Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
I am the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Law at Bond University, and a former commercial lawyer. I have been an academic since 1996. I am passionate about legal education and the role of law schools in modern society. My areas of teaching expertise include law in context, legal theory, animal law, business law, and company law.
My research is characterised by four overlapping themes:
- The development of legal reasoning and critical thinking skills by law students: In my doctoral thesis I applied Foucauldian theory to explore and explain the inconsistency and marginalisation of critique within Australian legal education. Since then I have continued to conduct research in an effort to resolve these inconsistencies and construct a practical and relevant pedagogy for the teaching and assessment of legal reasoning and critical legal thinking.
- The critical analysis and evaluation of law teaching programs, projects and problems: I have published papers and engaged in projects about law program objectives, law student mentoring programs, 100% final exams and other assessment for law students, law student wellbeing, animal law education, and climate law education.
- The application of Foucauldian theoretical frameworks and methodologies to law and legal issues: I have published papers focussing upon Foucauldian analyses of legal education, cybercrime regulation, corporate crime, and academic resistance to teaching reform.
- Foundational law textbooks: I am the author of two leading textbooks: Business Law and The New Lawyer, a first-year law textbook co-authored with Rachael Field and Jackson Walkden-Brown. Both are published by Wiley.
Statement for HDR students
There are two areas in which I am interested in supervising a HDR project:
- The development of legal reasoning and critical thinking skills by law students
- The critical analysis and evaluation of law teaching programs, projects and problems
Education/Academic qualification
Law, PhD, Power-Knowledge and Critique in Australian Legal Education 1987-2003, Queensland University of Technology
Award Date: 16 Sept 2004
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 3 Active
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Climate Action Faculty Research Group
Rogers, N. (Project Manager), James, N. (Project Manager), Boulle, L. (Project Manager), Chen, Y. (Project Manager), Bedford, N. (Project Manager), Styrylska, J. (Project Manager), Asgarian, H. (Project Manager), Thomas, R. (Project Manager), Lister, M. (Project Manager), Taylor, A. (Project Manager) & Watters, C. (Project Manager)
13/03/24 → 31/12/26
Project: Research
File -
Animal Law Education
James, N. (Project Lead) & Walkden-Brown, J. (Project Lead)
9/01/18 → …
Project: Research
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The Impact of Emergent Technologies Upon the Teaching of Core Law Units in the Australian Law Curriculum
James, N. (Chief Investigator), Cantatore, F. (Chief Investigator), Fletcher, K. (Chief Investigator) & Bonython, W. E. (Chief Investigator)
2/01/17 → …
Project: Research
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The End of Law Lectures? Not Yet…
Jackson, M., James, N., Schaffer, J. & Roberts, T., 20 Oct 2025, In: Bond Law Review. 37, 2, p. 39-80 43 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Legal Education 2030 and Beyond: Wellness in Context
James, N. & Leimann, T., 28 Nov 2024, Wellness for Law: Reflecting on the Past Shaping the Future. Marychurch, J., Fischer Doherty, K. & Weinberg, J. (eds.). Lexis NexisResearch output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Research › peer-review
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Legal Education 2030 and Beyond: Wellness in Context
James, N., 15 Feb 2024, p. 2-2. 1 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › Research
Open AccessFile152 Downloads (Pure) -
The New Lawyer
James, N., Field, R. M. & Walkden-Brown, J., Jan 2024, 3 ed. Wiley & Sons Australia. 512 p.Research output: Book/Report › Scholarly edition › Education › peer-review
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Climate Litigation Update
James, N., 15 Jun 2023.Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › Research
Activities
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AI RISE: Awareness
James, N. (Attendee)
4 Feb 2026Activity: Professional Development, Mentorship, Supervision and Other Activities › Internal Professional Development
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AI RISE - Exploration in Context: CoPilot and Tools
James, N. (Attendee)
11 Feb 2026Activity: Professional Development, Mentorship, Supervision and Other Activities › Internal Professional Development
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First Steps with Generative AI for Educators
James, N. (Attendee)
10 Sept 2025Activity: Professional Development, Mentorship, Supervision and Other Activities › Internal Professional Development
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Learning to be Successful in Law: Knowing, Doing, and Being
James, N. (Speaker) & Field, R. (Speaker)
9 Sept 2022Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Design thinking in animal law education: Reimagining student engagement in a disconnected world
James, N. (Speaker), Good, M. (Speaker) & Reddy, R. (Speaker)
30 Nov 2022Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
Press/Media
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The Ongoing Internationalisation of Legal Education
26/08/18
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Reimagining the delivery of legal services in Australia — ‘The New Lawyers’
31/05/18
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Rolling with the disruption wave up to each individual
26/02/18
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Tech to push tomorrow’s lawyers into the ‘background’
20/10/16
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment