Mr John O'Brien

  • Mr John O'Brien

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Lecturer, Faculty of Business and Law

GradDipEd(Sec) (Australian Catholic Uni), LLB(Hons) (Griffith University), BCom(Hons) (Griffith University)

Overview
  • I teach in foundational legal knowledge and skills units in the Bachelor of Laws (Hons), as well as an elective unit of Sports Law.
  • I research in sports law and education law, particularly in the regulation of compulsory school education.
  • I am the School's "Academic Lead, Peer Programs and Student Wellbeing"
Background & Teaching
  • I graduated from Griffith University with a LLB (Hons) and BCom (Hons). I taught at Griffith for 2 years, before returning to study a degree in Secondary Education, and then taught at a boys' high school in Brisbane.
  • I began working at QUT in 2008, in the Faculty of Business, School of Accountancy.
  • I commenced in the School of Law in 2011, and have taught in a wide range of first-year foundational units. I am currently a coordinator LLB101 Introduction to Law. I also designed, and still teach, the undergraduate elective unit, Sports Law.
Research
  • Due to my time as a school teacher, plus further experience as a supervisor in a school boarding house, and 15 years of school sports coaching, I'm interested in researching legal issues that affect education and sport.
  • I have also published on topical areas that align with my teaching, such as statutory interpretation.
  • I'm nearing completion of my PhD study on a comparative analysis of compulsory schooling regulation in Australia.
Leadership and Service
  • I have undertaken a service role in the School since 2016. Initially known as 'Student Success Coordinator', and now 'Academic Lead, Peer Programs & Student Wellbeing', at various times it has encompassed leadership in:
    • designing the orientation program for commencing LLB students;
    • running the School's peer-learning program LLB Help Me;
    • running the School's wellness/positive professional identity program, weLLBeing (formerly: I Belong in the LLB);
    • first-year curriculum;
    • curating the LMS sites for the LLB course ("Real Law" / "MyLLB"); and
    • membership of various school and university committees;
  • I currently sit on the Faculty Academic Appeals and Review Committee.
  • Externally, I have been a committee member of the Queensland Chapter of ANZELA since 2012, and a national company director on its board from 2020.
  • I also volunteer as a disciplinary tribunal panel member for a Brisbane sporting organisation.