Upcoming events and opportunities
Read our monthly round up of upcoming public law events and opportunities, including conferences, seminars and calls for papers
If you have an AUSPUBLAW opportunity, conference or significant public lecture that you would like included in this roundup, please contact us at auspublaw@unsw.edu.au. The roundup is published once a month by the first business day of the month, so please let us know in time for that deadline.
We would like to firstly draw your attention to the following opportunities:
5 February 2026
Public Law in the Classroom Workshop 2026
Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, UNSW; Public Law and Policy Research Unit, Adelaide University; Castan Centre for Human Rights Law, Monash University; School of Law, Western Sydney University
Workshop date: 5 February 2026
Workshop location: Hybrid - Online and In-person at UNSW Teaching Commons, UNSW Kensington Campus, Sydney
The twelfth annual Public Law in the Classroom workshop will be held at UNSW Sydney and online on Thursday, 5 February 2026.
The first panel session will focus on Teaching with Indigenous Legal Traditions, and will explore how we as public law teachers can incorporate Indigenous perspectives, knowledge and laws into our teaching of core public law units. The second panel session will focus on Assessment – and specifically the drafting of problem questions. The third panel session will focus on AI and Public Law, and will examine the opportunities and challenges in integrating AI tools into teaching, assessment, and student engagement in public law courses. The fourth panel session will focus on Public Law Practice and Teaching, and will provide the opportunity to hear from those engaged in public law practice about how their day-to-day work intersects with public law issues, and how what they learnt at law school (or wish they had learnt at law school) supports their public law practice.
This is a free event.
For more information, and to register, click here.
6 February 2026
Constitutional Law Conference 2026
Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, with the Australian Association of Constitutional Law & Federation Press
Conference date: 6 February 2026
Conference location: Hybrid - Online and In-person at the offices of Gilbert + Tobin in Barangaroo, Sydney
We invite you to register for the 2026 Constitutional Law Conference, to be held in a hybrid format on Friday 6 February 2026 and organised by the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law at the Faculty of Law and Justice, UNSW, with the support of the Australian Association of Constitutional Law and Federation Press.
The conference will feature discussions of important developments in the High Court, Federal Court and state courts and provide an overview of the key public law debates in 2025. The conference will include papers on the acquisition of property, native title, representative government, and the application of international law in domestic courts, among other topics.
The conference will be held in hybrid format, with attendees able to register in person (100 pax capacity) or online via Zoom. The in-person element of the conference will be held at the offices of Gilbert + Tobin in Barangaroo, Sydney. There will be multiple opportunities for informal interaction throughout the day. Drinks will be hosted after the conference for those attending in person at Gilbert + Tobin. Zoom details will be forwarded to online attendees closer to the date.
Session One: The High Court on Constitutional Law in the 2025 Term
Session Two: The State and Federal Courts on Constitutional Law in the 2025 Term
Session Three: Acquisition of Property and Territories Power
Session Four: Representative Government
Session Five: Limits of State Power and Judicial Power
Session Six: International Law in Domestic Courts
There is a fee for this conference.
For more information, and to register, click here.
Competitions and calls for papers
15 February 2026
Call for submissions - ICON•S 2026 Annual Conference
International Society of Public Law (ICON•S)
Submissions close: 15 February 2026
We are excited to invite you to participate in the 2026 ICON•S Annual Conference, which will be held in person at the University College Dublin (UCD) Sutherland School of Law, in Ireland, from June 29 to July 1 2026.
The conference theme is ‘Reimagining Public Law for a Fractured World: Technology, Identity & Truth’. We particularly encourage submissions relating to the conference theme but welcome proposals addressing all areas of public law, broadly defined. You must be an active member of ICON-S in order to make a submission.
There are three types of submission:
Individual Submission.
Organiser of a Fully-Formed Panel/Book Roundtable: If you are organizing a fully formed panel or book roundtable composed of multiple paper presentations around a unified theme or dedicated to discussing a book.
Participant in a Fully-Formed Panel/Book Roundtable: If you will be acting as a chair or discussant on a fully formed panel or book roundtable.
Each submission type has distinct requirements.
For more information, and to make a submission, click here.
16 February 2026
Call for papers and panel proposals - ANZSIL 33rd Annual Conference
Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law (ANZSIL); New Zealand Centre for Public Law
Deadline: 16 February 2026
We look forward to welcoming participants to the 33rd ANZSIL Conference on the theme: Navigating Stormy Seas: People, Place and Perspectives in International Law and warmly invite proposals from any area of international law exploring these questions.
In the tradition of ANZSIL Conferences, the Conference Organising Committee will also consider proposals on international law topics not connected to the Conference theme and welcomes the submission of panel proposals from ANZSIL Interest Groups.
