Judith McNamara

Professor Judith McNamara

Dean of Law

Adelaide Law School

Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics

Professor Judith McNamara is a Professor in Law and the Dean of Law at the University of Adelaide. She is a former practicing lawyer and has been an academic since 2006. Judith was previously the Head of School in the School of Law at the Queensland University of Technology. She is dedicated to supporting law students to become resilient, future-focussed legal professionals with a commitment to justice and the communities they serve. Judith has a background in professional practice and is admitted as a barrister and solicitor in the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia.

Professor McNamara's research interests include law and design thinking, legal education and the student experience. She has undertaken several legal education research projects including as a Chief Investigator on an Australian Learning and Teaching Council category 1 project investigating the capstone experience in law.

Professor McNamara's teaching expertise includes contract law, legal research, ethics, and work-integrated learning. Throughout her academic career, Judith has demonstrated her commitment to innovative teaching and assessment and student-centered learning. She has published extensively in legal education and has expertise in curriculum design and learning and teaching pedagogies.She is currently investigating how higher education institutions can adopt a more responsive and empathetic approach to student engagement. Professor McNamara is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

  • Journals
    Year Citation
    2023 Hews, R., Beligatamulla, G., & McNamara, J. (2023). Creative Confidence and Thinking Skills for Lawyers: Making sense of design thinking pedagogy in legal education. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 49, 101352-1-101352-14.
    DOI Scopus2
    2022 Hews, R., McNamara, J., & Nay, Z. (2022). Law and design thinking: Preparing graduates for the future of legal work. Alternative Law Journal, 47(2), 118-123.
    DOI Scopus1 WoS1
    2022 Hews, R., McNamara, J., & Nay, Z. (2022). Prioritising lifeload over learning load: Understanding post-pandemic student engagement. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 19(2), 128-146.
    DOI Scopus14
    2017 Butler, D., Coe, S., Field, R., McNamara, J., Kift, S., & Brown, C. (2017). Embodying life-long learning: Transition and capstone experiences. Oxford Review of Education, 43(2), 194-208.
    DOI Scopus4 WoS6
    2015 McNamara, J., Field, R., Coe, S., Butler, D., Brown, C., & Kift, S. (2015). CAPSTONES AS <i>TRANSITIONAL</i> EXPERIENCES. LEGAL EDUCATION REVIEW, 25(1), 7-28.
    DOI WoS3
    2015 O'Sullivan, C., & McNamara, J. (2015). Creating a global law graduate: The need, benefits and practical approaches to internationalise the curriculum. JOURNAL OF LEARNING DESIGN, 8(2), 53-65.
    DOI WoS3
    2014 McNamara, J., Campbell, C., & Hamman, E. (2014). Community projects: extending the community lawyering model. International Journal of Clinical Legal Education, 21, 1-32.
    2014 Hamman, E., Maguire, R., & McNamara, J. (2014). Pro bono partnerships in environmental law: Enhancing outcomes for universities and CLCs. Alternative Law Journal, 39, 115-119.
    2013 McNamara, J. (2013). The challenge of assessing professional competence in work integrated learning. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 38(2), 183-197.
    DOI Scopus58 WoS47
    2012 Yule, J., McNamara, J., & Thomas, M. (2012). Reality bytes: Using technology in mooting. QUT Law Review, 12, 89-104.
    2012 McNamara, J., Kift, S., Butler, D., Field, R., Brown, C., & Gamble, N. (2012). Work-integrated learning as a component of the capstone experience in undergraduate law. Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 13(1), 1-12.
    Scopus15 WoS19
    2010 Yule, J., McNamara, J., & Thomas, M. (2010). Mooting and technology: To what extent does using technology improve the mooting experience for students?. Legal Education Review, 20, 137-155.
    2009 Yule, J., McNamara, J., & Thomas, M. (2009). Virtual mooting: using technology to enhance the mooting experience. Journal of the Australasian Law Teachers Association, 2, 231-243.
    2009 McNamara, J. (2009). Internships: effective work integrated learning for law students. Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 10, 229-240.
    2009 McNamara, J., & Brown, C. (2009). Assessment of online discussion in work-integrated learning. Campus-Wide Information Systems, 26(5), 413-423.
    DOI Scopus18
    2009 Burton, K., & McNamara, J. (2009). Assessing reflection skills in law using criterion - referenced assessment. Legal Education Review, 19, 171-188.
    2009 McNamara, J., & Burton, K. (2009). Assessment of online discussion forums for law students. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 6, 2-14.
    2009 McNamara, J., & Brown, C. (2009). Assessment of online discussion in work-integrated learning. International Journal of Information and Learning Technology, 26, 413-423.
    DOI
    2008 McNamara, J., & Cradduck, L. (2008). Can we protect how we do what we do? A consideration of business method patents in Australia and Europe. International Journal of Law and Information Technology, 16(1), 96-124.
    DOI Scopus2 WoS1
    2007 McNamara, J., & Field, R. (2007). Designing for Reflective Practice in Legal Education. Journal of Learning Design, 2, 66-76.
    2007 Chynoweth, P., Christensen, S., Mcnamara, J., & O'Shea, K. (2007). Legal and contracting issues in electronic project administration in the construction industry. Structural Survey, 25(3/4), 191-203.
    DOI Scopus22
    - McNamara, J., & Field, R. (n.d.). Special issue: Legal education and curriculum renewal. Journal of Learning Design, 8(2).
    DOI
    - McNamara, J., & Ruinard, E. (n.d.). Evaluation of Collaborative Assessment of Work Integrated Learning. International Journal of Clinical Legal Education, 23(1), 5.
    DOI

