University law schools have been beset with a sense of schizophrenia ever since first established in the 19th century. They were unsure as to whether they were free to teach and research in the same way as the humanities or whether they were constrained by the presuppositions of legal practice. More recently, this tension has been overshadowed by…

The discourse around student wellness is a marked feature of the 21st century Australian legal academy. It has resulted in various initiatives on the part of law schools, including the development of a national forum. The phenomenon relates to psychological distress reported by students through surveys. Proposed remedies tend to focus on improving…

The Chief Justice of Australia, on the occasion of inauguration of the Faculty of Law at the University of Wollongong (Australia), examines the purposes and content of academic legal education, notes the increasing numbers of students wanting to study law, and recommends more interdisciplinary studies for students of law. (DB)

The conflicting values in legal education between training for the profession and pursuing the academic discipline of law are examined, and tendencies toward isolationism of legal education are decried. Greater organizational and curricular integration between law and the social sciences at La Trobe University (Australia) is noted as a positive…

A study of applicants, matriculating students, and transfer students of the University of Adelaide (Australia) Faculty of Law examines applicant and student characteristics and performance in specific law school courses. Other factors such as performance in elective subjects, sex differences, withdrawal from school, and socioeducational background…