covers the whole range of legal practice – an almost impossibly broad range as attempts such as Butterworths Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents demonstrates. A comprehensive coverage of commercial legal content areas is not possible in this course. Rather, the course covers drafting techniques and a range of particular drafting issues to prepare students for the two major assessment tasks of Document Analysis and Original Drafting. 

In addition, it is important for students to note that, although contractual interpretation/construction is relevant to much of commercial drafting, due to the practical focus of this course, we will not be providing in depth coverage on this aspect of contract law. The course will provide students with practice and feedback in solving common drafting problems, particularly in a commercial context.

To enrol in this course you must be studying a:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM);
• Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP);
• Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses;
• Master of Military Law (MMILL).

Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the End of Year ceremony.

This course examines Human Rights Litigation in relation to the following topics:

• Review of human rights legislation (Federal, ACT and Victoria);
• Examination and analysis of Human Rights Remedies;
• Human rights litigation procedures and claims;
• Pleadings aspects in human rights matters;  
• Current developments in human rights litigation;
• Prospects for further development in remedies;
• The ACT Human Rights experience;
• A possible Commonwealth Human Rights Act;
• Preparing and proving human rights claims; Enforcing human rights in Australia;
• Human Rights and the United Nations - the Australian experience;
• Some international aspects of human rights, particularly in the United Nations and the European Court of Human Rights.

To enrol in this course you must be studying a:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM);
• Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP);
• Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses;
• Master of Military Law (MMILL).

Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the End of Year ceremony.

The course examines how family law disputes are resolved under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth). It also examines the social and political context of family law, critically examining the values that inform it. As it is not possible to cover all of the legal rules under the Family Law Act in one semester, this course will provide an in-depth and integrated understanding of the legal principles and skills that are central to ‘bread and butter’ family law practice. The course is structured such that the student will gain knowledge of, and the ability to apply, the key legal principles in the first 8 weeks of the course. In the latter part of the course, the course will critically examine a selected family law topic in more depth.

The course is of general use to all law students because family law touches the lives of many Australians, both directly and indirectly. This course would also be useful for anyone thinking of practising in the area of family law, or who might be interested in working in family law policy. As there will be opportunities in the second half of the semester to critically reflect on the social and other values underlying family law and its reform, the course may also appeal to the student who is interested in law reform and social justice issues.

“Lecture” style material will be provided in digital form.

During online seminars or asynchronous discussions, students will engage in interactive activities designed to support the intended learning outcomes of the course. This will include activities on group work, reflective practice and practical problem solving. Students will be free to view and listen to the digital lectures at the times that are most convenient to them.

To enrol in this course you must be studying a:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM);
• Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP);
• Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses;
• Master of Military Law (MMILL).

You are not able to enrol in this course if you have previously completed LAWS4217 Family Law or LAWS8417 Family Law

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the End of Year ceremony.

Commercialisation is the process by which an intellectual property owner (or a person authorised by the intellectual property owner) takes the intellectual property to market. Technology transfer is the process of transferring skills, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples of manufacturing and facilities among governments or universities and other institutions to ensure that scientific and technological developments are accessible to a wider range of users who can then further develop and exploit the technology into new products, processes, applications, materials or services.

There are a variety of ways that commercialisation and technology transfer can be achieved including licensing, assignment, start-up companies, spin-off companies and joint ventures. Each of these paths or modes of technology transfer and commercialisation takes place against a backdrop of legal rules and the contractual provisions dealing with how ownership of the commercialising entity is determined and divided (including when the entity is wound up) and the rights of the participants in the commercialising entity.

In addition, most modes of technology transfer and commercialisation are ultimately dependent on the transfer of intellectual property to another entity or the granting to another entity the right to use the underlying intellectual property – that is, granting a licence or assigning a right. The licensing or assignment of intellectual property requires a thorough knowledge of contract law and intellectual property law and excellent drafting skills.

Having a broad understanding of the technology transfer and commercialisation is critical for a range of professionals in the modern economy. These include: (a) lawyers who advise policy makers, business owners, entrepreneurs, authors, researchers, performers, software developers, website and content managers and other creators and users of intellectual property; (b) lawyers who advise clients who trade in or take security interests over business assets (for example, financial institutions and the buyers and sellers of businesses); (c) government and business executives who purchase, sell or licence goods or services which have intellectual property embedded in them (for example, procurement managers and research managers); (d) government or business executives who are responsible for the production or use of information, artistic works or other content in which intellectual property rights may reside (for example, communications professionals, website managers, application developers and media managers); (e) scientists, engineers and researchers who are interested in learning how scientific breakthroughs and research outcomes are disseminated to a range of users including the research community, business and consumers; and (f) government or business managers who are increasingly assuming responsibility for identifying, managing and commercialising intellectual property developed in their organisations (see for example the Australian Government Intellectual Property Manual issued in 2012):

http://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtections/IntellectualProperty/Documents...

The course will have a strong emphasis on providing students with a practical framework for analysing technology transfer and commercialisation issues in various transactional settings. Students will also learn how to draft and review key commercialisation documents.

The course will examine technology transfer and commercialisation from the perspectives of the different participants in the commercialisation process. These include:

• inventors / creators;

• financiers;

• licensees and assignees;

• licensors and assignors; and

• investors and shareholders.

 The course will have a strong focus on problem solving and the practical and pragmatic application of legal knowledge to particular fact scenarios through a number of advice drafting exercises.

While the course will primarily focus on technology transfer and commercialisation in the Australian context, transnational issues will also be considered.

To enrol in this course you must be studying a:

• Master of Laws (7300XLLM, MLLM),
• Master of Legal Practice (MLEGP),
• Juris Doctor (7330XJD, 7330HJD or MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses;
• Master of Military Law (MMILL).

Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission number.

Note: If you successfully complete this course and are in your final semester/term, you will be eligible to graduate in the Mid-Year ceremony.