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The University of Sydney Law School

Sydney Law School

12th in the world

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019 Join a leading law school

Faculties and schools_

Sydney Law School

Ranked 12th in the world*

As one of the best law schools in the world for teaching and research, our students learn from globally recognised legal educators and highly respected professional practitioners. Our internationally-renowned researchers are working to deliver real-world change in Australia and overseas.

*2019 QS World University Rankings by Subject.

Law scholarships

Study law

Whether you wish to embark on a career as a lawyer or whether you're a non-law professional who needs some legal expertise, you will be joining one of the top law schools in the world, with a suite of programs designed to meet your needs.

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Our research

Learn about our research themes, recent publications and the centres and institutes within the Sydney Law School.

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Our people

Our staff are acclaimed legal educators, world-renowned researchers and venerated practitioners. We also attract the involvement of prominent international scholars and leaders in the judiciary and government.

Summer Innovation Program

Taking place from 19-24 January 2020, the Summer Innovation Program will bring together students from across the University to identify, understand and explore innovative solutions at the nexus between law and science. Applications close 30 November.

Research Centres and Institutes

Alumni

Sydney Law School alumni derive from diverse backgrounds, and contribute in valuable ways across the globe.

Apply today

Juris Doctor domestic applications close 29 January

Facts & figures

1855 The year the Law School was established
Ranked #12 in the world for law (2019 QS World Rankings by Subject)
$500,000+ in scholarships available
World leading research Legal research at the University of Sydney achieved the highest possible rating of 5, or “well above world standard”, in the latest Excellence in Research for Australia Initiative (ERA).
Global partnerships with Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, Geneva, Renmin & Tsinghua
World Champions World Record Jessup Cup (2017, 2015, 2011, 2007, 1996)

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Latest news

14 January 2020

Newspapers

What will shape our world in 2020?

In 2020, unrest in Hong Kong, political turbulence in Australia, and spats over social media will continue to dominate the news. Meanwhile, the gaming industry, significantly larger than the film and music industries, might experience travails and triumphs.

12 December 2019

Professor Gail Mason stands outside Sydney Law School.

Law School scholar named nation's top criminologist

The University of Sydney Law School's Professor of Criminology Gail Mason has been recognised for her lifetime achievements and contributions to criminology with the top national honour in the field.

11 December 2019

(L-R) Dean of Sydney Law School Professor Simon Bronitt, the Hon. Dr Robert Austin, Chancellor Belinda Hutchinson AM.

The Honourable Dr Robert Austin receives Doctor of Laws

Arts/Law graduate, Sydney Law School academic and former Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the Hon. Dr Robert Austin has received a Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) for his contributions to the legal profession.

11 December 2019

Aerial view of Sydney Law School's new law building.

University of Sydney Law School declares climate emergency

Accepting the warnings delivered by climate scientists about the dangerous state of the earth's climate, the Board of The University of Sydney Law School has voted unanimously to declare a climate emergency.

11 December 2019

The University of Sydney Law School building.

University of Sydney Law School Climate Emergency Declaration

The Board of The University of Sydney Law School has voted unanimously to declare a climate emergency. The full declaration is as follows:

09 December 2019

A man looking at a triptych of art works featuring actress Emma Watson

#TrophySkulls and genuine fakes

From paintings looted by Nazis to human remains traded on Instagram, the Palgrave Handbook on Art Crime provides a peek into a mysterious world.

02 December 2019

Photo of a laptop in dark lighting. Photo: TheUknownPhotographer from Pexels.

Rushed revenge porn laws risk over-criminalisation

University of Sydney criminal law experts have warned of the risks of rushing to enact new criminal offences on 'revenge porn'.

22 November 2019

Liesel Spencer

PhD graduand wins LSAANZ outstanding publication prize

Liesel Spencer, who recently completed her PhD at Sydney Law School, has been awarded the 2019 Law and Society Association of Australia and New Zealand (LSAANZ) publication prize for an early career researcher.

15 November 2019

Meet the 2019 Bradfield finalists

The next wave of Sydney visionaries share their ideas for the Sydney of the future. Discover the ideas which have placed them as the finalists for the 2019 Lendlease Bradfield Urbanisation Scholarship.

01 November 2019

Experts lead push for human rights approach to diets and food systems

Professor Roger Magnusson is calling for international guidelines to address the challenges of healthy diets and sustainable food systems. An opinion piece recently published in the British Medical Journal calls on the Director-General of the World Health Organisation, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to jointly lead the process.