Those proposing papers for presentation at the Conference should submit:
An abstract of no more than 250 words; and
A biographical note of no more than 200 words (for inclusion in the electronic Conference program).
For more information, click here.
16 February 2026
Call for papers - ANZSIL Postgraduate Research Students Workshop 2026
Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law (ANZSIL); New Zealand Centre for Public Law
Deadline: 16 February 2026
The ANZSIL Postgraduate Research Students Workshop will be held in person on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, at Victoria University of Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Workshop aims to provide postgraduate degree research students with an opportunity to present their research to their peers, develop their feedback and engagement skills, discuss their experiences of postgraduate research and make academic and professional connections.
Applicants should submit an abstract of up to 350 words and biographical note of up to 250 words no later than 16 February 2026.
For more information, click here.
20 February 2026
Call for papers - 2026 AIAL National Conference: Administrative Law in a Time of Crisis
Australian Institute of Administrative Law (AIAL)
CfP closes: 20 February 2026
The AIAL National Administrative Law Conference is Australia’s pre-eminent administrative law conference. The overarching theme for the 2026 AIAL National Administrative Law Conference is: Administrative Law in a Time of Crisis. This topic invites consideration of a broad range of current and future-focussed issues. We seek papers that explore present and emerging issues, analyse lessons learned and suggest ways forward, particularly those that address the following subthemes as they impact on administrative law or can be addressed through administrative law mechanisms:
Addressing the impacts of climate change
Responding to humanitarian emergencies
The rights of First Nations peoples
Threats to democracy
Threats to the administration of justice
The use of automation and artificial intelligence in administrative and judicial decision-making
The Institute calls for potential papers on our theme to be presented at the Conference. Please send written proposals for a paper by Friday 20 February 2026 by email to: aial@commercemgt.com.au or by post to: AIAL, PO Box 9141, Deakin ACT 2600.
For more information, click here.
23 March 2026
The Ian Callinan Prize in Australian Constitutional Law
The Samuel Griffith Society
Deadline: 23 March 2026
The 2026 Ian Callinan Prize in Australian Constitutional Law Essay Competition is now open. The competition is open to:
all Australian residents aged 35 years and under, and
all students enrolled in an undergraduate degree course at an Australian university (regardless of age).
Topic: In what circumstances might or should the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia limit the ability of Australian governments to enact laws prohibiting the use of certain slogans on the basis that they "incite hatred". In your response, you may wish to discuss the "freedom of political communication" said to be implied by sections 7 and 24 of the Constitution.
Essays must not exceed 1,500 words. All entries must be emailed to Charlotte at contact@samuelgriffith.org.au by Monday 23 March 2026 by 5.00pm.
For more information, click here.
27 March 2026
Call for abstracts - Australasian Society of Legal Philosophy Annual Conference
Australasian Society of Legal Philosophy
Deadline: 27 March 2026
The Australasian Society of Legal Philosophy’s next annual conference will take place at the University of Queensland from Wednesday 15 July to Friday 17 July 2026.
We welcome abstract submissions on any topic in legal theory, broadly conceived. Philosophical or theoretically oriented papers from any field of legal inquiry are welcomed. Papers will be presented in parallel sessions of 3-4 papers per session.
Please submit a title and abstract of no more than 1500 characters (including spaces) for your paper along with your name, title and institutional affiliation.
For more information, click here.
Conferences and seminars
4-6 February 2026
12th Frontiers in Environmental Law Colloquium
University of Melbourne; Monash University; National Environmental Law Association
Date: 4-6 February 2026
Location: In-person at the University of Melbourne and Monash University
The annual Frontiers in Environmental Law Colloquium provides a forum for environmental law academics and practitioners to share and discuss their experiences, research, and teaching practices.
Colloquium Themes for 2026 - Is all law environmental law?
As the global climate and biodiversity crises worsen, and as human activities continue to overstep planetary boundaries, the project of environmental law and environmental lawyers is also expanding. Continued attention to strengthening, implementing and enforcing the core body of environmental laws - which directly address climate change, biodiversity loss, resource extraction, pollution and other issues - remains critical. But alongside these efforts, we see increasing attention being given to the integration of environmental considerations - particularly climate change - into other recognised bodies of law such as company law, consumer law, human rights law, property law and constitutional law. This integration takes shape through strategic litigation, creative lawyering, environmental advocacy, and law and policy reform.
For more information, and to register, click here.
6 February 2026
Parliamentary scrutiny of legislation in the age of artificial intelligence
Procedure & Research Section, Department of the Senate
Date: 6 February 2026
Time: 12.15-1.15pm (AEDT)
Location: Theatre, Parliament House
This lecture explores whether current generative artificial intelligence can measure up to the legislative scrutiny carried out by Senate committees. Lorne Neudorf will present the results of an experiment that trained several widely available large language models in technical scrutiny frameworks used by Senate committees, including how scrutiny principles are applied in practice. Each model was then tasked with scrutinising legislation, applying the principles and drafting reports.
