Justin Crosby Memorial
Law Bursary
The Bursary was established in December 2013 by the Sunshine Coast Law Association and originated from an idea by Sunshine Coast barrister Mr Stephen Courtney to honour the memory of Justin Crosby for his outstanding legal service to the Sunshine Coast community.
Bursary Selection Criteria and Award Details
Selection is based on a number of criteria including demonstrated academic merit and financial need, with preference being given to students who attended secondary school on the Sunshine Coast.
The Bursary is open to all first-year Commonwealth supported students enrolled either full time or part time in the University of the Sunshine Coast Bachelor of Laws Program.
The Bursary will be awarded in June of each year for an initial period of three years commencing in the 2014 academic year. The successful student in each year will be awarded $5,000 to provide financial assistance to complete their law degree.
In 2017, the SCLA’s commitment to the Bursary was extended for a further period of 3 years and an additional $5,000 was pledged to award 5 additional students with a $1,000 book voucher to help them in their studies.
The Bursary selection panel includes the head of the University of the Sunshine Coast Law School, a representative from the University of the Sunshine Coast Admissions and Scholarship team in student administration, the President of the Sunshine Coast Law Association and Mrs. Catherine Crosby.
Tributes to Justin
The Sunshine Coast Law Association thanks Stephen Courtney, Simon Browne and Stephen Keim for the following tributes.
"I think unique is the word that best describes Justin.
He was a leader of the Sunshine Coast legal profession. His excellent mind and work ethic earned him the respect of us all. With his wit, easy manner and decency he earned our friendship and love.
Justin was a great example of someone who ran a successful practice but still squeezed every ounce out of his personal life. His interests were many and varied. The ones that I knew of included bridge, bird watching, Latin, yoga, James Joyce and swimming. Justin’s love for his wife, his children and the Sunshine Coast were for all to see.
The legal profession and the Sunshine Coast are lesser for Justin’s passing. The bursary is a marvellous way to remember the man and recognise his place in the law."
- Stephen Courtney
"Justin ‘GONE FISHIN’ one more time.
Frankly, I miss Justin, miss him very much. He passed over from this world to the next on 16 May 2013.
Justin? There would be scarcely a solicitor, barrister, District Court judge or magistrate or court official, security guard, police prosecutor or regular offender on the Sunshine Coast, and many, many, from much further afield who would need the complete description … Justin Xavier Crosby. ‘Justin’ said and says it all.
I was fortunate to operate a legal practice across the road from Justin, originally born and raised a Buderim boy, when he arrived back ‘home’ here in 1988 with wife Cait, son Fergus and young daughter Emma (nowadays a lawyer herself) on the Sunshine Coast. This was after several years practising in Mareeba, the town whose loss was ever our gain.... read more >>
- Simon Browne, Solicitor & friend
A Tribute to Justin Xavier Crosby
& to Citizenship as a Meaningful Concept
The paper was presented at the Justin Crosby Memorial Dinner on 17 July 2015 at Moolooolaba, Queensland. As well as paying tribute to Justin's wonderful personality and extraordinary life, the paper discusses amendments to citizenship laws currently before the Australian Parliament.
The proposed laws will automatically remove citizenship from Australians with dual nationality if they engage in certain listed conduct. Because the list of conduct is based on Australia's flawed anti-terrorism legislation, they are likely to seriously disdavantage many people who are not engaged in anti-social conduct.
The laws are also flawed because they grant too much discretion to ministers of state and do not require any observance of natural justice.