BA of Law

Have you always supported the concept of a ‘fair go’? Do you argue passionately for what you believe in? The Bachelor of Laws from The University of Notre Dame Australia provides a gateway to an exciting and rewarding legal career. Completed over four years of full-time study, this program combines comprehensive coverage of legal and ethical principles and the skills to apply these principles in legal practice. Start your legal career today.

Why study this degree?

• If you want a solid grounding in legal theory and practice and the qualifications to practice law, this challenging but rewarding career could be for you. The University of Notre Dame Australia Bachelor of Laws degree has been formulated with the help of leading judges, senior barristers and solicitors to design a quality degree that is rigorous, ethical, practical and relevant to the current Australian legal landscape.
• The Bachelor of Laws program will allow you to hone your negotiation, advocacy and mooting skills. Through our Legal Clinic, mentoring program, courtroom visits, mooting and internship programs, our law students have multiple opportunities to experience the law in practice.
• Students are also encouraged to learn outside the classroom by attending seminars and professional development events such as our Eminent Speakers Series. This prestigious forum connects students and graduates with leading experts in discussing contemporary legal and professional matters.
• Notre Dame is the only university in Australia with a historic, fully functioning courthouse for student use. Known as the oldest surviving courthouse in Fremantle, the University community has restored the Justice Owen Moot Court. It now provides students the perfect setting to perfect their advocacy and mooting skills.

Learning outcomes

• Upon successful completion of the Bachelor of Laws, graduates will be able to:
• Write effective and professional documents adapted to suit the purpose and audience
• Develop and deliver effective and professional presentations adapted to suit the purpose and audience, using appropriate technologies
• Synthesise, interpret, and apply information in order to resolve legal problems
• Demonstrate a sound knowledge of foundational legal concepts, principles, and theories, and apply and transfer knowledge to diverse national, regional, and international legal contexts
• Undertake self-directed learning with an appreciation of the value and importance of engaging in continuing professional development
• Provide social justice in the community including the provision of legal advice on a pro bono basis.
• Use ethical and socially responsible decision-making skills
• Critically reflect on the influence of Catholic and other philosophical and intellectual traditions on the law and on their role in resolving legal issues
• Work responsibly and collaboratively in diverse teams to achieve shared outcomes
• Conduct independent legal research and employ appropriate legal research methods and sources to locate, evaluate, synthesise, and present accurate, up-to-date, and reliable legal sources; and
• Critically evaluate, analyse, and deploy evidence in support of a research thesis and communicate their findings in both oral and written form. (Honours Only)

Career opportunities

• Graduates of this program can follow diverse career paths in the private and public sectors; career opportunities range from Solicitor, barrister, judge’s associate, and research assistant.