Page 16 - Luce 2012

A l umni News

JCH lawyers make their mark College Fellow Prof Sally Walker
AM (1973) has been appointed
The College is proud to have a range of remarkable law graduates, Secretary-General of the Law
including College Fellow Hon. Rosemary Balmford, the first Council of Australia, the peak
woman appointed to a permanent lecturing position at the professional body for lawyers.
University of Melbourne and the first woman appointed a Judge of The recipient of the degree of
the Supreme Court of Victoria. Many other alumni have gone on Deakin University’s Doctor of
to make their mark in the Australian community, and 2012 was no Laws (honoris causa) for her
exception. Among our law graduates: contribution as legal and higher
education, Prof Walker takes on
Prof Cheryl Saunders AO leadership as the Law Council
(1962) has been awarded promotes the public interests
France’s highest accolade, of lawyers on national and
the Légion d’honneur. Prof international issues and defends
Saunders was recognised for the ‘rule of law’ in the public
her contribution as a visiting interest.
lecturer at University Paris II
and her role as President of the The Principal was a guest as Mr
International Association of John Denton (1978) addressed
Constitutional Law from 2004 an Asialink oration offering on
to 2007, in which capacity insights gained as an external
she was a driving force behind adviser to the Australian
the bi-lingual association’s Government’s ‘Australia in the
increasing engagement Asian Century’ White Paper.
with Africa, Asia and Latin Noting our strengths, he argued
America. One of Australia’s foremost constitutional that it was through increasing
experts, Prof Saunders has assisted in the formulation of the capabilities of Australians to
constitutions for such diverse nations as Fiji, Iraq, South Africa and build stronger relationships across the region at all levels – from
Sri Lanka, and in 1988 she was founding Director of the Centre government to sporting teams – that would allow us to improve
for Comparative Constitutional Studies, developing the centre as relations and operate successfully within Asian markets. A long
the foremost body for comparative research in the region. serving Chairman of the United Nations High Commission for
Refugees Australia, John’s record as an leader in international
Prof Gillian Triggs (1964) has been trade and investment was reflected recently with recognition
appointed President of the Australian in the Asialaw Leading Lawyers survey. John shares a JCH
Human Rights Commission, reinforcing connection on the AsiaLink board with Mr Peter Yates AM (1979),
a profound relationship between Janet its Deputy Chairman, whose wife Susan (1978) and son Nick
Clarke Hall and the promotion of fair (2010) are also alumni of the College. Nick has recently returned
treatment in Australian society. A from a year of work experience in China.
former Director of the British Institute
of Comparative and International Law Jack Nelson (2008, here pictured
and Dean of the Faculty of Law at the in a palace garden in Shanghai)
University of Sydney until her new has progressed from resident
appointment, Prof Triggs maintains student to non-resident tutor in
close ties with the College as a former philosophy. He writes:
Deputy Chair of Council, and a guest speaker in Hall on various
aspects of human rights law. Gillian’s focus on the rights of ‘Since leaving JCH in 2010, I
others including women continues a proud JCH tradition from have been busy completing a Juris
Doctor at Melbourne Law School.
ALumni New
the days of Janet, Lady Clarke onwards. In the 1960s, while
This June, I will be relocating to
serving as College Principal, Dr Eva Eden AM chaired the
Hong Kong. I will be concurrently
Victorian Committee on the Status of Women, advising the state
studying for my Master of Laws
government to ban all discrimination over gender or marriage
at the Chinese University of
status. College Fellow Dr Fay Marles AM was appointed Victoria’s
Hong Kong, and working at a
first Commissioner for Equal Opportunity, holding the office
multinational law firm, King &
from 1977 to 1987. The current Principal was delighted to work
Wood Mallesons.’
under the leadership of Gillian’s now colleague, Australian Sex
Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick, during the
Human Rights Commission reviews into the treatment of women
at ADFA and across the Australian Defence Force.

16 LUCE Number 11 2012