The outcomes demonstrate the current capabilities and limitations of these technologies when scrutinising legislation. Drawing on these findings, this lecture will consider how generative artificial intelligence may contribute to more efficient and effective scrutiny work in the future, and where human expertise and judgment remain indispensable.
For more information, and to register, click here.
10 February 2026
Original discrimination: How the US Supreme Court disadvantages plaintiff states
Australian Academy of Law; Centre for International and Public Law, ANU Law School
Date: 10 February 2026
Time: 5.15-6.30pm (AEDT)
Location: Courtroom 3, Supreme Court of the Australian, Capital Territory, Knowles Place, Canberra City
The US Supreme Court is famously the top US appellate court, but the US Constitution also makes the Court a trial court, giving it original jurisdiction over, among other things, suits by states against other states. This jurisdiction remains exclusive to the Court, making it the sole forum for interstate disputes. Yet the Court uses a variety of prudential doctrines to avoid these cases. While there are good structural and pragmatic reasons for these doctrines, their use is almost certainly unconstitutional. Worse, those doctrines systematically discriminate against plaintiff states in certain types of interstate disputes, depriving those states of a forum and hindering political resolution of these conflicts.
In this free public lecture, Professor Heather Elliott from the University of Alabama will explain the often perverse aspects of the Court's approach to these cases, the problems that flow from that approach, and potential solutions.
For more information, and to register, click here.
12-13 February 2026
International Law Under Pressure: Reform or Reinforcement? ANZSIL IPSIG Annual Workshop
Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law (ANZSIL); Curtin University; University of Western Australia
Date: 12-13 February 2026
Location: Curtin University (city campus) and University of Western Australia
The 2026 edition of the Annual ANZSIL International Peace and Security Interest Group (IPSIG) Workshop seeks to facilitate a discussion between researchers, practitioners and other experts about their work pertaining to issues currently shaping international peace and security law; conversely, considering how international peace and security law is shaping current issues.
We have the honour to welcome Professor Devika Hovell as keynote speaker for the event. Devika Hovell is Professor of Public International Law at the London School of Economics, specialising in international criminal law, Security Council practice and procedure, sanctions, international dispute resolution and the law relating to the use of force.
The Workshop will take the form of interactive panels, with presentations followed by a Q&A session with all Workshop participants. We are also planning to include a panel of Australian and New Zealand Government representatives to discuss current events.
There is no registration or participation fee. If you wish to attend the workshop, please complete the registration form by 23 January 2026. For more information, and to register, click here.
2 March 2026
Trump 2.0: a one year international law report card
ANU Law School
Date: 2 March 2026
Time: 5.30-7.00pm (AEDT)
Location: Moot Court, ANU Law School
The second Trump Administration has had a profound impact on the international legal system including its withdrawal from international institutions, use of military force, the war in Gaza and subsequent peace plan, and territorial threats in Latin America and Greenland. This seminar will assess the first year of Trump 2.0 from multiple international law perspectives.
Speakers:
For more information, and to register, click here.
4 March 2026
Truth, Trust & Technology: Implications of AI for Law 2026 Summit
Centre for the Future of the Legal Profession, UNSW
Date: 4 March 2026
Time: 8.30am-5.00pm (AEDT)
Location: The Mint, 10 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000
The one-day summit will provide a unique forum to examine not only the legal innovations in artificial intelligence but will also raise complex discussions on the truth and accuracy in legal practice, and the potential new risks to the trust between lawyer-client relationships. From practical applications to big-picture questions on the future of law, participants will gain valuable insights into how AI is influencing the practice of law today – and how it may transform the profession in years ahead.
Panel topics include:
GenAI in Litigation - the State of Play
The Law Firm Cybersecurity Defence Playbook: Preventing and Responding to the Modern Threat
AI, Legal Ethics & the Digital Frontier
AI and Business Ramifications for the Legal Sector
Scaling and Sustaining A2J with technology
Speakers include:
Her Honour, Judge Judith Gibson, Judge of the District Court of NSW 2001-2025 - Keynote address
Professor George Shinkle, Professor in the School of Management and Governance, UNSW - Chair: AI and Business Ramifications for the Legal Sector
Noel Lim, CEO of Anika Legal - Speaker: Access to Justice
There is a fee for this event. For more information, and to register, click here.
11 March 2026
Climate Protection as a Driver for the Development of New Legal Concepts
Institute for International Law and the Humanities; Melbourne Centre for Law and the Environment
Date: 11 March 2026
Time: 1.00-2.00pm (AEDT)
Location: Room 831, Level 8, Melbourne Law School
Please join the Institute for International Law and the Humanities and the Melbourne Centre for Law and the Environment for a lunchtime seminar presented by Professor Angela Schwerdtfeger (Free University Berlin) and chaired by Professor Margaret Young.
