宅男导航's has celebrated its 75th anniversary with a gala 鈥淭own and Gown鈥� at Customs House.
The entertaining event brought together some of Queensland鈥檚 sharpest legal minds, with academics and practitioners of law engaged in a battle of words and wit on the theme, 鈥淚t takes 75 years to make sense of the law鈥�.
President of the Queensland Court of Appeal, The Honourable Justice Margaret A McMurdo AC, presided over the debate which was attended by more than 190 guests from the legal profession, 宅男导航 and the local community.
Among the guests were many eminent members of the Queensland judiciary, Federal Member for Ryan Jane Prentice MP, and Shadow Attorney General Senator the Hon George Brandis SC.
The TC Beirne School of Law is the oldest and most successful law school in Queensland and one of Australia鈥檚 leading research-intensive law schools.
The school began as a 鈥渟hadow鈥� faculty on the establishment of 宅男导航 in 1910, and became a fully-functioning law school in 1936, thanks to a generous donation of $3 million (in today鈥檚 money) from Brisbane businessman Thomas Charles Beirne.
TC Beirne鈥檚 great-grandson and President of the Queensland Bar Association, Mr Richard Douglas SC, supported the event as a member of the 鈥淭own鈥� debate team.
Also in attendance were a number of members of the Douglas and Macrossan families, all descendents of the school鈥檚 original benefactor.
In his welcome address, Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield acknowledged the valuable contribution made by the legal profession and the school鈥檚 past and present donors 鈥� in particular its namesake Thomas Charles Beirne.
鈥淚 hope he would be proud of the procession of students and staff who have benefited from his generosity and vision,鈥� Professor Greenfield said.
鈥淎s someone who believed in the transformative power of education, I am sure he would be satisfied with the contributions that alumni have made towards the image of the profession, and to public confidence in the justice systems of Queensland, Australia, and indeed internationally.鈥�
Along with Mr Douglas, the 鈥淭own鈥� team was comprised of fellow 宅男导航 law alumni Mrs Margaret Brown, a Partner at Minter Ellison Lawyers, and Mr Derran Moss, Legal Advisor to the United Nations in Timor Leste.
Arguing against the profession鈥檚 hypothesis that it takes 75 years to make sense of the law were School of Law academics Professor Sarah Derrington, Dr Jonathan Crowe and Garrick Professor of Law, Professor James Allan.
The hard fought and humorous legal debate was declared a draw.
To watch or listen to the debate visit the on the School of Law鈥檚 website.
Media: Melissa Reynolds (07 3365 2523, m.reynolds@law.uq.edu.au)
