Introducing the legal research hub.
The Legal Research Hub, like many legal enterprises, began as a hallway conversation between colleagues, Tarisa and Holli. The idea: a platform for academics and legal professionals to discuss topical legal issues and share their respective insights, and offering opportunities to showcase current legal research. The format: a peer-reviewed online publication, and a podcast series with legal experts. From these aspirations, the Legal Research Hub was born.
Reflecting on their experience as academics and legal practitioners, Tarisa and Holli wanted to create a platform that traverses these legal disciplines and offers a collaborative space for discussing the latest legal news and research. Holli and Tarisa are both currently Higher Degree Research candidates and Assistant Teaching Fellows at Bond University’s Law Faculty. Holli’s research focuses on Access to Justice initiatives and the Rule of Law, and Tarisa’s research area is in International Humanitarian Law, particularly looking at the challenges autonomous weapon systems brings to IHL (International Humanitarian Law). Prior to commencing their research, Tarisa and Holli gained practical experience as lawyers. Holli worked as a Judge’s Associate at the Supreme Court of Queensland and, after admission to legal practice, became a criminal defence lawyer at Legal Aid Queensland. Tarisa was a PLT trainee at QCAT and was admitted into legal practice while she worked as graduate lawyer at Kerr Lawyers.
The recently launched Legal Research Hub aims to bring together academia and the legal profession to discuss and share knowledge about the future of law. It is a forum to spark curiosity and enhance knowledge about current legal topics for everyone from law students to seasoned academics and professionals. The Legal Research Hub provides the latest in legal research developments and topical discussions in law. The motto for the Hub is Lex ferenda enitor ad rem – loosely translated from Latin to: boldly striving towards the future of law.
Thus far, several diverse articles have been published (with more currently under review) including:
- Youth Bail Laws in Queensland: Why Youths Should Not Expect Bail in Queensland
- Houthi Drone Strike Aimed at Saudi Arabian Oil Giant: A Violation of International Humanitarian Law?
- The Law of Nature: (Mis)Management of Kakadu National Park
- Merging the Family Court and Federal Court: A Happy Marriage?
- Surviving the Silence: Reforms to Gag-Laws Allow Survivors of Abuse to Speak
- The Art of Truth: Professional Actors as Witnesses in Legal Proceedings
- Climate Change and the Courts: A Focus on Sharma v The Minister for Environment
- Accessory Sentenced for a Crime Not Proven?: The Case of R v Doudar
The first episode of the Lex Ferenda Podcast series is also now available, for free, online. Tarisa and Holli interview Clair Duffy, an esteemed public international lawyer and teacher, in an insightful discussion about the Brereton Report regarding war crimes alleged to have been committed by Australian Defence Force (‘ADF’) personnel in Afghanistan. The interview delves into the International Criminal Laws and the Laws of Armed Conflict applicable, questions of legal ethics, and explores the impacts of the Report’s findings for the future practices and policies of the ADF.
The support receive for the Legal Research Hub, since it was launched in January 2021, has been fantastic. In addition to the encouragement and promotion of the Hub by Bond’s Dean of Law, Nick James, and other professors and students, legal professionals – including senior practitioners and barristers – have subscribed to the Hub’s website. One reader commented on an article: “It’s a complex situation, so thank you for breaking down the legal framework so effectively.”
Tarisa and Holli have big plans to continue expanding the Legal Research Hub. In addition to initiatives to expand the contributors and audience, the co-Founders are investigating options to integrate CPD-relevant materials into the resources offered by the Hub.
If you would like to contribute, the Legal Research Hub accepts submissions for articles on any legal topic on a rolling-basis. In contrast to some journals, the review and response time is also only a few weeks, so you can get your work in front of readers more quickly. The Legal Research Hub also allows authors to retain full copyright over their work and its use.
If you would like to find out more, please check out the website: www.legalresearchhub.wixsite.com/home. A copy of the submission guidelines and copyright policies are available on the website, in addition to the articles already published and the Lex Ferenda Podcast series.