New law school head brings international expertise

Edward O'Daly

Professor Raff brings new expertise to the law school Photo: Michelle Khoo

5 September 2006: He may only have moved from Melbourne, but new head of the School of Law Murray Raff has brought a valuable international perspective.

Professor Raff's research specialisation in German law is particularly useful in Australia's region as it is legal system that has provided a model for much of Asia, he said. German law was the subject of his PhD work, later published as a research monograph Private Property and Environmental Responsibility - A Comparative Study of German Real Property Law.

"Our regional neighbours have been strongly influenced by the German legal system because it's so portable," Professor Raff said.

"Instead of having to rely on a centuries old tradition of common law, Germany has codes for different areas of law."

He said his expertise in other areas including property, planning and administrative law would complement the law school's existing strengths in commercial law.

"This is really good law school, it's doing well and it will not be too difficult for us to achieve a lot more," he said.

He said he hopes to "support and reinforce" current areas of strength and also to build on the University's position in the national capital and relative to the major centres of Melbourne and Sydney to capture a greater slice of the professional and postgraduate training market.

Professor Raff also sees potential to add another dimension to existing strengths of the law school from another of his areas of expertise: environmental law.

A former chair of Victoria's Environment Defenders Office, who is already making use of Canberra bicycle path network for his daily commute, the smartly-suited lawyer looks an unlikely greenie.

"I wouldn't say I'm a 'passionate environmentalist', but from an objective and scientific point of view it seems pretty clear that if we aren't concerned about the environment there will be conflict, climate change and we will be leaving a seriously impoverished world to our children and grandchildren."

Murray Raff

Head of law school, Victoria University, 2003 to 2006

Foundation staff member, law school, Victoria University, 2001 to 2003

Lecturer, law school, University of Melbourne, 1993 to 2001

He has also worked at the Law Reform Commission of Victoria and in private practice