• Offered by ANU Law School
  • ANU College ANU College of Law
  • Classification Advanced
  • Course subject Laws
  • Areas of interest Law
  • Academic career PGRD
  • Course convener
    • Kieran Pender
  • Mode of delivery Online or In Person
  • Co-taught Course
  • Offered in First Semester 2023
    See Future Offerings

The course deals with the law which a court will apply to an action which contains some "foreign" element - ie, one or more of the facts of the case occurred outside the State or Territory which is hearing the matter.

It also deals with the basis upon which a court in Australia may take jurisdiction over a defendant not resident within the jurisdiction, and the circumstances in which judgments obtained overseas, or arbitral awards given overseas, may be enforced in Australia.

Selected topics include:

  • Choice of Law in Contract
  • Choice of Law in Tort
  • Jurisdiction in actions in contract, tort, for misleading conduct and estoppel
  • Refusal to exercise jurisdiction (forum non conveniens)
  • Enforcement of Foreign Judgments and arbitral awards.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

  1. Identify, distinguish and explain theoretical knowledge and general principles of the conflict of laws;
  2. Identify, synthesise and critically examine the theory and principles of choice of law in relation to contract and tort liability;
  3. Examine and critically apply to complex problems, the operation of various rules pertaining to territorial jurisdiction in relation to actions in tort, contract and related fields of law;
  4. Identify, evaluate and critically apply the principles by which judgments and arbitral awards given in countries outside Australia, may be enforced in Australia; and
  5. Plan, design and execute a research project that identifies, critically examines and communicates comparative analysis to complex theoretical issues and practical problems in matters where conflict of laws arise, demonstrating relevant research principles and techniques.

Other Information

This is an intensive course with a compulsory on campus component (see LLM timetable for dates).

Approximately 6 weeks from the completion of the on campus component your final assessment will be due. Contact with fellow students and the convenor, both prior to the intensive and after, is conducted via the Wattle course site.

Indicative Assessment

  1. The proposed means of assessment for this course will provide students with at least two pieces of assessment, including one piece during the semester. More information about the means of assessment, including the relationship between the assessment and the learning outcomes of the course, will be available in the Class Summary and on the course WATTLE page. (100) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Workload

Classes offered in non-standard sessions will be taught on an intensive base with compulsory contact hours (approximately 26 hours of face-to-face teaching). The course will also require advanced preparation through assigned readings. In total, it is anticipated that the hours required for completion of this course (class preparation, teaching and completion of assessment) will not exceed 120 hours.

Classes offered during semester periods are expected to have three contact hours per week.

Inherent Requirements

Not applicable

Requisite and Incompatibility

To enrol in this course you must be studying a; Master of Laws (MLLM) and have completed or be completing LAWS8586 Law and Legal Institutions; or Graduate Certificate of Law (CLAW) and have completed or be completing LAWS8586 Law and Legal Institutions; or Juris Doctor (MJD) and have completed or be completing five 1000 or 6100 level LAWS courses; or Master of Financial Management and Law (MFIML) and have completed or be completing LAWS8586 Law and Legal Institutions You are not able to enrol in this course if you have previously completed LAWS4212 Conflict of Laws. Students undertaking any ANU graduate program may apply for this course. Enrolments are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the ANU College of Law for permission code.

Prescribed Texts

Students must rely on the approved Class Summary which will be posted to the Programs and Courses site approximately two weeks prior to the commencement of the course. Alternatively, this information will be published in the Program course list when known.

Preliminary Reading

An e-brick will be available on the Wattle course site.

Fees

Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.  

Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees

Student Contribution Band:
34
Unit value:
6 units

If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.

Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.

Units EFTSL
6.00 0.12500
Domestic fee paying students
Year Fee
2023 $4860
International fee paying students
Year Fee
2023 $6180
Note: Please note that fee information is for current year only.

Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

The list of offerings for future years is indicative only.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.

First Semester

Class number Class start date Last day to enrol Census date Class end date Mode Of Delivery Class Summary
4108 20 Feb 2023 27 Feb 2023 31 Mar 2023 26 May 2023 In Person View

Responsible Officer: Registrar, Student Administration / Page Contact: Website Administrator / Frequently Asked Questions