UNE Law & Business

Thanks to everyone who joined our Focus Group Discussion: Community Battery Acceptance and Equity at the UNE SMART Region Incubator Nova Centre.

Led by Dr Parves Sultan Sultan, the session brought together a diverse mix of local residents, engineers and local council representatives — including Uralla Mayor Robert Bell, Cr Dorothy Robinson and Deputy Mayor Todd Redwood - Armidale Regional Council to discuss what a neighbourhood‑scale community battery could look like in the New England, and how benefits can be shared fairly.

We also heard from UNE SRI Director Cameron Turner, alongside UNE Business School Head Professor Renato (Rene) Villano, who both reinforced the value of community‑led, transparent energy planning.

UNE Law’s Dr Andrew Lawson (Director, Agriculture & Law Research Hub) features on ABC Radio National’s The Law Report in the special series Over My Dead Body.

In Episode 03: “He worked the farm for decades and got nothing”, Dr Lawson explains why inheritance disputes can be uniquely complex in farming families — including when disappointed family members can challenge a will, and how courts often weigh need over “fairness”. The episode also unpacks a $20 million farm fight and a High Court case involving a share farmer promised the land, only for it to be left to someone else.

Listen here: https://www.abc.net.au/.../he-worked-the-farm.../107038002

General information only — this does not represent or replace legal advice.

Throwback Thursday to one of our favourite days in the W37 Courtyard! ☀️

We’re reminiscing about our Pre-Census ‘Meet and Mingle’, where the sun was shining (mostly!) and the Armidale breeze was, shall we say, 'invigorating'.

There is something truly special about seeing students and staff step away from the corridor photos and computer screens to connect in person. From calming those pre-census nerves to finding the perfect study buddy, the benefits of being on campus are endless:

🤝 Commencing 'Townies' finding their tribe and future study partners.
💡 Real-life chats with UCs to lock in T3 unit plans and discover new interests like Food Security.
🎓 Senior students sharing their wisdom and course-transfer tips with the T2 crowd.
💬 Realising that behind the academic titles, your Law staff are actually a very friendly bunch!

A massive shout-out again to Belinda and the team for the catering and setup. We love seeing our Law community come together! 🏛️⚖️

The University of New England, AU School of Law hosted Professor Achinthi C. Vithanage for the latest instalment of the Kirby Seminar Series at UNE Sydney. Alongside our home in Armidale, the Parramatta campus allows the Series to engage with Western Sydney, a multicultural and fast-growing region that is home to many of our students and UNE Alumni.

Around 40 participants joined in person and online, drawing academics from law and other disciplines, law students, UNE alumni, environmental lawyers, members of the legal profession, and members of the public from fields including health, IT, and economics.

Professor Vithanage's central message was clear: environmental sustainability is no longer a niche specialisation among lawyers. All lawyers, as officers of the court, have an obligation to bring their skills to bear on the climate crisis. That call extends across all sectors, from bar associations actively embedding environmental sustainability in their mandate and advocacy to corporations embedding Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles into their strategies and operations, to policymakers and public institutions. Sustainability must move from aspiration to practice.

The lecture prompted vibrant discussion about how the UNE School of Law can advance environmental sustainability in its curriculum and in the regional and national domains. Kirsti Nunn, UNE law student, shared a powerful reflection on how the lecture had prompted her to rethink her career path, recognising that the impact of climate change must be part and parcel of legal and policy work.

The UNE School of Law thanks Professor Vithanage for her generosity, and all those who attended and contributed to such a rich conversation

𝙏𝙊𝘿𝘼𝙔!

The 2026 Kirby Seminar featuring Professor Achinthi Vithanage of Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University.

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘸𝘺𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺: 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯’𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺"

◾ Today - 4 August
◾4pm for a 5pm start
◾UNE Sydney campus or online via Zoom: https://une-au.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4j44IYraS6eoNHPdqB63RA? #/registration
If you are attending in person, there is a reception/ light snacks at 4PM Lev 1 28 George Street, Parramatta, Sydney.

See you there!

What is the legal profession's role in innovation, regulation and responsibility when it comes to promoting environmental sustainability?

This is the question Pace University's Professor Achinthi C. Vithanage will answer at the next Kirby Seminar on Tuesday 4 August.

Professor Vithanage is the Executive Director of Environmental Law Programs & Professor of Law for Designated Service in Environmental Law at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, where she teaches, researches, and writes scholarship in the field of international environmental law.

As one of the United States’ leading environmental and energy lawyers, this is a not a seminar to miss!

📅Tuesday 4 August
🕰️4pm for a 5pm start
📍UNE Sydney campus or online via Zoom (event registration link in the comments)

Today we’re celebrating UNE Law students Jo‑Anne Danks, McKenzie Alcorn, Angela Li and Diana Arulanandam, who have just completed their moot in Court 18A of the Federal Court of Australia, Sydney.

Jo‑Anne, McKenzie, Angela and Diana spent weeks preparing and refining their arguments before stepping into a real federal courtroom to deliver confident, well‑reasoned advocacy. Throughout the moot they demonstrated professionalism, teamwork and resilience under pressure, showing the qualities that will serve them well as future practitioners.

Well done to Jo‑Anne, McKenzie, Angela and Diana on an outstanding moot performance and a significant step forward in their development as advocates. 👏

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UNE Law students Trevor Robinson, Paul Henningham, Katrina Stobie and Susan Farrow have completed their moot at the Federal Court of Australia, Sydney.

Moots are a core part of the UNE Law experience because they:
🟦 give students a realistic taste of courtroom advocacy
🟦 build confidence in legal research, written submissions and oral argument
🟦 help bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world legal practice

By stepping up to the Bar table in a federal court setting, Trevor, Paul, Katrina and Susan are strengthening the skills they will rely on as future practitioners.

Please join us in congratulating them on their preparation, professionalism and performance in the moot court. 👏

Women new to sustainable farming can feel the need to dress and speak like traditional male farmers to be taken seriously. Only if they stick it out longer-term do they eventually find begrudging acceptance in their rural communities.

These are frank findings of a new study led by UNE's Dr Lucie Newsome that examines the experiences of women establishing small-scale, alternative operations in Australia and the Netherlands. Women who are increasingly engaged in local food production but, by virtue of their gender, don’t benefit from intergenerational farm succession.

“Women excluded from mainstream agriculture find the lower cost of entry to sustainable agriculture and its alignment with their social and environmental values very attractive,” said Dr Newsome, from UNE’s Business School.

“They discover great satisfaction in farming, but we found they need to jump through hoops to access essential goods and services.”
Read the full story via the link in the comments. 🔗

UNE Law students Justin Hardie, Sean O'Brien, Michelle Benjamin and Kate Hobson have completed their latest moot at the Federal Court of Australia, Sydney.

From preparing detailed written submissions to delivering confident oral arguments before the Bench, Justin, Sean, Michelle and Kate are developing the practical advocacy skills that underpin real-world legal practice.

Please join us in congratulating this talented team on their preparation, professionalism and performance in the moot court. 👏