07 August 2010

Women and the Law

Today saw the launch by the Governor-General of Women and the Law in Australia (Chatswood: LexisNexis Butterworths 2010) edited by Professor Patricia Easteal AM.

The 400 page book - a snap at $150 for anyone with a serious interest in justice, gender, power, legal practice and the specifics of black letter law - is rightly described by the publisher as "an important milestone in the development of legal practice in Australia" and as "the first of its kind". It "is intended not just to highlight the problems that women experience with the legal system as defendants, complainants, victims, witnesses and practitioners but also to identify pragmatic steps for solicitors, barristers and policy-makers".

Chapters include -
- Women and ADR
- Women and Company Law
- (Consumer) Contracts
- Criminal Law: Rape
- Women and Criminal Defences to Homicide
- Discrimination Law
- Domestic Violence
- Women and Business Law: Sole Traders and Partnerships
- The Evidential Process and the Complainant
- Family Law
- Gender and Intellectual Property
- Intersectionality: Indigenous Women
- Women in Practice
- Lesbians, Same-Sex Attracted Women and the Law
- Women and Labour Law
- Medical and Tort Injuries Against Pregnant Women
- Women and Migration Law
- Women in the Australian Judiciary
- Women and Prison
- Public Law
- Women and Social Security/Transfer Payments Law
- Tax
- Intersectionality: Disabled Women
- Women and Trusts
Authors include George Williams, Debbie Kilroy, Anthony Hopkins, Maree Sainsbury, Susan Priest, Margaret Thornton, Juliet Behrens, Terry Carnoy and Patricia Easteal.