
What Every Lawyer Should Know
The Future of Australian Legal Education conference was successfully co-hosted by The Australian Law Journal and the Australian Academy of Law, on 11-13 August at the Federal Court of Australia, Sydney. Professor Martha C. Nussbaum, the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago Law School, presented the keynote speech to open a weekend of lively discussion and debate on themes influencing the future of lawyers and law schools in Australia, including: “What every lawyer should know”; “Digital technology and its impact on teaching, learning and legal practice”; “New skills and essential knowledge for lawyers”; and “Making connections: law interacting across disciplines and international borders”.
Australian Law Journal update: Vol 91 Pt 7
The latest Part of the Australian Law Journal contains speeches presented at the ALJ’s 90th Anniversary celebrations in the Banco Court of the NSW Supreme Court; a welcome to the co-editors of the “Conveyancing and Property Section” upon the retirement of Emeritus Professor Peter Butt; and a look back at the beginnings of the Journal, as covered by the press and media outlets of the day, in a fascinating piece by the Hon Justice Reginald Barrett. This Part contains the following articles: “The in personam exception to Torrens indefeasibility” – Hon William Gummow AC; “Artificial Intelligence in the courts, legal academia and legal practice” – Lyria Bennett Moses; “Taking advantage of advances in technology to enhance the rule of law” – Robert Size. It also includes the following sections: Current Issues; Letters to the Editor; Conveyancing and Property; International Focus; Competition and Consumer Law; Recent Cases; Book Reviews and Obituary.

Meet the Editorial Board behind The Australian Law Journal (ALJ)
Behind the Scenes of the ALJ: It’s the journal traditionally heralded as holding the most topical of legal issues. With a new General Editor and expanded editorial board, The Australian Law Journal (ALJ) is going through an exciting process of rejuvenation. To celebrate its 90th anniversary, we look behind the scenes of the ALJ and learn more about the Editorial Board and their collaborative content selection process.

The Australian Law Journal celebrates historic 90th Anniversary
The Australian Law Journal (ALJ) first rolled off the presses 90 years ago in May 1927. To mark this milestone, Thomson Reuters hosted a special 90th Anniversary celebration in the Banco Court of NSW, joined by luminaries such as Hon Sir Gerard Brennan AC KBE GBS, the Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG and former ALJ General Editor the Hon Peter Young AO, with a timely ALJ 90th special edition focusing on the theme of Indigenous Australians and the Law, curated by Guest Editor Professor Megan Davis, UNSW’s first Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous.

Australian Law Journal update: Vol 91 Pt 5 – ALJ’s 90th Anniversary Special Issue
The May Part of the Australian Law Journal marks the ALJ’s 90th anniversary since it first started in 1927, and is a Special Issue on Indigenous Australians and the law, with articles curated by Professor Megan Davis, UNSW’s first Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous: “Indigenous Constitutional Recognition: Paths to Failure and Possible Paths to Success” – Shireen Morris and Noel Pearson; “Testamentary Freedom and Customary Law: The Impact Of Succession Law on the Inheritance Needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia” – Prue Vines; “Opportunity is There for the Taking: Legal and Cultural Principles to Re-start Discussion on Aboriginal Heritage Reform in WA” – Lauren Butterly, Ambelin Kwaymullina and Blaze Kwaymullina; “Two New Township Leases on Aboriginal Land in the Northern Territory” – Leon Terrill; “Ensuring Ethical Collaborations in Indigenous Arts and Records Management” – Terri Janke; “Thinking Outside the Constitution on Indigenous Constitutional Recognition: Entrenching the Racial Discrimination Act” – Dylan Lino; “Administrative Law” – Gemma McKinnon; “What Does National Equality Law Have to do with Closing the Gap?” – Laura Beacroft. This Part also includes the following sections: “Current Issues”; Prof Peter Butt’s final notes on “Conveyancing and Property”; and two new Sections: “The Legal Observer” by Michael Pelly; and “Statutory Interpretation” by the Hon Justice John Basten; as well as Book Reviews.

Former Chief Justice Robert French AC sits down with ALJ’s “Legal Observer”
The upcoming May special issue of The Australian Law Journal features an interview with recently retired High Court Chief Justice, The Hon Robert Shenton French AC, twelfth Chief Justice of Australia. This is published in a new Section called “The Legal Observer” written by Mr Michael Pelly. Meanwhile, you can read the transcript of the interview here.

ALJ Special Issue on Indigenous Australians and Interview with former High Court Chief Justice Robert French
To mark the 90th anniversary of the ALJ in 2017, the upcoming May issue will be a Special Issue dedicated to the theme of Indigenous Australians, as well as new Sections, including on statutory interpretation, as well as a Legal Observer column by Mr Michael Pelly, who sits down for an interview with recently retired High Court Chief Justice, The Hon Robert Shenton French AC, twelfth Chief Justice of Australia.