LAW4544 Challenging government: Law reform and public advocacy
Faculty of Law
LAW4544 Challenging government: Law reform and public advocacy is a level 4, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Law, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It needs LAW2111.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- Exam 50%
- and 2 other tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before LAW4544
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
After LAW4544
No unit lists LAW4544 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
You must have completed at least 60 credit points of law study
Overview
This unit examines the law, policy and practice of law reform and public advocacy. How are laws and
government policies really developed? What can citizens do if they want laws and government policies to change? And how does the law both enable and limit the ability of citizens to advocate for legal and policy change?
This unit examines institutions, mechanisms and limitations of law reform and public advocacy. Issues are looked at from the perspectives of both lawmakers and citizen advocates. Topics may include the role of politicians, parliamentary committees, and law reform commissions; the place of petitions, protests and strategic litigation in the law reform and policy change process; and the various laws that operate to regulate public advocacy and citizen participation in lawmaking and policy development.
The unit will be especially relevant for students interested in legal and non-legal careers in the public sector, politics, and the NGO sector.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- TestQuiz / Test20%
- Law reform analysisWritten30%
- Take home examExamination50%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Demonstrate understanding of the institutions and processes of law reform and public advocacy.
- 2
Analyse and evaluate the mechanisms and legal principles behind processes of law reform and public advocacy in a range of real-world examples.
- 3
Conduct research, evaluate and synthesise complex information in order to respond to complex issues relating to law reform and public advocacy.
- 4
Communicate effectively, appropriately and persuasively in various forms.
Workload and teaching
- Seminars36 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. The unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
Learning resources
Required resources
See the Moodle unit page for prescribed and recommended resources. Prescribed texts are usually available for purchase through the University Bookstore and are sometimes available for short-term loan or as eBooks through the library.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Professor Luke Beck
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for LAW4544?
You need LAW2111 before you enrol. Enrolment rules also apply.
When is LAW4544 offered?
In 2026, LAW4544 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
How much work is LAW4544?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does LAW4544 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 2 other tasks.