The Kirby Cup Law Reform Competition is a unique opportunity for Australian law students to consider the role of law reform and law reform agencies in Australia. To enter, law students must provide a written paper (between two and four thousand words) on a topic of law reform.

The competition is organised and sponsored by the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC). The ALRC is an independent federal statutory authority that reviews Australia’s laws to ensure that they are equitable, modern and fair. Recent examples of ALRC inquiries include family violence, secrecy, royal commissions, privacy, sedition, evidence, sentencing, and genetic discrimination.

The competition is open to all students currently enrolled in a tertiary law course (including law courses offered by universities and legal practitioner admission boards). Students may participate in the competition as individuals or as a team of up to four students.

There will be an official presentation for the winners. In addition, the ALRC will consider publishing a summary of the winning entry on the ALRC’s website and submitting it to a relevant journal for publication. Winners will also have their names engraved on the perpetual Kirby Cup, which was donated by the Honourable Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG, a former Justice of the High Court of Australia and the first Chairperson of the ALRC.

Kirby Cup Law Reform Competition 2010

The competition previously consisted of a written and an oral advocacy component. The competition structure was reviewed in 2010 and now consists of a written component only. 
In 2010, students must submit a paper (between 2,000 and 4,000 words) on the following topic:

The Honourable Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG, a former Justice of the High Court of Australia and the first Chairperson of the ALRC has said that: ‘law reform is much too important to be left to the experts’. Please discuss the importance of consultation to the law reform process, using at least one Australian Law Reform Commission inquiry as an example.

Students may participate in the competition as individuals or as a team of up to four students. There is no requirement to register to participate in the Kirby Cup Law Reform Competition 2010.

The closing date for entries is 8 October 2010.

Competition participants will be informed of the winning entry by November 2010.

More information about the 2010 competition is available on the ALRC website.

2009 Results

2008 Results

The winners of the Kirby Cup 2008 are:

• Barbara Townsend and Karlo Tychsen (University of Newcastle)

The finalists in this years competition were:

• Jennifer O'Farrell and Jane Worrall (University of Tasmania); and
• Nicholas Blaker and Sergey Kinchin (James Cook University)

The final was held on Thursday 10 July in the Stanley Burbury Theatre at the University of Tasmania.

For more information, contact Chris Kwong (Vice President - Administration) at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .