Welcome from the Dean and Head of School,
Professor Sharon Mascher
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Welcome to the UWA Law School. Our School is situated on Whadjuk Noongar land, and we acknowledge that the Whadjuk Noongar people remain the spiritual and cultural custodians of their land, and continue to practise their values, languages, beliefs and knowledge.
Our award-winning teachers and researchers are national and international leaders across a variety of areas including corporate purpose and responsibility, health law, public law and criminology. They are champions of critical thought who produce impactful research that influences legal and regulatory frameworks and societal norms.
Our students come from a diverse range of academic backgrounds and life experiences and together create a strong, respectful and supportive community. They are eager to learn, engage, and succeed in their chosen career.
Our curriculum offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate learning opportunities.
A hallmark of our Law School is an Indigenous-led process to transform our teaching and research spaces into culturally safe environments where Indigenous and non-Indigenous students can engage with different understandings of what law and justice is and with the imaginings that speak to what it could be.
We hope you will join us and discover your place in the law.
Our courses
We provide world-class legal education from award-winning teachers who are leaders in their fields. Our courses include:
Undergraduate courses and majors
in Criminology, Law and Society and Business Law
Undergraduate courses and majors
Gain fascinating insights into how law shapes the world through our themed majors and undergraduate courses:
- Our Law and Society major explores the interconnections between legal and social systems and policy
- Our Business Law major imparts foundational knowledge of how law regulates the commercial sphere
- Our Criminology Major investigates the fascinating social phenomena of crime, justice, and offending behaviour
- In our specialist Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice you will research and understand crime through a multi-disciplinary lens
For a direct pathway to legal practice, please see the UWA Juris Doctor.
The UWA Juris Doctor
Postgraduate law degree path to legal practice
The UWA Juris Doctor
The Juris Doctor (JD) provides a pathway to legal practice. It is an internationally recognised three-year postgraduate law degree undertaken after completion of a bachelor’s degree in any discipline. Whilst most JD graduates enter legal practice, the skills and knowledge gained through the JD are highly desirable across the public and private sectors.
Through an Indigenous-led process the UWA Law School is transforming our teaching and research spaces into culturally safe environments where Indigenous and non-Indigenous students can engage with different understandings of what law and justice is and with the imaginings that speak to what it could be. The project is a joint initiative of the Law School and the School of Indigenous Studies, and is overseen by a Reference Group of legal and cultural experts.
Postgraduate coursework
Coursework Masters & Graduate Diplomas
Postgraduate coursework
Our Graduate Diplomas and Masters allow lawyers and non-lawyers to deepen their knowledge of law, policy and regulation in industry-aligned subject areas:
- Master of Resources and International Commercial Law
- Master of International Law
- Master of Law, Policy and Government
- Master of Laws
- Master of Legal Practice
- Master of Mining and Energy Law
- Master of Taxation Law
- Graduate Diploma in Law
- Graduate Diploma in Natural Resources Law
- Graduate Diploma in Taxation Law
Postgraduate research courses
With an advanced research component
Postgraduate research courses
Conduct intensive study and develop analytical skills in relation to your chosen topic under expert supervision. Your research will expand legal knowledge and understanding and make an original contribution to your field.
Executive education and CPD courses
Short professional courses taught by experts
Executive education and CPD courses
Catering for busy professionals, our executive education courses give you the opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills through intensives taught by experts in a variety of fields:
- Taxation Law of a Foreign State
- Energy Agreements: Oil and Gas, Alternative Energy and Sustainability
- Goods and Services Taxation
- Base Erosion, Profit Shifting and Transfer Pricing
- Climate Change Law and Emissions Trading
- Environmental Protection Law
- Legal Issues for Not-for-Profits
- Construction Law
- Double Tax Agreements and International Tax Law
- Mining Law
- Mediation Accreditation and Family Dispute Resolution Training, Workshops, and CPD, details here
Discover our research and researchers
Our research addresses current and emerging challenges, offering practical solutions informed by our international expertise and multidisciplinary studies. Discover the latest projects and publications from our staff and PhD students, the UWA Law Review and the Western Australian Law Teachers’ Review:
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Celebrating UWA's Australia Day Honours recipients
Tue, 28 Jan 2025
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Panel examines free speech at universities
Wed, 6 Nov 2024
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Awards and achievements October
Fri, 1 Nov 2024
Visiting scholar program
We encourage scholars from Australia and overseas to undertake research at the UWA Law School for short term periods with a view to establishing and enhancing collaborative research relationships and to contributing to the academic and student life of the School. To be considered for the Visiting Scholars Program, please contact us below.
Contact usAlumni, community and giving
We are proud of our history and that we maintain strong and enduring engagement with our community and our graduates, with a variety of opportunities for involvement, giving back, and just keeping up to date with School events and news.
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Events and news
- George Winterton Memorial Lecture
- The annual George Winterton Memorial Lecture commemorates the outstanding and lasting contribution of Professor George Winterton to constitutional law scholarship and teaching. The Lecture is usually hosted by The University of Sydney Law School, but every three years it is hosted by UWA Law School in recognition of Professor Winterton as an esteemed alumnus. The next Perth lecture will be held in 2027.
- John Toohey Oration
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The John Toohey Oration is a biannual Oration organised by the UWA Law School. The Oration, which commenced in 1998, honours the career and contribution to public life of a distinguished graduate of The University of Western Australia, the Hon. John Leslie Toohey. After graduating in Arts and Law, the Honourable John Leslie Toohey AC QC went on to become an outstanding legal practitioner and, as a Justice of the High Court of Australia, one of the country's most eminent jurists. The Oration is given by distinguished speakers on a variety of topics.
The most recent Toohey Oration was given by the Hon. Virginia Bell AC in September 2023.
For more details about the Hon. John Toohey AC QC and details of past Oration speakers, visit the John Toohey Oration Lecture Series. - Private and commercial law conference
- The annual Private and Commercial Law Conference is held at the UWA Law School near the end of the year.
- French Dialogues
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The French Dialogues is a biennial event, named in honour of Hon. Robert French AC, former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia and former Chancellor of UWA.
The Dialogues consist of a cross disciplinary discussion by a panel of experts on a significant contemporary issue. In 2024, the Dialogues addressed the topic ‘Freedom of speech on Australian campuses – have we got the balance right?’. - Our newsletter
- Alumni and community members who would like to receive copies of the newsletter should please update their details.
Connect with the UWA Law School
Address
UWA Law School, M253 University of WA35 Stirling HighwayCrawley WA 6009