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New law and justice dean appointed at top Sydney law school
One of Australia’s premier law schools has just announced the appointment of its new dean of law and justice who hopes to work closely with the faculty to engage more with the legal profession as it undergoes a period of significant change.
Naomi Neilson
Professor Andrew Lynch has been acting in the position of dean of UNSW’s law and justice faculty since 2020, but Sydney president and vice-chancellor Ian Jacobs has now confirmed that he has been given the position permanently to replace outgoing dean Professor George Williams who has moved to deputy vice-chancellor.
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Professor Jacobs congratulated Professor Lynch on the new appointment and said he is “confident” that he will be a “fervent champion” of UNSW’s commitment to serving the needs of the local and global community as well as to social justice.
“Andrew has a deep understanding of university teaching and research as well as our external partners and stakeholders,” Professor Jacobs said. “I am grateful for his contribution as acting dean and know that he will continue to lead the faculty from strength to strength. Furthermore, as it’s the faculty’s 50th anniversary year and as we celebrate its achievements, it is fitting that an alumnus is appointed as dean.”
Professor Lynch has been head of school and deputy dean for the faculty from 2017 to 2020 and, prior to this, he was the director of the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law at UNSW. Professor Lynch, who was awarded his PhD at UNSW, has been a professor within the UNSW law and justice faculty since 2011.
He teaches in the field of Australian constitutional law and his research focuses on judicial dissent and decision-making, judicial appointments, federalism and legal responses to terrorism. He is the recipient of several Australian Research Council grants, has authored and edited 10 books and regularly comments on legal issues.
Commenting on his new appointment, Professor Lynch said that UNSW has carved out a “truly distinctive place in legal education” since it first started welcoming students half a century ago. He said it remains a leader in teaching, research and social justice work and is especially proud to welcome its newest addition to the faculty this year: the bachelor of criminology and criminal justice.
“Our founding vision – that a law school should have ‘a keen concern for those of whom the law bears harshly’ – is as fresh and relevant as it ever was. We are living through extraordinary times and both locally and internationally we see enormous challenges – to the equality, welfare and security of vulnerable people and of course to the environment which we all share,” Professor Lynch said.
“I look forward to continuing our very deep engagement with the legal profession as it undergoes significant human and technological change. This includes supporting a more diversified workplace and inclusive culture, and examining the impact for legal practitioners, courts and the public of increasing digitisation and new ways of working post-pandemic.”
