Goodbye job applications, hello dream career
Seize control of your career and design the future you deserve with LW career

Michael Kirby launches contract law textbook for future lawyers

Former justice the Honourable Michael Kirby has commended a contract law textbook that he says will prove to be a “blessing” for students, academics and practitioners.

user iconNaomi Neilson 26 October 2020 Big Law
Australian Catholic University
expand image

Judges, legal experts and soon-to-be lawyers stand to benefit from a textbook focused on updated practices of contract law, published by the Australian Catholic University’s (ACU) Dr May Fong Cheong and launched by the Honourable Justice Kirby AC CMG. 

In a virtual event, Justice Kirby said the book is an “excellent textbook” for the students learning contract law in Australia, pointing out its “wonderful short references to cases” that include recent and famous older cases, and “practical, attractive, useful, succinct and beneficial” benefits. The book includes a foreword written by Justice Kirby. 

Speaking to Dr Cheong, Mr Kirby said: “You are a proud academic in Australia, but to those who taught you at the University of Malaya and National University of Singapore, they can be very proud of you too. You have brought great skills to Australia. 

“We are proud of you and are grateful for you for preparing such an excellent text that will be a great blessing to the students, academics and practitioners who use it.”

Dr Cheong said she was honoured to have Justice Kirby write the foreword to her book and be a part of the launch. She added that the subject is “very dear to my heart” and that she wished it to be an “inclusive book for students” to understand first principles. 

“This translates to an understanding of legal principles articulated by the courts and is illustrated through colourful and unique facts, the legal issues and extracts of relevant parts of the judgements,” Dr Cheong said. 

In his vote of thanks, ACU provost Professor Zlatko Skrbis acknowledged publishers Thomson Reuters for the publication of the book and congratulated Dr Cheong for her “tireless commitment to the study of law and training of the future generations”. He has also thanked Justice Kirby for his “longstanding support and involvement” at ACU.

Naomi Neilson

Naomi Neilson

Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly. 

You can email Naomi at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

You need to be a member to post comments. Become a member for free today!