Careers Guide 2021

Careers Guide 2021

DICTUM VICTORIA

SOCIETY UNIVERSITY

DICTUM VICTORIA

SOCIETY UNIVERSITY

Careers Guide

ABOUT THIS GUIDE This publication aims to guide you through your journey in the law industry from the start of the process during your time in university to potential career paths you may wish to take.

Strong Start How do you make the most of your time at university? It is so much more than your grades. Learn about the opportunities VU provides to get your name out there: from leadership, to mooting, to internships!

Practical Legal Training Discover your options for PLT once you complete your degree.

Firm Profiles A look into some firm profiles - get a sense of the career and clerkship opportunities from our firm sponsors!

Life Inside The Courts We are honoured to have the contribution of court personnel including judges, civil researchers and associates regarding working in courts.

Legal Practice Areas A combination of great articles from our alumni and other experts in the industry from various areas in law. Discover what a day in different areas looks like and advice on how to get there!

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Contents WELCOME

Acknowledgement of Country

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Acknowledgements

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Executive's Welcome

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Message From the Dean

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STRONG

START

Getting Involved with Mooting

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Tips and Tricks for Interviews

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Networking

5

LinkedIn - Do I Need It?

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Opportunities at Victoria University

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Student Leadership

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Clerkship Experience

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Clinical Program Experience

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A Job of Choice After Law School

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The Power of Transferrable Skills

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PRACTICAL

LEGAL

TRAINING

The Admissions Process

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College of Law

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Leo Cussen

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FIRM

PROFILES

Baker Mckenzie

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Maddocks

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Lander and Rogers

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LIFE

INSIDE

THE

COURTS

The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG

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His Honour Judge Pillay

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His Honour Judge Hannebery

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Judge's Associate

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Senior Researcher (Civil)

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Judge's Associate

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LEGAL

PRACTICE

AREAS

In House Counsel: Toyota Australia

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Aboriginal Family Law

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Police Prosecution

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Legal Academia

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Beyond Law Practice: Proposal Management

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Personal Injury Law

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Family Law

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Commercial Law

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Senior Police Lawyer - LIV

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What is it Like To Work at a Community Legal Centre?

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Family Law: Private Firms

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Life as a Paralegal

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Legal Counsel

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Legal and Policy Consultant

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VGSO Solicitor

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Working in Australian Public Service - An Alternative

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Career Path

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Immigration Law

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Family Law - Wills & Estates

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Principal Lawyer

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

Dictum Society acknowledges, honours, recognises and respects the Ancestors, Elders and families of the Boonwurrung, Woiwurrung (Wurundjeri) and Wadawurrung (Wathaurung) people of the Kulin Nation on our City Queen, Melbourne Campus. These groups are the custodians of University land and have been for many centuries.

Dictum Society also acknowledges the Ancestors, Elders and families of all the lands. As we share our own knowledge practices within the University, may we pay respect to the deep knowledge embedded within the Aboriginal community and their ownership of the Country.

We acknowledge that the land on which we meet and learn is a place of age-old ceremonies of celebration, initiation, and renewal and that the Kulin people's living culture has a unique role in the life of this region.

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Careers Guide

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Sponsors

Special thanks to Dictum Society's sponsors, Leo Cussen, The College of Law, Lander & Roger, Baker McKenzie, and Maddocks for your contribution to our publication.

Contributors

Special thanks to Falak Skaik and Farriz Roslan, the creator and editor of the Careers Guide 2021. We also thank Aayushi Patel, President of Dictum Society and Malaika Nambiar, Director of Publication for their assistance and contribution to this guide.

A very special thanks to Pippa Mcnee, Alumni Relations Coordinator and Pam Christou, VU Law School Careers Coordinator for the extensive effort and assistance they have provided in the making of this guide.

Dictum Society expresses our gratitude to all our Victoria University alumni, current students, and academics who have contributed to the Guide. Without the time you put into writing such informative and reflective pieces for the Guide, the Careers Guide would not have been possible to publish.

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EXECUTIVE'S WELCOME

Welcome to Dictum Society's annual Career's Guide 2021! This year, the executive team has come together to bring you a succinct and inclusive display of the opportunities that arise during and after your law degree.

