Double act heats up at Law School
The mercury has climbed from minus 30C to plus 30C for husband and wife lawyers who have returned to Australia to join the Charles Darwin University School of Law in Darwin.
Globetrotting law academics Joe and Juliette McIntyre have joined CDU from Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, Canada, bringing with them a wealth of experience and expertise in international law, constitutional law and judicial theory.
Both are originally from Adelaide, and previous to Thompson Rivers University they were based at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
Dr Joe McIntyre is experienced in the legal areas of contract, jurisprudence, tort, constitutional, administrative and law of remedies. He said the pair chose to move to Darwin to help build CDU’s globally emerging Law School.
“Moving here we feel so much closer to the rest of the world than in other states of Australia,” Dr McIntyre said. “Within four hours on a plane you can be in the heart of Asia, which provides opportunities to collaborate on an international level.”
Dr McIntyre gained his PhD at the University of Cambridge where he investigated judicial theory and legal philosophy.
“I have always been interested in what it means to be a judge and the nature of judicial function,” he said. “I was also inspired to look into the Constitution of Australia, particularly where the improper use of the judiciary could threaten the integrity of the courts and the people’s trust in the judiciary.”
Ms McIntyre has extensive litigation experience in commercial law, private international law, and public international law, including appearing before the International Court of Justice. She gained her LL.M. in international law at the University of Cambridge and has worked on high profile international law cases around the world including for Australia, in Whaling in the Antarctic (Australia v. Japan). She has also been involved in cases of international significance including the dispute between Nicaragua and Costa Rica over the San Juan River border (Costa Rica v. Nicaragua).
Ms McIntyre said she was particularly interested in public international law and resolving conflict internationally as well as in various domestic jurisdictions.
“Public international law is constantly expanding its sphere of influence, even into areas previously considered the exclusive domain of domestic law,” Ms McIntyre said. “Improved understanding of these interactions can influence key legal and political decisions and done well, international law can even stop wars,” she said.
Both are experienced lecturers and enthusiastic about teaching.
“CDU Law School is currently developing a leading transnational law curriculum which will be unique in Australia,” Dr McIntyre said. “We see the potential this school has to go global not only due to its location, but also with CDU’s leading role in the online environment.”