Upcoming events

20 January 2020

Juris Doctor webinar

Applications for the Sydney Juris Doctor close 29 January. Join us for a webinar on Jan 20 at 12.30pm to learn more about the JD and have your questions answered by our staff.

20 January 2020

12.30PM - 1.30PM

20 January 2020

12.30PM - 1.30PM

04 February 2020

The Bushfire Disaster and Australia’s Biodiversity: Can It Recover?

In this timely seminar, an interdisciplinary panel of experts discuss the scale of the Australian bushfire disaster’s impact on our biodiversity and prospects for recovery.

04 February 2020

6.00PM - 7.30PM

The University of Sydney

04 February 2020

6.00PM - 7.30PM

18 February 2020

Image-Based Sexual Abuse in the UK: Challenges and Lessons for Law, Policy and Practice

This presentation, delivered by Professor Clare McGlynn (Durham University), will examine the current state of laws and policies across the UK targeting image-based sexual abuse, as well as considering the challenges of engaging in the law reform process.

18 February 2020

1.00PM - 2.00PM

Sydney Law School, New Law Building (F10), Camperdown Campus

18 February 2020

1.00PM - 2.00PM

21 February 2020

SCIL International Law Year in Review Conference

This annual ‘year in review’ conference, with a keynote address by Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky (UN Independent expert on debt, the financial obligations of states and human rights, OHCHR), gives participants insight into the latest developments in international law over the preceding year, especially those most salient for Australia.

21 February 2020

9.00AM - 5.30PM

Sydney Law School, New Law Building (F10), Camperdown Campus

21 February 2020

9.00AM - 5.30PM

11 March 2020

Employment Relations and the Law 2020 Series

This popular annual series is made up of 10 evening seminars and provides an introduction to the current regulation of employment and labour relations in Australia.

11 March 2020 - 20 May 2020

Sydney Law School, New Law Building (F10), Camperdown Campus

11 March 2020 - 20 May 2020

20 January 2020

Juris Doctor webinar

Applications for the Sydney Juris Doctor close 29 January. Join us for a webinar on Jan 20 at 12.30pm to learn more about the JD and have your questions answered by our staff.

20 January 2020

12.30PM - 1.30PM

20 January 2020

12.30PM - 1.30PM

20 January 2020

Juris Doctor webinar

Applications for the Sydney Juris Doctor close 29 January. Join us for a webinar on Jan 20 at 12.30pm to learn more about the JD and have your questions answered by our staff.

20 January 2020

12.30PM - 1.30PM

20 January 2020

12.30PM - 1.30PM

04 February 2020

The Bushfire Disaster and Australia’s Biodiversity: Can It Recover?

In this timely seminar, an interdisciplinary panel of experts discuss the scale of the Australian bushfire disaster’s impact on our biodiversity and prospects for recovery.

04 February 2020

6.00PM - 7.30PM

The University of Sydney

04 February 2020

6.00PM - 7.30PM

18 February 2020

Image-Based Sexual Abuse in the UK: Challenges and Lessons for Law, Policy and Practice

This presentation, delivered by Professor Clare McGlynn (Durham University), will examine the current state of laws and policies across the UK targeting image-based sexual abuse, as well as considering the challenges of engaging in the law reform process.

18 February 2020

1.00PM - 2.00PM

Sydney Law School, New Law Building (F10), Camperdown Campus

18 February 2020

1.00PM - 2.00PM

21 February 2020

SCIL International Law Year in Review Conference

This annual ‘year in review’ conference, with a keynote address by Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky (UN Independent expert on debt, the financial obligations of states and human rights, OHCHR), gives participants insight into the latest developments in international law over the preceding year, especially those most salient for Australia.

21 February 2020

9.00AM - 5.30PM

Sydney Law School, New Law Building (F10), Camperdown Campus

21 February 2020

9.00AM - 5.30PM

11 March 2020

Employment Relations and the Law 2020 Series

This popular annual series is made up of 10 evening seminars and provides an introduction to the current regulation of employment and labour relations in Australia.

11 March 2020 - 20 May 2020

Sydney Law School, New Law Building (F10), Camperdown Campus

11 March 2020 - 20 May 2020

We acknowledge the tradition of custodianship and law of the Country on which the University of Sydney campuses stand. We pay our respects to those who have cared and continue to care for Country.