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Lunch Law Talks
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Welcome to the Faculty of Business, Law and Arts "Lunch Law Talks", topical conversations on contempory legal issues.
These sessions have featured guest speakers from a variety of disciplines, offering diverse perspectives on contemporary legal issues. Hosted by Professor David Heilpern, the series, where appropriate includes topics aligned with HSC curriculum areas, providing local high school students with valuable insights into legal studies and university life.
Visit the faculty events page for details of upcoming talks.
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The Criminal Justice System
Held 12 May, 2026
Key focus areas discussed within this topic include:
- The Nature of Crime and Law: Investigating criminal law, compliance, non-compliance, and the impact of social/ethical standards on law reform.
- The Criminal Investigation Process: Police powers, reporting, investigating (evidence, technology, warrants), arrest, charge, bail, and detention.
- The Criminal Trial Process: Court jurisdiction, the adversarial system, legal personnel (judges, magistrates, prosecutors, defence lawyers), plea negotiations, evidence, and defences.
- Sentencing and Punishment: The purposes of punishment, factors affecting sentencing (aggravating/mitigating), and sentencing options (e.g., prison, fines, bond).
- Young Offenders: Age of criminal responsibility, the juvenile justice system, and alternative rehabilitation measures.
- The Role of Discretion: How police, prosecutors, and judges exercise discretion within the system.
- Effectiveness and Reform: Critically evaluating how well the system balances the rights of victims, offenders, and society.
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War, Peace and Human Rights
Held 21 April, 2026
- How does international law work, and how does it intersect with human rights?
- How can Russia get away with attacking Ukraine?
- How can the USA bomb an Iranian training vessel in international waters?
- What are the effects of an arrest warrant for the arrest of the Prime Minister of Israel issued by an international court?
Perfect for students studying the “International Relations and Human Rights” curriculum for Legal Studies in Year 11 and 12.
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Cannabis Law
Held 10 March, 2026
To launch our event, we had two fascinating panellists who personalised and informed on the issue of cannabis law from a criminal law and health regulation perspective. This was not a political rally cry or even centred around law reform – instead, we explored the personal and professional journeys of two key figures in the debate, and place this within a legal context.