The USQLS is passionate about our career development and educational programs. As a regional law society with students all across Australia, we strive to bring our students in contact with practitioners from different backgrounds and experiences.
The Law Society’s Careers Team is your voice on the Learning and Teaching Sub Committee and we want to hear your opinion and feedback. If you would like to submit any feedback, we would appreciate it and you may do so anonymously: LTS.feedback.usqls@gmail.com
First Year Law Students
The USQ Law Society encourages first year law students to peruse our list of tips for study and networking compiled from a competition run in 2021. We understand that beginning your law studies can be a difficult transition and these tips are a great starting point!
Click here to access the document.
Virtual Networking Series
A conversation about Construction Law with Anthony Simpson
If you are curious about Construction Law, please watch this zoom chat with Mr Anthony Simpson, who has been working in construction and engineering for 20 years and is now on track to finish a law degree at USQ. As well as running his own consultancy, Anthony has a part-time law clerk role at Piper Alderman. This will be a great discussion for those who are:
· considering taking the Construction Law elective
· interested in career changes
· curious about other students’ experiences combining work, study and family.
Click here to watch the seminar
Banking and Finance in the Future Q & A – Mills Oakley
This session was hosted by Special Counsel Chris Dirckze SC and Amanda Khoo who provided an overview of the banking and finance world and the digital changes within that (neo-banks and digital law etc).
Click here to watch the seminar.
USQ Construction Law Seminar
USQ is one of the few universities that offer an elective in this area. This is the first of a series of seminars looking at the different practice areas in law. This seminar was hosted by Mrs Julie Copley, USQ Lecturer, Construction and Property Law, and Mr Nic Gould, Associate Director McR Defence and USQ alumnus who took LAW3473 Construction Law course. The seminar examines what construction law is, the life of a construction lawyer, and how USQ students may benefit from studying construction law.
Click here to watch the seminar.
Law Clerkship Webinar
This session was hosted by USQ graduate and former Law Society Vice President Timothy Randall. It is an information filled seminar on clerkships and law graduate positions. Timothy provides invaluable advice on the application process and what to expect during recruitment. The USQ Law Society is grateful to our member Matthew Endo for his efforts in facilitating this event.
Click here to watch the webinar
Migration Law Webinar
This webinar goes over what migration law is, the life of a migration lawyer, and how USQ students can prepare for a career in migration law. Hint: The first step is to take Administrative Law. The USQ Law Society thanks its member Matthew Endo for facilitating and arranging the webinar, and Ann-Louise Shrapnel for volunteering her time to speak to our members.
Ann-Louise Shrapnel (Anni) is a humanitarian immigration lawyer who has worked with refugees and asylum seekers for the past 5 years. Anni has worked for the Dignity Project and Salvos Legal Humanitarian where she assisted people, who arrived by plane or by boat, to apply for asylum here in Australia. Anni has acted in both merits review and judicial review matters in the AAT and Federal Circuit Court respectively. Between 2019 and 2020, Anni was the Assistant-Legal to the Deputy President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Elements of this role included drafting decisions relating to visa cancellations. Visa cancellation decisions often result in judicial review proceedings due to their complex nature and ever-evolving case law. Anni will move to Europe in early 2022 to start a contract with the United Nations.
Click here to watch the webinar
College of Law PLT Presentation
You may already have discovered that a law degree is only the first step to becoming a lawyer.
This information session with Jacqui Owen from the College of Law will give you the lowdown on PLT at The College of Law.
The presentation outlines how the face-to-face workshop week can be undertaken in a completely online mode, in a blended mode or via our after-hours evening option.
Further information about The College of Law Practical Legal Training program is available on the College of Law website at www.collaw.edu.au/plt including course intake dates through until October 2023, with further start dates coming soon.
If you are planning to commence your PLT studies soon, you don’t need to wait until you receive your results, you can enrol at any time if you will be eligible for that intake.
You can enrol when you have completed your ‘Priestley 11’ core subjects and have no more than TWO electives remaining, however you will need to seek permission from the Legal Practitioners Admissions Board.
Here are some resources I thought might be helpful for you:
· Guide to the What, Why and How of PLT
· Guide to the Ins and Outs of PLT
· Getting LinkedIn to your Dream Career
· Check out our resources page with lots of webinars and career resources here
- Further information about work experience including the work experience rules, work experience forms, work experience guides and dates for the Clinical Experience Module are available here
- Ready to enrol? Click here to start your online enrolment.
More information about the College of Law and their Practical Legal Training Program is available at www.collaw.edu.au/plt or please contact Jacqui via email at jowen@collaw.edu.au.
Click here to watch the presentation. Future live sessions will be advertised on the Events Calendar.
The Perks of Volunteering and the Art of Networking: In Conversation with Chloe Blaney
Chloe Blaney is a Senior Solicitor at TASC in Ipswich – and loves her job. But Chloe didn’t find this dream job straight out of uni. Watch the YouTube video to learn how networking and volunteering helped Chloe on her journey to career satisfaction. Chloe also shares some fantastic practical tips and tricks for networking and volunteering.
Click here to watch the presentation
External Webinar Links
Community Legal Centres Queensland
Community Legal Centres Queensland runs a series of online training webinars, available to community legal centre staff, volunteers and other community services. Recent webinars are available to watch here, or you can join their mailing list to receive invitations directly.
Legal Aid Queensland
Legal Aid Queensland publishes a series of captioned recordings about Legal Aid Queensland services on their YouTube Channel here.
2020 Virtual Networking Series
Australian Tennis Profession + Associate, Baker & Jones
Australian Tennis Profession + Associate, Baker & Jones
Diversity of Legal Careers and Advice for Law Students
Honours for Law Students
Life in practice: 10 things I’d love to tell students
Professional Identity of Law Students
Mr Angus Murray (Partner, Irish Bentley and Co-Founder of The Legal Forecast)
Queensland Law Society + Enterprise Legal + USQ Law Society on
‘The Right Fit for the Right Firm’
2018 Practical Legal Training Information Session
College of Law
https://usqstudydesk.usq.edu.au/m2/mod/folder/view.php?id=961512
2018 Leadership Conference with Jerome Doraisamy
Managing Your Studies, Personal and Professional Life
https://vimeo.com/user10756933/review/261407970/ef9110de74
2017 ‘Beyond Law School’
Randal Denning and Ben Gouldson discuss life after law school and the skills necessary to succeed.
Elective Information Recordings
Listen to subject elective information recordings from lecturers about what their subject offers and where it could lead you.
Annual Welcome Letter
Read the Annual Welcome Letter from Professor Mortensen.
