10 October 2011

International expert Professor Robert Merkin will share his thoughts on Australian marine insurance law reform when he appears as guest speaker at The University of Queensland’s Richard Cooper Memorial Lecture on October 13.

Professor Merkin is a consultant for international law firm Norton Rose Group, President of the British Insurance Law Association and Research Professor of Commercial Law at Southampton University.

He will present his arguments for reform to Australia’s Marine Insurance Act (Cth) which he says has changed little since its enactment in 1909.

Professor Merkin will address an audience comprised of leading members of the judiciary, lawyers and insurance industry professionals at the Commonwealth Law Courts in Brisbane.

His lecture, "Australia: Still a Nation of Chalmers?", will also be simultaneously broadcast to audiences at the Federal Courts in Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth.

The annual lecture was established by the University’s TC Beirne School of Law in honour of the late Justice Richard Cooper of the Federal Court of Australia.

It features topics which reflect Justice Cooper’s interests in maritime and native title law during the course of his long and distinguished career.

Professor Merkin has published more than 40 books and numerous articles on insurance, reinsurance and arbitration law, and is a consultant to the English and Scottish Law Commissions for their project on insurance contract law reform.

His work includes the preparation of a research paper for the Commissions on the Australian experience of reform.

In 2010 he was awarded a prize from the Australian Insurance Law Association for his contribution to insurance law and education.

In addition to teaching all aspects of commercial law, including marine insurance, insurance, competition, arbitration and dispute resolution, Professor Merkin is co-editor of the Lloyd’s Law Reports and sits on the arbitral panels of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre and the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre.

Guests can register to attend the event by contacting Beth Williams at the TC Beirne School of Law on (07) 3346 9350, or marketing@law.uq.edu.au

Event details:

Date: Thursday 13th October 2011
Event: The Richard Cooper Memorial Lecture - Australia: Still a Nation of Chalmers?
Presenter: Professor Robert Merkin
Venue: Court 1, Level 7, Commonwealth Law Courts, 119 North Quay, Brisbane
Time: 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm

This lecture will be video linked to the following Federal Court registries:

• Sydney - Court 18C, from 6.15pm to 7.30pm
• Melbourne - Court 8A, from 6.15pm to 7.30pm
• Adelaide - Court 3, from 5.45pm to 7.00pm
• Perth - Court 4, from 3.15pm to 5.30pm

Media: Melissa Reynolds at the TC Beirne School of Law (07 3365 2523, m.reynolds@law.uq.edu.au)