About the position

The Faculty of Law is calling for expressions of interest from law graduates wishing to complete a PhD in relation to social justice, access to justice or pro bono initiatives in conjunction with a national project: ‘Models and Quantifiable Benefits of Pro Bono and Social Justice Activities in Australian Law Schools’ or a related topic of research.

The successful applicant’s doctoral thesis will be supervised by Associate Professor Francina Cantatore and will seek to answer research questions to be defined by the applicant in conjunction with their supervisor.

Research questions could relate to any relevant issues in this field, including:

1. Best practices for social justice models in law schools;
2. The role of the university social justice initiatives in providing access to justice;
3. Comparative research in these areas with other jurisdictions;
4. The perceived and actual benefits of social justice initiatives to the community;
5. Sustaining and promoting social justice initiatives in practice.

In addition to high quality, personalised supervision and access to the full range of facilities available to Bond University students, the successful applicant will be entitled to the following benefits:

• Tuition fee waiver: The Australian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) scheme provides tuition fee waivers for eligible Australian and New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents enrolled in higher degree programs such as a PhD. The tuition waiver lasts the duration of the program.
• Support in applying for a scholarship: The successful applicant will be encouraged and supported to apply for the Living Stipend Scholarship at Bond University. The RTP also provides a limited number of scholarships for PhD students by way of a living stipend. Application is made through a competitive round held twice a year (closing 31 March and 30 September).
• Employment opportunities: The successful applicant will also be provided with employment opportunities such as tutoring or research assistant work within the Faculty of Law, dependent upon prior experience. Employment will be subject to the conditions of the PhD program and the terms of any scholarship awarded.

Why study at Bond?

The Bond Faculty of Law has a reputation for providing the best professional legal education in the country, and we leverage that reputation to attract exceptional law students and establish useful professional and institutional partnerships. We offer a suite of academically rigorous and professionally focussed law programs, delivered in an engaging and innovative manner by exceptional law teachers. We demonstrate an outstanding student service ethic, offer an engaging and satisfying student experience, and prioritise student wellbeing. We engage in high quality, impactful research in niche areas of research excellence.

Our research groups include:

• Centre for Commercial Law
• Global and Comparative Law and Policy Network
• Centre for Professional Legal Education

About the person:

The successful applicant will need to meet all Bond University requirements for entry into the PhD program and achieve the milestones required by the University throughout their doctoral program. It is also a requirement that the successful applicant be based full-time at the Gold Coast campus.

The successful applicant will have the opportunity to work alongside highly respected senior academics conducting leading-edge research.

Selection Criteria

Essential:

• A Master of Laws, Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws with Honours
• Excellent legal analysis and legal writing skills
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and a demonstrated ability to work in teams
• Evidence of project management and organisational skills, including the ability to achieve goals and deliver outcomes within a specified time period

Desirable:

• Experience undertaking a substantial research project (e.g. Masters thesis or Honours thesis)
• Publication in a peer-reviewed journal
• Experience with tutoring law students
• Capacity to seek external funding with support from supervisors

Application and submission details:

Please submit your expression of interest via email to the Faculty at lawresearch@bond.edu.au.

Your EOI must include:

• The number and title of the position you are applying for
• A written statement (maximum of 2 pages) describing your interest in the research project and your capacity to answer the research questions
• A written statement (maximum of 2 pages) addressing the selection criteria set out above
• A current curriculum vitae including the names of two academic referees
• Your academic transcripts
• An example of your written academic work (e.g. Honours thesis, peer-reviewed journal article, law essay or assignment)

For all enquiries related to this position, please contact the Faculty on lawresearch@bond.edu.au.