Stephen Parker (legal scholar)

Stephen John Parker AO is a legal academic and practitioner who was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra 2007-2016.^[1] He was made an Officer in the Order of Australia in 2014 for services to tertiary education.

Education

Professor Parker was born in the north of England. He graduated from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne with a Bachelor of Laws. He went on to obtain a PhD from the University of Wales.^[2]

Law

He practised law in the UK before moving to Australia in 1988.

Professor Parker is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory, Barrister-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Queensland and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.

Academic life

He first worked as an academic at University College, Cardiff.

Between 1988 and 1994, he was Senior Lecturer and Reader in law at the Australian National University.^[3] He was then Professor of Law at Griffith University.

In 1999, he was appointed Dean of Monash University Law School, a position he held until 2003. He then became Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Monash University.

He was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra in 2007 and was profiled on ABC Radio due to his opposition in 2014-15 to proposals to deregulate higher education fees in Australia. In September 2015, Parker announced that he would retire from the University of Canberra in July 2016, having served nine years (two terms) in the position. ^[4] He briefly returned to the role as Interim Vic-Chancellor in September 2024, but resigned after less than three months, claiming he had lost confidence in the University Council.^[5]

He is currently an Honorary Professorial Fellow at the Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education, University of Melbourne.

Podcast and Publications

With Emeritus Professor Stephen Bottomley, he co-hosts a podcast series, Law in Context, designed as a critical introduction to law for the general public and intending student.

His books include the first and second editions of Law in Context,^[6]^[7] Informal Marriage, Cohabitation and the Law 1750-1989^[8], Courts and the Public,^[9] the first and second editions of Australian Family Law in Context,^[10] Negotiating By The Light of the Law, ^[11] three editions of Cohabitees,^[12] and Cohabitants.^[13]

He has written numerous articles and chapters on higher education, legal philosophy, contract law, family law, judges and lawyers, including "Rebuilding a sustainable and fair tertiary education system for Australia"^[14] "Rights and Utility in Anglo-Australian Family Law", ^[15] "Rule Following, Rule Scepticism and Indeterminacy in Law",^[16] and "Judicial Independence" in The Australian Federal Judicial System.^[17]

References

^ Monash University farewells Stephen Parker - (Monash Memo, 7 February 2007)
^ University of Canberra : Governance : Professor Stephen Parker Archived 12 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
^ University of Canberra :Monitor Online:Monitor meets... Stephen Parker
^ University of Canberra vice-chancellor Professor Stephen Parker announces resignation, ABC News Online, 15 September 2015
^ "University of Canberra vice-chancellor resigns, citing 'lost confidence in council'". ABC News. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
^ Bottomley, Stephen; Gunningham, Neil; Parker, Stephen (1991). Law in Context (1st ed.). Federation Press. ISBN 9781862870611.
^ Bottomley, Stephen; Parker, Stephen (1997). Law in Context (2nd ed.). Federation Press. ISBN 9781862872332.
^ Parker, Stephen (1990). Informal Marriage, Cohabitation and the Law 1750-1989. Macmillan. ISBN 9780312039998.
^ Parker, Stephen (1998). Courts and the public. Australian Institute of Judicial Administration. Carlton South, Victoria: Australian Institute of Judicial Administration. ISBN 978-1-875527-22-9. OCLC 40873045.
^ Parker, Stephen; Parkinson, Patrick; Behrens, Juliet, eds. (1999). Australian family law in context: commentary and materials. LBC casebook (2nd ed.). Sydney: LBC Information Services. ISBN 978-0-455-21620-1.
^ Harvey, Matt; Karras, M.; Parker, Stephen (2012). Negotiating by the light of the law: a report on the effect of law on the negotiation of disputes. Annandale, N.S.W: Federation Press. ISBN 978-1-921113-06-2. OCLC 794929753.
^ Parker, Stephen (1991). Cohabitees. Longman practitioner series (3rd ed.). London: Longman. ISBN 978-0-85121-815-1.
^ Parker, Stephen; Dewar, John (1995). Cohabitants. FT Law and Tax. ISBN 9780752000862.
^ Dawson, Emma; McCalman, Janet, eds. (2020). What happens next? reconstructing Australia after COVID-19. Carlton, Victoria, Australia: Melbourne University Press. ISBN 978-0-522-87721-2.
^ Parker, Stephen (1992). "Rights and Utility in Anglo-Australian Family Law". Modern Law Review. 55 (3): 311–330.
^ Drahos, Peter; Parker, Stephen (1992). "Rule Following, Rule Scepticism and Indeterminacy in Law". Ratio Juris. 5 (1): 109–119.
^ Opeskin, Brian R., ed. (2000). The Australian federal judicial system. Carlton South, Vic: Melbourne Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0-522-84889-2.

[1] Monash University farewells Stephen Parker - (Monash Memo, 7 February 2007)

[2] University of Canberra : Governance : Professor Stephen Parker Archived 12 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine

[3] University of Canberra :Monitor Online:Monitor meets... Stephen Parker

[2015-09-15_ABC-4] University of Canberra vice-chancellor Professor Stephen Parker announces resignation, ABC News Online, 15 September 2015

[5] "University of Canberra vice-chancellor resigns, citing 'lost confidence in council'". ABC News. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 5 December 2024.

[6] Bottomley, Stephen; Gunningham, Neil; Parker, Stephen (1991). Law in Context (1st ed.). Federation Press. ISBN 9781862870611.

[7] Bottomley, Stephen; Parker, Stephen (1997). Law in Context (2nd ed.). Federation Press. ISBN 9781862872332.

[8] Parker, Stephen (1990). Informal Marriage, Cohabitation and the Law 1750-1989. Macmillan. ISBN 9780312039998.

[9] Parker, Stephen (1998). Courts and the public. Australian Institute of Judicial Administration. Carlton South, Victoria: Australian Institute of Judicial Administration. ISBN 978-1-875527-22-9. OCLC 40873045.

[10] Parker, Stephen; Parkinson, Patrick; Behrens, Juliet, eds. (1999). Australian family law in context: commentary and materials. LBC casebook (2nd ed.). Sydney: LBC Information Services. ISBN 978-0-455-21620-1.

[11] Harvey, Matt; Karras, M.; Parker, Stephen (2012). Negotiating by the light of the law: a report on the effect of law on the negotiation of disputes. Annandale, N.S.W: Federation Press. ISBN 978-1-921113-06-2. OCLC 794929753.

[12] Parker, Stephen (1991). Cohabitees. Longman practitioner series (3rd ed.). London: Longman. ISBN 978-0-85121-815-1.

[13] Parker, Stephen; Dewar, John (1995). Cohabitants. FT Law and Tax. ISBN 9780752000862.

[14] Dawson, Emma; McCalman, Janet, eds. (2020). What happens next? reconstructing Australia after COVID-19. Carlton, Victoria, Australia: Melbourne University Press. ISBN 978-0-522-87721-2.

[15] Parker, Stephen (1992). "Rights and Utility in Anglo-Australian Family Law". Modern Law Review. 55 (3): 311–330.

[16] Drahos, Peter; Parker, Stephen (1992). "Rule Following, Rule Scepticism and Indeterminacy in Law". Ratio Juris. 5 (1): 109–119.

[17] Opeskin, Brian R., ed. (2000). The Australian federal judicial system. Carlton South, Vic: Melbourne Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0-522-84889-2.

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