Chief Justice launches USQ School of Law

The new USQ School of Law has been officially launched by the Chief Justice of Queensland Hon Paul de Jersey AC and University Chancellor Bobbie Brazil at the Premiers' Hall, Parliament House in Brisbane.

The Chief Justice was joined by Queensland Attorney General Hon Kerry Shine MP, members of the judiciary, local politicians and representatives from Brisbane law firms at the launch.

Mr Shine said that the Law school would have many advantages over its city counterparts and would allow regional prospective law students greater access to courses.

'It is important that all Queenslanders have access to university, and before USQ decided to offer Law it was confined mainly to Brisbane,' he said.

'People feel a lot more comfortable studying with people that they know and in an area they are familiar with, so for those wishing to study Law around Toowoomba and Springfield this gives them the chance to do that.

'This will encourage more people in regional areas to study Law and USQ will have every benefit that any Brisbane university can offer.'

With USQ's first Law graduates expected in 2012, Mr Shine said that their presence within Law circles would benefit the entire State.

'It is difficult for Law firms in Toowoomba let alone Western and North Western Queensland to gain trained graduates to work in those parts of Queensland,' he said.

'People from those areas will be more inclined to go back to those Western regions and it will provide a great service for the people of Queensland generally.'

The Chief Justice, the honourable Paul de Jersey shared Mr Shine's sentiments and said that the Law school was a step forward for Law in Queensland.

'This will encourage the development of the profession in centres outside Brisbane,' he said.

'Studying at a regional institution will also benefit students, as studying in a metropolis can be frenetically busy and that does not necessarily serve students well.'

The law program will be on offer at USQ's Toowoomba and Springfield campuses as well as by external studies from Semester 1 2008.

A video of the launch is available.

Media Contact: Josh Ada, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 1628