  • Books
    Year Citation
    2013 Kift, S., Butler, D., Field, R., McNamara, J., Brown, C., & Treloar, C. (2013). Curriculum renewal in legal education: Final Report 2013. Australia: Office for Learning and Teaching, Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Resea.

  • Book Chapters
    Year Citation
    2022 McNamara, J., Hews, R., & Nay, Z. (2022). Student engagement, online learning and COVID-19: a Law School perspective. In P. D. C. R. Kumar, & P. D. S. G. Sreejith (Eds.), Legal Education and Legal Profession During and After COVID-19 (pp. 55-69). Singapore: Springer.
    DOI
    2015 Ruinard, E., & McNamara, J. (2015). Conceptualising recognition of prior learning processes in the age of open learning. In Open Learning and Formal Credentialing in Higher Education: Curriculum Models and Institutional Policies (pp. 1-17). IGI Global.
    DOI
    2011 McNamara, J., Brown, C., Field, R., Kift, S., Butler, D., & Treloar, C. (2011). Capstones: Transitions and Professional Identity. In P. Franks, & P. Stonely (Eds.), Proceedings of the World Association for Cooperative Education (WACE) 17th World Conference on Cooperative &amp; Work Integrated Education (pp. 1-12). United States: World Association for Cooperative Education, Inc..
    2011 Armstrong, S., & McNamara, J. (2011). Transition pedagogy in first and final year law programs. In S. Kift, M. Sanson, J. Cowley, & P. Watson (Eds.), Excellence and Innovation in Legal Education (pp. 207-238). Australia: LexisNexis Butterworths.
    2010 McNamara, J., Larkin, I., & Beatson, A. (2010). Using poster presentations as assessment of work integrated learning. In M. Campbell (Ed.), Work Integrated Learning - Responding to Challenges: Proceedings of the 2010 ACEN National Conference (pp. 314-322). Australia: Australian Collaborative Education Network.
    2010 McNamara, J., Kift, S., Field, R., Butler, D., Brown, C., & Gamble, N. (2010). Work integrated learning as a component of the capstone experience in undergraduate law. In M. Campbell (Ed.), Proceedings of the Australian Collaborative Education Network National Conference (pp. 323-331). Australia: Australian Collaborative Education Network.
    2009 McNamara, J. (2009). A collaborative model for learning and assessment of legal placement. In A. Lee, & S. Braun (Eds.), Proceedings of the 16th World Conference on Cooperative Education and World Integrated Learning (pp. 1-7). United States: WACE.
    2009 McNamara, J., Cockburn, T., & Shirley, M. (2009). Creating and enabling opportunities for increased student participation in experience based learning in professional practice. In M. L. Clus (Ed.), Experience-based Learning Association Conference (pp. 1-8). Australia: Experience-based Learning Association.
    2009 McNamara, J., Field, R., & Brown, C. (2009). Learning to reflect in the first year of legal education: the key to surviving legal education and legal practice. In J. Thomas (Ed.), First Year in Higher Education Conference (pp. 1-10). Australia: QUT Publications.
