Australia-China Legal Profession Development Program 2009

2009 Participants of the Australia-China Legal Profession Development Program meet with the Attorney-General’s Department Secretary

2009 Participants of the Australia-China Legal Profession Development Program meet with the Attorney-General’s Department Secretary
Left to right: Wang Yi (Tony), He Yanhong (Jenny), Cai Xuejun (Charles), Deng Yalan (Deborah), Roger Wilkins AO (Secretary), Zhou Wen (Wendy), Wu Yueqin (Cathy), Ou Jiangang (James), Zhu Xiaochuan (Matt)


Australia-China Environmental Development Program participant with the Attorney-General’s Department Secretary

Australia-China Environmental Development Program participant with the Attorney-General’s Department Secretary
Roger Wilkins AO (Secretary) with Luo Huaixi

The third Australia-China Legal Profession Development program started on 19 February 2009. Eight private sector lawyers participated and were joined by an official from the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council and a case manager from the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission. The Secretary of the Attorney-General’s Department Mr Roger Wilkins AO welcomed them to Australia and provided them with an overview of the Australian legal system and the role of the Attorney- General’s Department. A welcome dinner was hosted by the Director International, Ms Margery Nicoll of the Law Council of Australia.

For eight of the participants the program was again funded by AusAID with all obtaining Australia Leadership Awards – Fellowships. Mr Luo Huaixi from the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council was funded under AusAID’s the Australia-China Environmental Development Program (ACEDP). One private sector lawyer was self-funded.

The first four weeks of the four-month professional development program involved training focussed on the Australian legal system and related institutions, introduction to the common law and study visits targeting the specific areas of interests of the participants. This initial period included study tours to Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney, with visits to relevant legal institutions and government departments and agencies and intensive training courses, including attendance at the Australian Securities & Investment Commission Summer School.

The second phase of the program began on 23 March 2009 and involved the Chinese participants undertaking placements over twelve weeks in law firms, legal professional bodies and Australian and State Government agencies in Perth (Minter Ellison and Corrs Chambers Westgarth), Melbourne (Logie-Smith Lanyon, the Law Institute of Victoria, Telstra, Phillip Ormonde Fitzpatrick, the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia), Sydney (Allens Arthur Robinson, Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority, and Australian Government Solicitor), Canberra (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission), and Brisbane (The University of New England and the Queensland Law Society).

A highlight of the program was when the participants returned to Canberra and made presentations on their research papers to the Chair of the International Law Section, Dr Gordon Hughes and Secretary-General of the Law Council, Mr Bill Grant.

Participants

Further details of participants are available from the downloads area on this page.

Research Papers - 2009 Program

Further information

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