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UWS Law Students Association – helping careers
Prof Michael Adams
Dean, School of LawUWS 2nd WIL Symposium
1st July 2014
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A view of lawyers?
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Introduction
• 30 years since I graduated with LLB– Professor since 2001 – a Dean since 2007
• The world has changed!• Variety of careers with a law degree• Role of law students associations• UWS LSA contributes to the THREE “C”s
– Competitions– Communications– Careers
Why did I study law?
• When I was 14 years old I attended an arbitration conducted by my father in London – very exciting
• I was a first in family to go to University• I did OK in my HSC (called “A” levels) but
had too much fun as a paid DJ!• But when I started to study law
* I just loved it - especially one unit…?
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Legal education
• Law Schools grown from six to 36 ++• Legal education controlled by admitting
authorities (NSW LPAB – Cth LACC)– Priestley 11 subjects (basic academic contents)
• Centre for Legal Education research– 50% expect to be admitted as lawyers– 50% use thinking skills for other careers
• Council of Australian Law Deans• Australasian Law Teachers Association
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AFR 4th April 2014 – growth in law
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Largest Law Schools
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NSW Law students
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Employment opportunities
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Can lawyers change the world?
11 out of 29 Prime Ministers 10 out of 45 NSW Premiers 24% of Governor-Generals are lawyers Margaret Thatcher Nelson Mandela Mahatma Ghandi John Cleese, Steve Vizard, Peter Garrett and
most of the Chaser TV crew!
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Times have changed
?
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Social justice @
• Importance focus of our Mission statement• http://www.uws.edu.au/law/school_of_law/message_from_the_dean• "Our mission is to be a law school which excels in education and
research and values its students and staff. In the spirit of intellectual freedom we critically and ethically engage with the law and the issues of our time. We are actively committed to socially just and professional practice and we support and challenge our graduates to serve their communities with the same commitment".
• Concepts of pro bono• Parramatta Community Justice Clinic• Indigenous (ATSI) graduate attribute
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UWS LSA
• Law student societies are a key part of all University law schools
• Law Schools are self-defined and unlike most other schools/faculties
• The two previous student associations/clubs amalgamated with the single university in 2001
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Objects of LSA
• To create opportunities and encourage students to make the most of these opportunities whilst at university so that they may become highly desirable candidates for employment post-graduation.
• To promote and raise the profile of the UWS School of Law and the University of Western Sydney generally, with the aim of increasing opportunities for graduates and maximising graduate outcomes.
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UWS LSA
• How does a disciplined club or society support career readiness of students?– Providing the basis of the THREE “C”s:
• Competitions• Communications• Careers
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UWS LSA
• UWS LSA has its own website:
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UWS LSA
• Note the logo…..
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Competitions
• Law students get involved in mooting– Legal arguments – advocacy– LSA operates a Moot Club for all years– LSA runs a few different competitions
•Formal Mooting•Client interviewing•Witness cross-examination
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Competitions
• LSA organised the grand finals to be held at the NSW Supreme Court– Hon Justice Margaret Beazley AO– Hon Justice Brian Sully QC (Adjunct Prof)– Hon Justice Geoff Lindsay– Hon Justice Michael Kirby AC (Adjunct Prof)
• Winners selected to be part of national competition run by Australian Law Students’ Association (ALSA)
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UWS LSA
• Other mooting competitions UWSLSA gets involved with are:– Shine Torts Moot;– Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot;– National Intervarsity Women’s Mooting
Tournament;– Sir Harry Gibbs Constitutional Law Moot
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Communications
• LSA plays an important role in communicating with law students and potential UWS students in a variety of ways– UWS Open Day and UWS Day
• Run “mini-moots” as demonstrations of what it is like to be in law school
• Use a bail procedure in either the Campbelltown or Parramatta iMoot Court
Scho
ol o
f Law
Apps – Mooting
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Parramatta
• ??
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Campbelltown
• ??
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Communications
• Social events and facebook etc
– Law Cruise– Casual BBQ events– Law Orientations Camp before
semester starts– Law Ball
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Communications
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Law Ball
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Careers
• LSA plays a very active role in getting law students ready for the work force
• The Law Career Fair (grown out of Business & Law Careers) had:– Law firms– Interview skills– ATO– Other employers
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Careers
• Curriculum vitae preparation • Summer clerkship preparation• Interview skills and practice
• LSA will organise law firms to attend on or off campus events
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Careers
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LSA Careers
• Being involved with LSA as an elected officer can give you and edge for employment
• Roles include:– LSA President, VP Treasury & Marketing; VP
Careers & Education; VP Administration; Executive Secretary; General Manager
– In total 26 law students from first year to fifth year are elected onto the LSA
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Careers
• As Head of School since 2007 and Dean of Law since 2012, I have consistently worked with all the LSA Presidents
• Developed a “trinity” between – the Law School – the UWS Law Alumni chapter and – the Law Students Association
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LSA Officers
• Particularly want to thank the current Law Students Association Executive:
• 2014 President Maria Badawi• VP (General Manager) Mel Pudig• Executive Secretary James Zhao
Time for a Lawyer Joke
You're trapped in a room with a tiger, a rattlesnake and a lawyer. You have a gun with two bullets. What should you do?
• Shoot the lawyer. Twice
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Conclusion & questions
• Disciplined based clubs help with career readiness
• Both directly and indirectly through professionalism & expectations
• Opportunities in a very competitive environment