The guide showcases a wide variety of jobs both within and outside of the legal sector. It also draws on the success stories from Victoria University's alumni to hopefully inspire you and expand your career options.

It also draws on the pearls of wisdom from experts in the industry to share their advice, including various lawyers and judges.

We also focused on what you can do during your studies to expand and improve your employability skills before you graduate. We hope that you make the most out of this guide to assist you not just in 2021 but also in the upcoming years ahead.

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Careers Guide

MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN Text books and lectures alone cannot prepare them for what is required from the legal profession. Legal education in 2021 necessarily requires students to be aware of the real-world aspects of practising law, where the profession provides students with opportunities to obtain an appreciation of the vocational skills required for a career in the law.

Professor Lidia Xynas – DEAN Victoria Law School College of Law and Justice It is with great pleasure that I introduce the Careers Guide for 2021. I firstly acknowledge the very hard work and dedication of the DICTUM society and its current committee in preparing this Guide.

Victoria University and the College of Law and Justice are focused on providing its law students with a legal education that prepares them for the legal world ahead.

This Guide is especially important for College of Law and Justice’s law students where it supports them in accessing the law and the legal profession both within the university environment and beyond.

At a fundamental level, a law student is required to be aware of what is beyond university.

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Part of our objective in the College of Law and Justice, is to provide students with an understanding of the Australian legal landscape, its culture and its complexity.

Located within the centre of Melbourne’s’ legal precinct, the College of Law and Justice is engaged with a wide variety of legal institutions, including the Courts, which provide an ability to do just that.

This Careers Guide for 2021 is an additional tool that assist students in the progress of their legal education and beyond. I hope that those that read and use this Careers Guide of 2021 will be better able to address the career pathway they wish to obtain for themselves for the future.

Professor Lidia Xynas May 2021

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GET INVOLVED WITH MOOTING

What is mooting?

How to get involved?

Mooting is essentially mock trials, and if you’ve watched Suits, you have a basic understanding of how it goes. Mooting is simulated court proceedings that are based on a legal problem designed to be equally difficult for both parties of the case.

Most university law societies host their own moot competitions. Dictum Society at VU has hosted or yearly hosts one or more of these moot competitions: Junior Moot, Senior Moot, Negotiations competition, Criminal Law moot, Witness Examination Competition and more. Participating in them is easy: you need a partner/team, register for the moot with no participation charges if you’re a Dictum Society member, and then follow instructions to submit written submissions and participate in oral rounds.

It typically involves written submissions and oral rounds that are argued in a court setting. Participants work with partners to argue the case from both perspectives.

Why should you do mooting?

Although not mandatory, mooting is one of the best ways to enhance legal research skills, advocacy and writing skills. Mooting opens up opportunities to interact with lawyers, judges and peers at law school. A moot participant develops practical skills that are universally recognised and appreciated in the legal profession; it explores a deeper understanding of the law that cannot be found in textbooks.

Employers view mooting as an indicator of a law student that puts in efforts to stand out and be excellent. It is a well regarded legal experience that shapes students into sharp advocates.

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Students also get opportunities to represent the university in inter-varsity or international competitions as they improve mooting skills.

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Tips and Tricks for Interviews

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About us!

A lot of firms and organisations would have the "About us" section included on their website. Your passion and values should reflect similarly to the firm you are applying to. The interviewer will focus on whether YOU would be a suitable candidate to be a part of the team that also shares similar passion and values! It is imperative that you only apply for jobs that reflect deeply on what you are passionate about practising.

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Practice

3

This is about YOU!

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While it is impossible to know what questions will be asked during the interview, it is more important to know how your experience will benefit the firm. The questions proposed will be tailored to understand if the skills and knowledge will be relevant to the job. It is beneficial if you could relate your previous experience to every question asked! Be prepared with answers that relate back to your experiences.

As much as we would want to impress the firm and the person interviewing you, it comes down to what YOU can offer and YOUR personality. Remember that the employers are looking for YOU. Be confident, sit up straight, breathe and expand those peacock feathers to show that they NEED YOU!

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Networking Networking might sound easy to some but also terrifying to others. However, whether you are an extrovert or an introvert, anyone can network. It is an essential skill to be aware of if you want to grow within the legal industry.

