New law course at Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame has approved a graduate certificate course in construction and building law to start in the winter semester of this year.

The course is a one of a kind for Western Australia, and course controller Phil Evans said the university had plans to offer a master’s degree in construction law.

“This is an area of education that has been missing in Western Australia, and we are very pleased to be able to offer it,” Mr Evans said.

“The course has been designed so that students can develop a focused and clear understanding of the relevant legal issues and practical approaches appropriate to legal practice in the area of building and construction law.

“There are two kinds of people suited to take this course – lawyers looking for a post-graduate qualification and graduates such as architects, engineers and quantity surveyors with at least five years’ contract experience.”

The course will focus on contracts, claims, dispute resolution and professional liability, and will be run over five days.

The course aims to give students an understanding of the law applicable to construction project formation and administration and to give students an understanding of processes used in avoidance and resolution of disputes in the construction industry.

Mr Evans said a significant number of disputes could be avoided if legal practitioners and those in construction could be better educated about the contract processes.