A Kominar Chronicle

During my studies at Bond University I was a legal research assistant at the Department of Law. I had the pleasure of working with the other research assistants and contributing to a law textbook. I assisted with the Privacy and Spam Law chapters along with some draft review.

Internet and E-commerce Law is published by the Oxford University press and is available for order online. I was surprised last week when a copy from Australia arrived for me!

Congratulations to both Jay Forder and Dan Svantesson on their recent publication, and to all of the others who worked behind the scenes to make it happen.

Tags: Bond

This is as live and raw as law school blog posting can get. I’m updating the blog in the middle of my final class of law school. I’m finishing how I came in, with a whole swath of Canadians. Too bad we’re studying Canadian Constitutional Law! I’m glad to be finished with classes and tutorials for the foreseeable future.

My brother, Jeremy is coming to visit Australia next week with his girlfriend Emily. They’ll be visiting me on the Gold Coast first from August 6 to 8 and I hope to show them what can be seen in 2 days time! There was a rumoured evening-dinner visit to Q1, the world’s tallest all-residential building. Of course a trip to the Gold Coast would not be complete without a trip to the beach, and possibly into the hinterlands. Anyhow, more on their travels to follow.

As I near the end of my Bond academic career I wonder what to do with my life. I think this is an important time to reflect on where I want to go, and how I want to get there. I’m also considering what to do with this space. This site has served me will for 2 years but I think that its primary function will be changing after I leave Australia and Law School.

Don’t fear! I haven’t left yet! (I still have a paper, 2 exams, celebrations, a trip to Thaliand, graduation and some closing thoughts to regale you with!)

Thanks for sticking with me!
- Zach

Tags: Bond

Return to Canada: Oct 5th 2007!

It’s coming towards that time! I’m in my final semester of the Juris Doctor here at Bond and the end is in sight. If all goes according to plan, I have one more paper to write, and two exams to sit during finals. Both exams are on the 15th of August, so it will be a full-on final day!

After immediate celebrations are over, subsequent celebrations will be gin to be followed by eventual celebrations in Thailand! Plans are all still in the works but here’s hoping that it all comes through. I’d love to do one final round of sight-seeing before I head back to Canada.

In the meanwhile, we have itemized the contents in our house that won’t be travelling with us. Ideally, most of these items will be sold by the time we leave. I was contemplating parting ways with my piano to another afficionado down here but I think I’ll arrange to ship it back to home. We hope to convert most of our physical possessions into cash that would be better put to use in Thailand or back in Canada.  How zen.
Keep posted!

Tags: Bond, Canada

Yes, it is that time again already. Just like that another semester as blown by. Mind you, there are still exams to be completed, but class work has finished for 071!

This semester, I’ll be writing the following:

• IT & The Law
• Equity
• Evidence
• Bookkeeping ( /Ethics)

I’ve been pretty on the ball with regard to IT & The Law, contributing in tutorial and paying attention. As such, the exam doesn’t worry me that much, it’s only an hour long and has short answer, fill in the blanks, and one or two problem style questions. It only covers the last half of the semester which includes Copyright, Patents, Encryption, Privacy considerations. It’s my first exam and I’m happy to get it out of the way early before the exam season officially begins. (Tues April 10)

Equity will require much more studying. These are comprehensive exams and require much more diligence to do well. For equity we’re allowed to pick areas to study as there is always choice on the exam. Dennis Ong particularly likes to taunt students by offering them a gamble of a lifeline by doing a ‘tracing’ question. Tracing involves tracing the money trail of goods in order to give appropriate equitable remedies. It’s apparently hit or miss, if you get some of the numbers wrong you can expect a 3~4 out of 20. However, if you get the numbers right you will automatically be given ~17 out of 20, Dennis will assume that you know the law and it is correct if you get the calculations correct. I haven’t decided which route I’m taking yet, but I may opt to study for tracing. (Mon April 16)

Evidence is very different from any other law class I’ve studied so far. It requires you to learn a new method of thinking rather than studying specific laws within standard areas (property, land, criminal law, etc..) We’re generally responsible for knowing the rules of evidence which include considering relevancy, hearsay exceptions, judicial notices and a host of other evidence-like things. (Wed April 18)

Bookkeeping involves keeping track of trust account money and dealing with the rules/regulations governing them. It was only a half semester course, Ethics was the other half and I’ve already finish the take home exam for that. The exam is mostly practical involving us cooking the books and balancing trial balances, cash books and investment accounts. (Thur April 19)

Wish me luck! I’ll be done soon…

Tags: Bond

I’ve finished all of my assignments and assessments for the semester, except for final exams of course. So what have I been doing all of this time?

Law of Obligations

I appeared in moot court on behalf of a winery embroiled in a Trade Practices Act dispute. The bottle listed the alcoholic content of the wine as being upto 17%. However, the bottles received were between 12-14%.

Business Associations

I provided tag-team legal advice with my partner during a client interview. Our client was anxious to remove someone from their business for a number of reasons. Our advice concerned whether the business should be classed as a partnership or a joint venture. In the end our client left as angry as they came in. Clients can be difficult sometimes!

Property Law

I criticized and analyzed the judicial reasoning of Doodeward v Spence which concerns an action of detinue regarding the right to possession of a corpse. The corpse was a still-born two-headed child in the possession of Mr. Doodeward until it was taken from him by police. An inspector of police acted on the occasion of a prosecution of Mr. Doodeward for exhibiting the body in public.

Administrative Law

I prepared submissions regarding a Freedom of Information request. The Australian Centre for Independent Jouranlists was seeking all documents relating to complaints filed to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation regarding its coverage of the Middle East during a 5 year period. I haven’t heard back, but we should have won the request!

Final Exams

It may just be me, but I think that I keep getting the worst exam schedules ever. Coming up in August I’ve got this to look forward to.

Business Associations Tuesday 15^th 3:00 PM
Administrative Law Wednesday 16^th 8:00 AM
Property Law Wednesday 16^th 6:30 PM
Law of Obligations Saturday 19^th 8:00 AM

Tags: Bond

It’s amazing to think that I’ve already finished a third of my degree. As time flies by, I realize that I’ve learned much and appreciate having a basic foundation of legal knowledge. As I run the legal gamut I continue to annoy those around me with my pedantic observations. I can only hope that my professors see the same attention to detail in my exam efforts.

With this semester down, I can now quip on:

Criminal Procedure - Arrest and investigation, rights of accused(questioning,etc..), court procedure, grounds/procedure for appeal, sentencing methodologies!
Contract Law - Offer/acceptance, consideration, warranty/exclusion clauses, actions in estoppel.
Australian Constitution - Various Commonwealth powers assumed via s 51 of the australian constitution and their application.
Civil Remedies - The outcomes of civil actions, damages in contract & tort, injunctions, specific performance, many more..

It’s vacation time now, three weeks until school officially begins. Plans include relaxing and not thinking about law for a while. Nadine and I plan to live up Gold Coast life and enjoy the culture that exists outside of the university bubble. I’ll keep you all apprised of the exciting moments.

Tags: Bond