Networking Events There are tons of events everywhere, whether through Dictum, VUSU, VU, LIV, Law Week, or many more; networking events are the best way to fast forward your career by connecting with other lawyers and barristers, judges etc. Add them on LinkedIn! It is the best way to progress professionally and connect with other connections they might have. Start a conversation, say hi, express your passion and similar values you share with them and ask if they are hiring!

Ask for assistance You'd be shocked to how many people would actually help out. Ask them for help, their views on how to get a job, their experience, any tips that help you out in applying for jobs, whatever it may be you have to ask!

Weirdly enough, asking shows strength and passion which might possibly attract a person to hire you.

It occurs anywhere Networking doesn't only happen in events, and it happens everywhere. Networking with your classmates, your lecturer, Dictum members, everywhere! It is important that you keep the relationship between you and the person which you can grow positively and mutually.

Stay connected Once you graduate, it is easy to lose contacts. Once connected on LinkedIn, you also might forget about old connections. But they are as important and relevant. So stay in touch with them, celebrate their birthdays or wish them a happy new year!

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Careers Guide

LinkedIn - Do I Need It? The short answer is yes. If you want to put yourself out there and show off your experiences, you need LinkedIn. This helps out introverts as much as extroverts, levelling the playing field. When employers google searches your name, your xemojohnx Tumblr account will not be the first link that pops up; instead, it will be your LinkedIn account! So here are some tips on grabbing people's attention with your LinkedIn account.

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The Right Photo As much as we would like to say, "don't judge the book by its cover, " many people do. So make sure you look formal, professional, smart and smile! You are aiming for an inviting yet professional look.

Summary Turn your summary into a story. Either how you became a passionate law student fighting for injustice or a law student whom Nyadol Nyuon inspired. Try to avoid Instagram bio's, e.g., Virgo/23 "dictum rocks - gen sec 2021."

Custom URL Unfortunately, as much as I miss my Tumblr URL, I would not recommend having the same one for your LinkedIn account.

Keep it simple, just put your first and last name! If that has been taken, legally change your name or add the year of birth at the end of your last name (the second choice seems better).

Past experience Ensure that you put every single experience, qualification, certificate, awards, and anything you gain into your profile. Do not miss a thing! For example, working at McDonald's might not seem to be relevant in searching for law jobs, but this might show resiliency and great customer service.

Careers Guide

Opportunities at Victoria University At Victoria University, we are lucky enough to have an incredible range of opportunities to build your experiences before you graduate! It is so easy to make the most of your time at university with both paid and volunteer roles available.

Clubs and Societies Joining clubs and societies - such as Dictum or the Student Union as part of the committee is an incredible way to gain valuable skills. It is a really fun way to make a difference to your fellow students while gaining experience in teamwork, administrative skills, networking and so much more.

Student Mentors By signing up to be a student mentor, you can be hired directly by Victoria University to do what you do best - being a student! In this role you can assist students with academic, administrative and career enquiries while also upskilling and gaining experience!

VU Vollies The Vollies program provides students with volunteering opportunities on campus and in the local community throughout the year. The program is a great opportunity to make new friends and develop both personally and professionally!

Students as Partners Students as Partners is an innovative program where student representatives attend network meetings and roundtable discussions alongside staff and contribute to changes around Victoria University. It is an amazing opportunity for networking and getting involved.

Student Ambassadors VU's Student Ambassador Program gives you the opportunity to build your communication, leadership and professional networking skills.

As a university and student body representative, you'll meet with a variety of people and create positive opportunities for yourself and for our university.

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STUDENT LEADERSHIP

Aayushi Patel During my time as President in 2021 and Secretary in 2020, I have been taught and guided in mooting, attended meetings with other Victorian law societies, and I have been inspired and supported by several amazing people including other students, alumni, lawyers or judges. I always encourage students to use Dictum Society and it's roles as a stepping-stone that puts them in the spotlight.

