Giving...

My childhood was somewhat unique. Born in Iran during a vicious war with Iraq, guns and bombs were a daily reality.  My friends all ran around with toy guns, toy rifles, army shorts and hats, make-believe bombs and grenades and RPGs.  A number of older kids ran around with actual pistols. Before long I found myself in Texas, where part of my family lived.  Texas is a gun state; guns are wholly ingrained in the culture, in a way I've found rare even in the US, as guns are a part of daily life in a way which hasn't altered all that much since settlement of the country.  Kids in my class ran around with toy guns, toy rifles, cowboy chaps and hats, make-believe horses and shoot-outs and outlaws and sheriffs.  A number of older kids ran around with actual rifles. Throughout my childhood I begged for a toy gun.  Yet, no matter the intensity of my pleas, the fervour of my demands, the sincerity of my begging, my parents refused to allow me to own any t...

On the 6 th May, 2015, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concluded the matter of Questions relating to the Seizure and Detention of Certain Documents and Data (Timor-Leste v. Australia) by authorizing the return of all documents and data seized by the Australian Government to the legal advisor to Timor-Leste. The case is particularly interesting not solely for its conclusion, but perhaps more so for its contribution to the development of International Law principles, particularly as they relate to the balance between National Security and Legal Privilege, the ICJ’s ability to make provisional orders and the status of a State’s undertaking in that regard, as well as the right under International Law to the protection of communications between a party and its legal counsel. The matter may well be more widely discussed for its interim decision rather than its final one, for good reason.  This matter raised and addressed the following issues:       ...

It has been far too long since I wrote my thoughts here on this page.  Let's rectify that immediately. Thank you, dear University of Canberra, for the incredible honour of the Chancellor's Young Alumni Award.  Both for the award itself and for considering me Young just a few days removed from my birthday.  You always knew how to make me smile, UC. I've been a university student now for 15 years, and as I enter the last couple months of my law degree (that'll confuse the people who know me from Johannessen Legal), I'm starting to develop a little separation anxiety. UC was where I learnt just how fanatical people can be about politics, real or contrived.  I learnt how to anticipate questions, how to deal with apathy, how to deal with excessive enthusiasm.  I learnt about deadlines and personal responsibility for work, time management, people management, self management. I was inspired, motivated, pushed and prodded by a collection of incredible people, fr...