LAWYERS will be preparing themselves for a day-long talk fest on human rights at a conference held in Melbourne this week, headlined by the Honourable Sir Anthony Mason AC KBE QC.

In a 50 minute address, Sir Mason will expound on human rights issues from his understanding of recent developments in Hong Kong, Australia and jurisprudence from other jurisdictions.

The Law Institute of Victoria will host the annual human rights conference that will explore questions of how Victoria’s Human Rights Charter can inform a national charter and how such a charter could apply to different areas if law.

Speakers include Victorian Bar’s Alexandra Richards QC, Victorian Legal Aid’s Cameron Horn, University of Melbourne Law School academic Jeremy Gans and DLA Phillips Fox’s David Leggatt.

A panel discussion will also be conducted on the recent test case for Victoria's Charter of Human Rights on mentally ill patient Gary Kracke.