Message from the Chair
Welcome to 2023
Just a short note to welcome you to the International Law Section (ILS) in 2023.
We held our first ILS Executive meeting on 15 February 2023. Our committees are already working to provide conferences, round table discussions, lecture series and networking and mentoring activities.
We commenced the year with our first lecture in the Authors’ Series 2023 presented by Associate Professor Imogen Saunders, Director of the Centre for international and Public Law at the ANU College of Law on . Her book entitled: General Principles as a Source of International Law, Art 38(1)(c) of the Statute of the International Court of Justice is available to our members at a 20% discount off the RRP for a limited time. To receive a 20% discount (reduced from $86.99 to $69.59) please contact the ILS Administrator at Doris.Wimmler@lawcouncil.asn.au.
Our Authors’ Series 2023 will present the following authors:
- Tuesday, 4 April 2023
Associate Professor Esmé Shirlow, Dr Elizabeth Sheargold, and Ms Kiran Nasir Gore to present their book entitled The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties in Investor-State Disputes: History, Evolution, and Future; - Tuesday, 6 June 2023
Professor Wojciech Sadurski to present his book entitled A Pandemic of Populists; - Tuesday, 8 August 2023
Professor Anthea Roberts to present the book entitled Six Faces of Globalization: Who Wins, Who Loses, and Why It Matters, as co-authored with Associate Professor Nicolas Lamp; and - Thursday, 5 October 2023
Dr Wolfgang Babeck and Mr Albrecht Weber to present their book entitled Writing Constitutions, Volume 1: Institutions.
These lectures provide a unique opportunity to discuss the issues presented in the publications with the authors and we encourage you to send in your questions and comments prior to the lectures.
We are working to hold an ILS Young Lawyers Summit to be held in the first half of 2023 and we will be continuing with the International Law and Practice Course Lecture Series which will focus on separate international law issues rather than a structured thematic sequence this year. We are also wishing to present on the important topic of International Trade and Business via a roundtable event mid-year. Please keep an eye on our bulletins and website as we hope to hold brown paper lunches/breakfasts during the year to provide an opportunity for casual discourse on topics relevant to international law and practice, to network and provide informal mentoring opportunities. These are likely to be held in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra during 2023 but if our members in other cities or towns wish to hold a session, please let us know.
We have established a committee to arrange an ILS Conference to be held in 2024. Our intention is to hold a biennial ILS Conference. Again, if you wish to be involved, please let us know. The themes and sponsorship opportunities are currently open and we would be delighted to have your input.
I wish to thank Fred Chilton and Suzanne Howarth, Co-Chairs of our Publications Committee for preparing the ILS Newsletter and for commencing the establishment of an ILS annual review publication. You will see that several articles are included which review issues which came to the attention of the ILS and its members in 2022. We hope to develop a formal annual review publication over time. Contributions from our members for our newsletter and annual review are encouraged. Please send articles, short briefing notes or hyperlinks to relevant articles to Doris Wimmler, ILS Administrator (email noted above).
We look forward to your participation. Our dedicated ILS Executive and administrative team are here to help. We look forward to working with you in 2023.
Mary Walker OAM
Chair
International Law Section
The International Bar Association's 10th Biennial Global Immigration Conference - The World in Crises: how lawyers and NGOs responded to the Afghan airlift and Ukraine invasion
Principal Solicitor of Immigration Solutions Lawyers, Mrs. Anne O’Donoghue, was invited to speak and moderate at The International Bar Association's 10th Biennial Global Immigration Conference in December 2022, for the session titled “The World in Crises: how lawyers and NGOs responded to the Afghan airlift and Ukraine invasion”. read more
International dispute resolution and Sanctions
Targeted sanctions are increasingly being used by states in situations of international concern. Sanctions have been imposed on Russia and over 850 Russian individuals and companies. The impact of these sanctions on the Russian oligarchs is obvious. Lesser known are the implications on international commercial dispute resolution where sanctions prevent parties from pursuing litigation or arbitration in part since a party the subject of sanctions may not be able to pay their lawyers. read more
South Pacific Issues, 2022
The South Pacific Issues Committee of the International Law Section, often in conjunction with the South Pacific Lawyers Association ("SPLA"), engaged in numerous activities relevant to the Pacific legal profession during the course of 2022.
There were two major rule of law issues, one involving the separation of powers and the other involving the independence of the profession. read more
Recent Developments in constitutional environmental rights
2022 ILS South Pacific Essay Competition Winner
The Law Council of Australia’s International Law Section (ILS) selected Ms Loretta Houlahan BSc (Hons), MSc, LLM(JD), GAICD as the winner for her essay Climate Change-Related Sea Level Rise: How South Pacific Island States are Testing Whether the Land Still Dominates the Sea, in the ILS 2022 Essay Competition.
The International Law Section’s South Pacific Issues Committee judged this competition and in establishing this competition, seeking to provide an opportunity for young lawyers to become involved with legal issues of interest in South Pacific jurisdictions. The quality of the essays received from all entrants was outstanding, and the Committee was delighted with the responses.
Ms Houlahan is a Canberra based legal practitioner with a keen interest in administrative and international law. During her time as a Legal Officer in the Royal Australian Navy, she developed an interest in maritime security law and has advised Defence on operational and international law issues in the Asia-Pacific region.
In addition to law, Ms Houlahan has postgraduate qualifications in science, and has previously worked in clinical and research science. Loretta enjoys utilising her STEM skills to advise on new and emerging technologies for clients.
Ms Houlahan currently works as a Senior Associate at HWL Ebsworth in the public and administrative law team. She continues her service to the Royal Australian Navy as a reservist Legal Officer and sits on several Health and Defence boards.
Click here to read Ms Houlahan's winning essay in 2022.
2021 ILS South Pacific Essay Competition Winner
The 2021 competition winner was Ms Elizabeth Tomscoll for her essay Legal Analysis: Importance of International Laws and Principles in realising Autonomy to Resolve Conflict in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, in the Law Council of Australia’s International Law Section (ILS) 2021 Essay Competition.
Click here to read Ms Tomscoll's winning essay in 2021.
