Daily Archives: March 11, 2016

Law students on the WMU-Cooley Down Under study abroad program are now experiencing life in the big city of Melbourne, Australia – and loving it! Melbourne is a city of 4 million people, and you can feel the vibe on the streets, in streetcars and on trains. You can see it all around – in the markets, by the river, in the buildings, and everywhere. 

We toured the city far and wide, and up and down.

The Monash law faculty building is located in the heart of the legal district of the city. The school is a block away from most of the Victoria courts.  It is common to see barristers, in black robes and white wigs, walking around.  Students visited the Victoria Parliament, seat of the state of Victoria.  Students even got to sit in the Speaker’s chair and hold the mace, where they used to open sessions of the lower house (and occasionally to remove non-conforming members).

The law students visited the upper chamber, which is decked out in red velvet and gold leaf.  They saw the most beautiful law library I have ever seen.

Students also visited the Dandenong Mountains, where they hiked, fed large cockatoo parrots, and had some tea. They rode on Puffing Billy, a steam engine train, in the mountains.  They visited Healesville Sanctuary, where they saw Kookaburras, Kangaroos, and Koalas, as well as many birds and a duck-billed platypus. They visited a winery and a chocolaterie/ice creamery.

Students have plunged into coursework that is challenging, and are working hard. Professors John Duns, Leighton Morris, and Emmanuel Laryea are helping students understand international law related to Banking, Competition, and the Australian Legal System. Students and faculty alike are taking in their studies and all the city has to offer – from sun up to sun down. Can’t wait to see what more is in store in the big and beautiful city of Melbourne!

WMU-Cooley Law School Professor Kimberly E. O’Leary is directing the law school’s foreign study program in New Zealand and Australia. She and her students are sharing their experiences throughout the Hilary 2016 semester. She and her Down Under study abroad students are now in Australia after spending the first part of the term taking classes in Hamilton, New Zealand.