New head appointed to T.C. Beirne School of Law
Establishing close and co-operative relationships with the legal profession, the judiciary and the wider community is a priority for the new head of the University of Queensland's T.C. Beirne School of Law, Dr Tony Tarr.
Dr Tarr said he was arranging the appointment of an additional 13 adjunct professors drawn from "the most distinguished ranks of major law firms, the commercial community and the public sector".
"The involvement of the judiciary in conjunction with existing and prospective adjunct professorial staff will enhance the teaching programs of the School, cement good relationships between ?town and gown' and afford excellent research guidance to younger staff members," he said.
Dr Tarr, who will take up the position on December 1, succeeds Professor Ian Zimmer who has been appointed executive dean of the University of Queensland's Faculty of Business, Economics and Law.
Dr Tarr said developing co-operative partnerships with international universities was another priority.
"The School is engaged in a variety of international programs at present. I would like to expand on this by developing, in conjunction with University administration, co-operative partnerships with key universities in Asia, Europe and North America," he said.
These partnerships would facilitate staff and student exchanges and would create opportunities for up to 50 percent of postgraduate degree programs to be undertaken at other participating universities.
Dr Tarr said he aimed to emphasise law as an essential part of a world-wide services industry that offered international career opportunities for graduates.
"Opportunities for law graduates to pursue their careers in firms or businesses operating on a world-wide basis are certainly a reality," he said.
"Many people I work with have offices throughout Asia, in London and centres in the United States. A lot of the big communications companies, banks and insurance companies employ lawyers in managerial or in-house counsel positions, which gives these people a global stage.
"I certainly hope we can produce the sort of graduates that can take advantage of these opportunities and who don't see their horizons limited geographically or otherwise.
"The School of Law is very fortunate in that each year it attracts the lion's share of the brightest law students in this State to its programs. The School will continue to devote considerable attention to its teaching and skills programs to ensure it meets all reasonable expectations of the students who join the School."
Dr Tarr has been managing director of Australia Pacific Professional Indemnity Insurance Co Ltd, Queensland Law Foundation Pty Ltd and Queensland Law Foundation Technology Services Pty Ltd since 1996.
He graduated bachelor of arts (economics) then bachelor of laws with honours from Natal University, South Africa. He graduated master of laws with first-class honours from the University of Cambridge and completed his PhD at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.
Dr Tarr was appointed senior lecturer in law at the University of Canterbury in 1979 and became deputy chairman of the Faculty of Law at the University of Adelaide in 1985. In 1988 he was appointed foundation dean and Professor of Law at Bond University and
in 1992 he became chairman of the Fiji Law Reform Commission and chief executive officer of the Queensland Law Society.
He has served as chairman and director of LESF Services Pty Ltd and QLS Superannuation Pty Ltd since 1992 and was adjunct professor of law at Queensland University of Technology from 1994 to 1997.
For more information, contact Dr Tarr (telephone 07 3835 1721 or facsimile 07 3839 2899).
