History
The teaching of law at the University of Melbourne began in 1857, when Richard Clarke Sewell was appointed Reader in Law. This was in response to demand from young men wanting to practice law in the colonies, but wanting to stay in Australia to learn. This led to the first degree in law being made available in 1860, and the founding, in 1873, of the Faculty of Law.
The school continued to grow throughout the 19th and 20th century, and underwent its first major transformation with the appointment of Sir Zelman Cowen as Dean in 1951. Sir Zelman shaped the law school after the United States model, reforming teaching, research and academic recruitment. Under his stewardship, full-time academics came to dominate teaching, instead of part-time practitioners. Many prominent international academics were invited to study at the School, and many Australians were given the opportunity to study abroad.
Recent developments in the Law School have seen a shift in emphasis towards postgraduate teaching, which culminated in the 'Melbourne Model', introduced in 2008. Under this model, the study of law is available to postgraduates only, as part of the 'Juris Doctor' program.
Read more about this topic: Melbourne Law School
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