Climate change presents unique factual and legal challenges. Although insights from environmental law are often used to resolve legal issues around climate change, this approach has its limitations. The German Federal Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights have therefore developed new legal concepts to address the challenge of enforcing necessary climate protection measures against states: the intertemporal protection of fundamental rights and altruistic human rights complaints. In this talk, Angela Schwerdtfeger will introduce and compare these concepts, exploring whether they are limited to climate protection or could be applied to other areas of law.
For more information, and to register, click here.
12 March 2026
The Emotions of LGBT Rights and Reforms: Repairing Law
Castan Centre for Human Rights Law, Monash University
Date: 12 March 2026
Time: 5.30-6.45pm (AEST) (registration from 5pm)
Location: Monash University Law Chambers, 555 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Associate Professor Senthorun Raj will reflect on his new monograph, The Emotions of LGBT Rights and Reforms: Repairing Law (Edinburgh University Press, 2025). He will reflect on how the book engages with contemporary law reform debates about LGBT rights, including religious exceptions to anti-discrimination laws, legal gender recognition, and sex and LGBT education in schools in counties like Australia, the United Kingdom, and United States.
The Emotions of LGBT Rights and Reforms: Repairing Law analyses emotions that shape conflicts of rights that emerge between different groups across law reforms aimed at better supporting LGBT people. Drawing from critical legal theories, this book cultivates the concept of “emotional grammar” to show how emotions structure law reform pursuits. By doing so, it explains why addressing this emotional grammar is important for scholars, lawyers, judges, legislators, and activists seeking to navigate conflicts over LGBT rights and reforms that aim to repair the inequalities faced by LGBT people.
For more information, and to register, click here.
26 March 2026
Royal Commissions - from William the Conqueror to Sir Humphrey Appleby
University of Queensland
Date: 26 March 2026
Time: 5.15-6.45pm (AEST)
Location: Online
In the 21st century alone, the Commonwealth has established 14 Royal Commissions, with many more having been established by State and Territory governments throughout the federation.
Despite the collective national commitment to this form of inquiry, there is comparatively little of the historical, legal, and policy features that bear on a decision to call a Royal Commission. What powers does a Royal Commission have? Does the Royal Commission of today look the same as it did during the reign of the Tudor and Stuart monarchs? Does it matter whether it is called by a State or Commonwealth Government? Do all Royal Commissions seek to achieve the same thing? Is there any rhyme or reason to when a Royal Commission is called?
These questions, and more, will be answered in Kathryn McMillan KC’s lecture.
Speaker: Kathryn McMillan KC
Commentators:
The Hon Margaret White AO, Supreme Court of Queensland
Professor Graeme Orr, University of Queensland
For more information, and to register, click here.
16 April 2026
’Reds under the bed'—75 years since the Communist Party case
Supreme Court of Queensland; Selden Society—Australian Chapter
Date: 16 April 2026
Time: 5.15-6.45pm (AEST)
Location: Level 3, Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law, 415 George Street, Brisbane
This lecture will be presented by The Hon Glenn Martin AM. Details will be made available for the lecture closer to the date.
For more information, click here.
15-17 July 2026
Australasian Society of Legal Philosophy Annual Conference 2026
Australasian Society of Legal Philosophy
Date: 15-17 July 2026
Location: University of Queensland, Brisbane
Our next annual conference will take place at the University of Queensland from Wednesday 15 July 2025 to Friday 17 July 2026. Keynotes will be delivered by Janet McLean (University of Auckland) and Irit Samet-Porat (Kings College London). The subject of the book symposium will be Money, Parties and Democracy by Matteo Bonetti (Monash University) and Zim Nwokora (Deakin University).
For more information, click here.
16 July 2026
The Corporate State
University of Queensland
Date: 16 July 2026
Location: TBC
Recent decades have seen a surge of interest in holistic models of corporate responsibility. These conceptualise how blame might fall upon an entity on its own account, distinct from the fault of its natural agents and employees.
The theory of ‘Systems Intentionality’ provides a principled and practical means to establish corporate ‘state of mind’ elements in common law, equitable and statutory rules and principles. What insights does a theory of ‘Systems Intentionality’ offer for public ‘juristic persons’, such as the Commonwealth of Australia and its associated agencies and entities.
Australia’s ‘Robodebt’ and the UK’s ‘Post Office Horizon’ scandals suggest this question is pressing.
Speaker: Professor Elise Bant, University of Western Australia
Commentator: The Hon Catherine Holmes AC
Chair: The Hon Chief Justice Helen Bowskill, Supreme Court of Queensland
For more information, and to register, click here.