Dr Alan Berman

Biography

Dr. Berman completed both his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (Magna Cum Laude) as well as his Juris Doctor degree from Duke University. After graduating from law school, he practiced in the areas of real estate and business litigation for several years. He was awarded an LLM from Victoria University of Wellington with First Class Honors. He completed his PhD in 2006. The topic of his PhD was entitled: 'French Colonization, Kanak Nationalism and Gender Inequality in New Caledonia.' Dr. Berman has taught in New Zealand, Australia and the United States. Dr. Berman has been a member of the Newcastle Law School since mid-2008. He remains an Adjunct Research Fellow of the Socio-Legal Research Centre at Griffith Law School.

Qualifications

• PhD, Southern Cross University, 2006
• Master of Laws, Victoria University of Wellington, 1991
• Attorney and Counselor at Law, Supreme Court of the State of California, 1983
• Juris Doctor (Equiv Masters), Duke University - USA, 1983
• Bachelor of Arts, Duke University - USA, 1979

Research

Research keywords

• Comparative Constitutional Law
• Gender and the Law
• Hate Crimes
• Indigenous Peoples and International Law
• International Human Rights Law
• Sexuality and the Law

Research expertise

Dr. Berman's research interests span a variety of areas, including international human rights law, indigenous peoples and the law, gender and the law and sexuality and the law.

Collaboration

Dr. Berman has published widely in international and comparative law journals. Many of his articles on New Caledonia have been cited in books, treatises, journal articles and the New Zealand Law Commission Report. His recent book has also been cited by non-governmental organizations (eg. Australian NGO report on the implementation of CEDAW, Joint NGO submission to the Universal Periodic Review of Australia, and by the Australian Human Rights Commission) as well as in legal judgements and journal articles. Since publication of his book in 2010, several op-ed pieces have been written by Dr. Berman whose advice is routinely sought by members of the press. Most recently, Dr. Berman has been the recipient of a grant from the Legal Practitioner Interest on Trust Accounts Fund (LPITAF) administered by the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney General. Dr. Berman served as the Project Manager and Chief Investigator on the 2009 research grant which involved collaboration with Bond University.

Languages

• English
• French

Fields of Research

Appointments

Administrative

Administrative expertise

Law School Representative to Academic Senate, 2009-10

Member, Academic Senate Constitutional Working Party, 2009-10

Member, Faculty Board of Business and Law

Member, Law School Board

Teaching

Teaching keywords

• Australian Constitutional Law
• Crime and Australian Society
• International Human Rights Law
• Legal System and Method

Teaching expertise

Dr. Berman teaches in the areas of Australian Constitutional Law, International Human Rights Law and Australian Crime and Society. He has previously taught Legal System and Method, Public Law, American Constitutional Law, and Civil Obligations.