Students as partners- This initiative, open Being a student leader comes with many responsibilities. However, it is almost

to all VU students, is quite distinctive at VU in that it creates a platform for students and

necessary to have such extracurricular experiences that shape you beyond classroom education. Over time it is becoming apparent that students with leadership experience are highly valued and have a skillset that compliments their theoretical knowledge. While studying at university, there are multiple initiatives and roles to engage in that become strong indicators of an organised and skilled leader

staff to work together as partners in matters that influence student education, university governance, and learning. I have helped facilitate meetings in this group and was able to speak directly to the staff and Vice Chancellor about topics such as future planning, the new VU Tower campus being built in the city, and more.

who actively seeks constant improvement.

opportunities to students called students as staff positions. These include library assistant, student mentor and other Student Life & Leadership roles. My Leadership Assistant role at Student Life involves facilitating VU leadership programs such as the student leadership conference and LEAD workshops that improve student development and help them expand their skills. Through this role, I have worked alongside VU staff and upper management.

Dictum Society- Dictum society provides more than ten leadership roles every year.

Students involved in law societies build a reputation for themselves and can make a well-established presence in the legal industry. Working with Dictum Society introduces students to experienced people in law and creates opportunities for new connections.

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Students as Staff- VU offers unique

Careers Guide

STUDENT LEADERSHIP

Falak Skaik Student Mentors I have been working as a student mentor since early 2020. This role is a great way to get involved with other students and be able to help on a more hands-on level. I have also been able to take a leadership

My name is Falak, and I'm currently in my third year of a Bachelor of Laws. I am a firm believer in making the most of my time here at VU. In the past few years, I have found that there are so many avenues for delving into leadership roles and developing employability skills.

Dictum Society I was first introduced to Dictum by a close friend during an internship. With some encouragement, I signed up for the role of Careers Director in 2020. This role was such a great way to get me out of my comfort zone and gather invaluable teamwork and communication skills. It also gave me the chance to work with lawyers and PLT providers to get my name out there. Since then, I have stepped up into the role of VicePresident and have an executive role where I have greatly improved my leadership skills.

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position within this role and was recently promoted to 'lead mentor'. Working as a mentor has significantly heightened my confidence and communication skills.

LIV Ambassador This is a new initiative by LIV in which I, alongside a partner, can represent VU to connect LIV with students to support and provide them with guidance and information about LIV regarding how we can assist them through our academic and professional careers.

VU Law Journal VU's law journal takes new student editors every year. The role involves editing article and AGLC, interviewing people in the industry and working alongside VU staff to create a peer-reviewed academic publication. This is another great way to involve yourself in a law-focused, enriching opportunity that also allows you to read many interesting pieces of work!

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CLERKSHIP EXPERIENCE

Rebecca Wooster WHAT SKILLS DO YOU BELIEVE FIRMS LOOK HIGHLY UPON? Firms look for well-rounded people with transferrable skills that are required to be a lawyer. For example, problem solving, customer service, teamwork, and leadership skills. You do not have to have worked at a law firm to have these. Use whatever experience you have outside of law to showcase your skills.

Q&A with Rebecca who completed her Clerkship:

WHAT ARE SOME COMMON CLERKSHIP QUESTIONS?

My name is Rebecca and I am a fourth-year Bachelor of Laws student. In February I completed a four-week Clerkship at Gilbert + Tobin and in March I completed a Clerkship at Duffy & Simon. I found both to be a very valuable, providing practical skills and experience. I have shared some insights into my experience and I would encourage VU students to apply for Clerkship opportunities.

- What do you enjoy doing outside work and study? Show you can balance work and life.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE ACADEMIC RESULTS? It is no lie that there is competition amongst students applying with high academic results.

Some firms also explicitly ask for high academic results.

However, they are not the most important element. If you haven’t performed well in some units that okay! Firms ask you to show in your applications and interviews how you have grown from this.

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- What values resonate with you most? For example, collaboration, diversity.

- Why were you attracted to the firm? Do your research and be genuine.

- What do you want to gain from the Clerkship?

For example, practical legal skills.

- What skills do you have and an example of these? Use STAR (situation, task, action, result) to provide examples.

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS TO ACE THE CLERKSHIP PROCESS? - Be yourself! It will help you relax, and you do not need to try to be someone you think they are looking for – you probably already are.

