Ateneo Law School hosts cross-jurisdictional dialogues with the Federal Court of Australia on the future of justice

On 23 September 2025, the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law, in partnership with the Supreme Court of the Philippines, with the support of FAIR Justice, hosted "Justice in Practice: Cross-Jurisdictional Dialogues with the Federal Court of Australia." Held at the Ateneo Professional Schools in Makati City, the event created space for meaningful exchange on bridging the gap between legal practice and the academe.

Dean Jose Maria G Hofileña welcomed the Federal Court of Australia (FCA) Justices to an afternoon of conversation that allows the spheres of professionals in the law academia and the judiciary to intertwine.

Structured dialogue sessions brought together eminent jurists, academics, and practitioners across four specialized clusters. Each session featured a Justice of the FCA, supported by distinguished Ateneo Law faculty members and legal education leaders, fostering rich exchanges on pressing issues at the intersection of law, reform, and justice.

The cluster on Judicial Leadership, Institutional Design, and Legal Reform, facilitated by Associate Dean Ma Ngina Teresa V Chan-Gonzaga, was anchored by FCA Chief Justice Debra Mortimer, the first female Chief Justice of the FCA and a recipient of the Australian Human Rights Commission Law Award. She prompted discussions on judicial independence, accountability, and the formative role of legal education in cultivating ethical judges. Prominent Philippine legal figures deepened the dialogue including Dean Cynthia Roxas-Del Castillo, Dean Sedfrey M Candelaria, Justice Jose Lorenzo Dela Rosa, Justice Jaime Fortunato A Caringal, Judge Joeven Dellosa, and Judge John Boomsri S. Rodolfo.

In the cluster on Intellectual Property, Commercial, and Competition Law, facilitated by Dean Jose Maria G Hofileña, FCA Justice Stephen Burley, National Practice Area Judge for intellectual property, steered discussions on balancing equitable access with intellectual property rights, and on addressing regulatory gaps in digital finance and emerging technologies. On the Philippine side, Commissioner Ferdinand M. Negre of the Philippine Competition Commission, shared his insights alongside Adrian Cristobal Jr, former Secretary of Trade, Roel A Refran, Chief Operating Officer of the Philippine Stock Exchange Inc, Associate Dean Rowena Soriano, Ateneo Law Professors Ron Guiterrez and Julia Negre and Rohnwald Marcelo of the Philippine Competition Commission.

Another cluster on Maritime, Admiralty, and International Law, facilitated by Maria Luisa Isabel L Rosales, featured FCA Justice Sarah Derrington, former President of the Australian Law Reform Commission and co-author of Australian Maritime Law. Justice Derrington led the conversation on the importance of context and issue-driven discussions with law students, especially given the nature of maritime disputes. Filipino perspectives complemented these discussions, most notably from Dean Mario Zaldy B. Docena, Liza Eisma-Osorio, Evecar Cruz-Ferrer, Patrick Simon Perillo, and Oscar Carlo Cajucom.

The final cluster on Class Actions, facilitated by Ray Paolo J Santiago, Team Leader of FAIR Justice, was led by FCA Justice Tom Thawley. The session examined how class actions can serve as vital tools for advancing access to justice while raising important ethical considerations in group litigation. Philippine participants enriched the discussion with their expertise, including Associate Dean Giovanni F Vallente and Laurence Hector B Arroyo.

The framework encouraged Australian justices to share insights on what they wished practitioners and students better understood about their fields, followed by Philippine counterparts offering responses that situated those reflections within local realities.

After the dialogues, the clusters once again came together as Chief Justice Mortimer thanked the participants and the hosts, exclaiming that she had a marvelous time and hoped to repeat the exchange in the future. 

At its core, the initiative aimed to generate concrete recommendations for curriculum development in law schools, targeted judicial training, and future avenues for research and collaboration. These insights will inform ongoing efforts to strengthen legal education and practice in line with the demands of justice today.

In holding these dialogues, Ateneo Law reaffirms its mission to form lawyers who are not only excellent in craft but also deeply committed to service and justice. By fostering conversations across jurisdictions, the Law School continues to prepare future leaders who will uphold the rule of law and respond with integrity to the challenges of their time.