Law School

Current Legal Issues Seminar Series

Launched in 2009, Current Legal Issues is a high profile series of seminars featuring leading national and international legal scholars, practitioners and members of the judiciary.

The series is a collaboration between UQ Law, the Bar Association of Queensland, the Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Law and the Supreme Court of Queensland Library. It seeks to bring together leading scholars, practitioners and members of the Judiciary in Queensland and from abroad, with a view to:

  • providing a forum for the critical analysis and discussion of current legal issues
  • bringing to bear upon those issues the different perspectives offered by leading academics, legal professionals and the Judiciary
  • forging stronger links between academic and practising lawyers in Queensland.

Each seminar will comprise a Chair, Speaker, and Commentator. The Chair will introduce the Speaker and Commentator. A paper will then be presented by a leading practitioner or academic lawyer, and will be subject to a brief, expert commentary. There will then be an opportunity for members of the floor to ask questions and engage in further discussion. The paper and a short profile of each participant will be available in advance on this website to assist in facilitating full discussion.

Wrecking ball crashing into a brick wall.

Sexual Offences – Has the Pendulum Swung Too Far?

13 November 2025 5:00pm–7:15pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
This seminar addresses the current state of the law regarding the prosecution of sexual assault cases, questioning the balance between the rights of complainants and minimising miscarriages of justice for accused persons.
Queensland Parliament

A Second Chamber for the Queensland Parliament: Four Reasons, Four Features and Four Design Principles

30 October 2025 5:00pm–7:15pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Professor Nicholas Aroney will present four arguments for the restoration of an elected second chamber in Queensland.
A folded newspaper with a red justice scale super imposed over the text.

Contemporary Issues in the Australian Legal System

3 September 2025 5:00pm–7:15pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
The Honourable Justice Stephen Gageler will present his thoughts on contemporary challenges faced by the Australian Legal System. The floor will be open for questions and discussion.
Vector art of a man thinking with justice scales in the background.

Frail Lawyers and Their Fearless Logics: What Drives Ethical Error?

21 August 2025 5:00pm–7:15pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Professor Moorhead will suggest that traditional notions of ethics are flawed; that rather than protecting the rule of law, they render it vulnerable.
ornately carved top of sandstone column

Religious Freedom, Religious Discrimination and the Role of Law

13 October 2022 5:00pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Presented by Professor Carolyn Evans, Vice-Chancellor and President, Griffith University, with Professor Patrick Parkinson, UQ Law, commenting and the Hon Justice Sarah Derrington, Federal Court of Australia, President of the Australian Law Reform Commission chairing.
filigree on sandstone columns

Reforming the Law of Domestic Violence - An Offence of Coercive Control?

8 September 2022 5:00pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Presented by The Hon Margaret McMurdo AC, President, Queensland Court of Appeal, with Professor Heather Douglas, University of Melbourne, commenting and The Hon Justice Soraya Ryan, Supreme Court of Queensland chairing.
close-up of filigree on a sandstone column

Reforming the Australian Justice System's Response to Sexual Offences

21 July 2022 5:00pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Presented by The Honourable Anthony North QC, Chair, Victorian Law Reform Commission, with Associate Professor Julia Quilter, University of Woolongong, commenting and Her Honour Judge Deborah Richards, District Court of Queensland, chairing.
sandstone column

Common Law Relief from Penalties: When Did it All Begin?

19 May 2022 5:00pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Presented by Dr Peter Turner, with Professor Warren Swain, University of Auckland, commenting and the Hon Justice Peter Flanagan, Supreme Court of Queensland chairing.
ornately carved top of sandstone column

Forensic Evidence in Criminal Proceedings

10 June 2021 5:00pm–6:45pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
The Main Problems with Australian Responses to Forensic Science and Medical Evidence. Presented by Professor Gary Edmond (UNSW) with Saul Holt QC commenting and the Hon Justice Peter Applegarth AM chairing.
Pillars

The Prospects for Reform of Investor-State Dispute Settlement

17 October 2019 5:00pm–6:45pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Speaker: Professor Chester Brown, University of Sydney
Chair: The Honorable Justice James Douglas, Supreme Court of Queensland
Commentator: Professor Anthony Cassimatis, UQ Law School
Pillars

Criminal Law

22 August 2019 5:00pm–6:45pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Speaker: Professor David Hamer, University of Sydney
Chair: The Honorable Justice Soraya Ryan, Supreme Court of Queensland
Commentator: Benedict Power, Barrister- at-Law
Pillars

Unjust Enrichment and Equity

13 June 2019 5:00pm–6:45pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Speaker: The Honorable Justice Julie Ward, Chief Judge in Equity, Supreme Court of New South Wales
Chair: The Honorable Justice Catherine Holmes, Chief Justice of Queensland
Commentator: Professor Kit Barker, UQ Law School
Pillars

Corporate Commitment to Human Rights in Australia

9 May 2019 5:00pm–6:45pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Speaker: Professor Sally Wheeler, Australian National University
Chair: The Honorable Justice Sue Brown, Supreme Court of Queensland
Commentator: Tim L’Estrange, Partner, Jones Day
Seminar 4

Seminar 4: "Jury Directions, the Struggle for Simplicity and Clarity"

20 September 2018 5:15pm–6:45pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Speaker: The Hon. Justice Virginia Bell AC, High Court of Australia
Chair: The Hon. Justice Roslyn Atkinson AO, Supreme Court of Queensland
Commentator: Professor Jonathan Clough, Monash University
Seminar 3

Seminar 3: Constitutional Law - "Who is Afraid of Proportionality?"

9 August 2018 5:15pm–6:45pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Speaker: Professor Adrienne Stone, University of Melbourne
Chair: The Hon. Justice Glenn Martin AM, Supreme Court of Queensland
Commentator: The Hon. Chief Justice Catherine Holmes, Chief Justice of Queensland
Seminar 2

Seminar 2: Fiduciary Law - "Prospective Fiduciary Duties"

17 May 2018 5:15pm–6:45pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Speaker: Professor Lionel Smith, McGill University Canada
Chair: Dominic O’Sullivan QC
Commentator: The Hon. Justice Derrington, Federal Court of Australia
Seminar 1

Seminar 1: Criminal Evidence - "Whatever Happened to Weissensteiner - the Person and the Principle?"

22 March 2018 5:15pm–6:45pm
 
in Current Legal Issues Seminar Series
Speaker: The Hon. Justice Soraya Ryan, Supreme Court of Queensland
Chair: The Hon. Justice Walter Sofronoff, President of the Court of Appeal
Commentator: Professor Jill Hunter, University of New South Wales