Impact via the Dean's Foundation

Philanthropic support is critical to our ongoing success. In 2022, UWA Law School launched a corporate donor program, the Dean’s Foundation. The Dean’s Foundation is a corporate donor program that creates long-term partnerships between your organisation and UWA Law School to ensure our continued success in producing remarkable graduates. Your organisation can become a member of the Foundation by making a financial contribution, and the Law School will work with you to determine how your contribution will be used.

For more information, visit the Dean’s Foundation website.

Members

*Founding member

Judge in Residence Scheme

The Judge in Residence program encourages and fosters engagement between the judiciary and Law School staff and students. It supports sitting and retired judges to engage in academic activities, including writing and developing research topics and projects.

The 2025 Judge in Residence is The Honourable Andrew Beech. Open to sitting judges during a sabbatical (WA, Australia, overseas) or retired state, federal and High Court judges (including overseas judges) who wish to be part of the Law School community, the Judge in Residence program offers:

• The opportunity to be involved in the life of the UWA Law School.
• An office in the UWA Law School.
• Access to UWA Library facilities and service during your time in residence.
• Access to student researchers (with payment arrangements subject to negotiation).
• The opportunity to guest lecture and make other presentations to students and staff.
• Audit of postgraduate units taught by the UWA Law School.

In return, the Judge in Residence:

• Has regular interaction with members of the Law School.
• Provides informal mentoring of academic staff and students.
• Maintains a regular presence at the Law School (at least once a week) throughout their residency.
• Has opportunities to contribute to teaching.

How to apply

Contact the Deputy Head of School (Community and Engagement) via email at [email protected].

Law School Advisory Board

The role of the Law School Advisory Board is to provide advice and an external perspective on the Law School’s strategic direction. This includes, for example, the direction and scope of the School’s teaching programs and research activities, its external engagement, and fundraising. We are fortunate to have a Board that consists of members of the legal profession from a diverse range of roles, experience and levels of seniority.

Frank Beasley Medal

In 1927, the Senate of the University of Western Australia formally announced its decision to establish a Law School – made possible by strong support from the Barristers’ Board and the local legal profession, the beginning of the close link that has always existed between the profession and the Law School. On 26 September 1927, the University appointed Frank Beasley as the Law School’s first Professor.

Over the next few years, Beasley placed the Law School on a firm foundation. He was assisted by five visiting lecturers, but as the only full-time staff member he had to teach the remaining six subjects himself. In addition to running the Law School, he established the Blackstone Society as a communal organisation for the law students, played a full part in the life of the University on many fronts (from coaching the rowing eight to serving as Chair of the Professorial Board and Acting Vice-Chancellor), and was active in public life, broadcasting and lecturing and establishing the WA branch of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.

At the time of the 75th anniversary in 2002, the Law School, led by Dean Bill Ford, decided to create a commemorative award to honour distinguished graduates who had made exceptional contributions to the law, the Law School and legal education. The award was to take the form of a medal named for the Law School’s founding professor – the Beasley Medal.

Find out more about the Beasley Medal and the distinguished medal recipients.

Frank Beasley Medal