    2009 McNamara, J., Larkin, I., & Beatson, A. (2009). Poster presentations: authentic assessment of work integrated learning. In C. Hall, J. Lang, G. Allan, J. Milton, & M. Nomikoudis (Eds.), ATN Assessment Conference 2009: Assessment in Different Dimensions (pp. 253-262). Australia: Learning and Teaching Unit, RMIT University.
    2008 McNamara, J., & Brown, C. (2008). Assessment of collaborative learning in online discussions. In A. Duff, D. Quinn, M. Green, K. Andre, T. Ferris, & S. Copeland (Eds.), Proceedings of the ATN Assessment Conference 2008: Engaging Students in Assessment (pp. 1-7). Australia: Australian Technology Network of Universities.
    2008 McNamara, J. (2008). The challenge of assessing student capabilities in legal internship. In D. Jorgensen (Ed.), Work Integrated Learning (WIL): Transforming Futures: proceedings of the 2008 WACE Asia Pacific Conference (pp. 377-6). Australia: Australian Collaborative Education Network (ACEN).
    2008 McNamara, J., Field, R., & Cuffe, N. (2008). Designing reflective assessment for effective learning of legal research skills in first year. In J. Thomas (Ed.), Proceedings of the 11th Pacific Rim First Year in Higher Education Conference 2008: An apple for the learner: Celebrating the first year experience (pp. 1-9). Australia: QUT Publications.
    2007 McNamara, J., & Field, R. (2007). Designing Reflective Assessment for Workplace Learning in Legal Education. In D. Southwell (Ed.), ATN Evaluation and Assessment Conference (pp. 87-93). Australia: Department of Teaching and Learning Support Services, QUT.
    2007 McNamara, J., & O’Shea, K. (2007). Minimising Legal Risks in Electronic Contracting. In P. M. C. Swatman (Ed.), Proceedings: CollECTeR 2007 - 10th Anniversary (pp. 1-12). Australia: University of South Australia.
    2007 Jøsang, A., AlFayyadh, B., Grandison, T., AlZomai, M., & McNamara, J. (2007). Security usability principles for vulnerability analysis and risk assessment. In Unknown Book (pp. 269-278). IEEE COMPUTER SOC.
    DOI Scopus43 WoS15

  • Conference Papers
    Year Citation
    2021 McNamara, J., Hews, R., & Nay, Z. (2021). Law Student Engagement During the COVID-19 Pandemic. In UNSW Legal Education Research Conference (pp. 4). Online event.
    2018 McNamara, J., Hews, R., & Duffy, J. (2018). All power to your elbow: Women in the NewLaw environment. In Law and Society Association of Australia and New Zealand Conference 2018: Inclusion, Exclusion and Democracy.

  • Memberships
    Date Role Membership Country
    2022 - ongoing Member Law Society of South Australia Council Australia
    2022 - ongoing Member The Law Foundation of South Australia Inc Australia
    2022 - ongoing Member Legal Practitioners Education and Admission Council Australia
  • Position: Dean of Law
  • Phone: 83130115
  • Email: judith.mcnamara@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Ligertwood, floor Fifth Floor
  • Room: 511
  • Org Unit: Adelaide Law School
Connect With Me
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