Careers Guide

- Do not fear rejections. It is more important to apply than not because you think you won’t be accepted. I got into firms I didn’t believe I would!

- Give yourself time to apply. Most application processes are lengthy, and you should research the firms before you apply to them. It is important to tailor your applications to the firms. Ensure you re-read your application before you submit it.

- Keep track of your applications: Often firms ask very similar questions that can be answered in the same way so be efficient with similar answers. Document who you have applied for, the closing dates, and whether you have received an outcome.

The Clerkships I did were so much fun! I learned a lot, gained valuable practical experience, and met great people. I completed a range of tasks including: Will + power of attorney drafting; Research memorandums; Letter drafting; and Attending client-meetings.

Beyond the work, there were lunches, drinks, research training, app creation exercises and so much more! It can be a daunting process at times, but it is definitely worth it!

Check each individual law firm via their website to find out if they are accepting applications for seasonal clerkships or traineeships in 2021/22

HOW DID YOU FIND THE PROCESS? The online applications included providing my CV, cover letter, academic transcript and answers to about 5 questions from each firm.

This was a lengthy process and I aimed to apply for 10 firms.

The interview process was a mix with IQ tests, video Q+As, cocktail nights, congratulatory hampers and virtual interviews.

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CLINICAL PROGRAM

EXPERIENCE

Farriz Roslan

assisted lawyers in gathering information about their case and highlighting vital arguments that can benefit the client.

My third Clinical experience, my current placement, is with Kensington & Flemington Community Legal Centre. As a paralegal in the family law department, the work in a CLC is more involved and direct. This

My name is Farriz Roslan, and I am currently in my penultimate year completing my

includes contacting Housing departments, Magistrate courts, Mental Health departments and more to assist our clients with their case and situation.

Bachelors of Law at Victoria University. I started getting involved in Clinical Program Experience in mid-year of 2019 when I was in my first year (and I suggest all first-year students do the same!).

Throughout my three years participating in Clinical Programs, ultimately, I found the experience fulfilling both emotionally and physically, being able to help those who lack legal assistance.

My first Clinical experience was with WEstjustice in the Family Law/Family Violence clinic. I was a student intern shadowing lawyers, interviewing clients and gathering information from the clients. I have also contacted clients regarding their case with updates and next steps.

My second Clinical experience was with Victoria Legal Aid in the General Clinic department. During this internship, I focused on criminal law and family law.

Working alongside police and lawyers, I

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I can confidently say that the involvement with CLC and government-funded law firms has affected my view positively as a law student in the legal industry. As all law students know, legal assistance isn't accessible to everyone. If you have a passion for social justice, I highly recommend getting involved with CLC's or government-funded law firms.

So while I have given a short overview of what I have done in the law firms, I would Careers Guide

like to say the experience comes with heavy

practices and effort will be rewarded once

emotions and mental preparations. However,

you have attained your admission!

you will develop exceptional people skills to combat negative emotions and ease clients

4. Stay calm. Many students get

that you are there to help them.

overwhelmed by their task; it is important that you do your work diligently; however,

Here's my advice to current and future law

your lawyer is always there to help out if it

students:

gets too much.

1. Apply for all the position advertised

All the best for your future endeavours in

regardless, even if you are not eligible for

the legal industry. As Ruth Bader Ginsburg

them. There's absolutely nothing to lose but

once said, "Real change, enduring change,

so much to gain from!

happens one step at a time". I hope to see you succeed in your course and future

2. Know that all firms have different practices.

placements.

Although making file notes after every phone call and interview is similar throughout all firms, different firms have different communication, filing etc. Hence, it is vital to make sure you ASK questions and never assume.

3. "YOU ARE NOT A LAWYER YET.", Something you will always hear. You are legally not allowed to give legal advice, only follow the instructions given by your lawyer. However, be patient. All your experiences,

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How to study mindfully

A powerful tool to help your productivity awaits you. And it’s not coffee.

Have you ever been reading a book and found that you’ve just read an entire page without digesting a single word – or caught the train home and been staring blankly out the window only to realise that you’ve missed your stop?

Now what about doing two hours of ‘study’ while managing to check Instagram 11 times, contributing to three different Facebook group chats and finding yourself deep down the rabbit hole of YouTube? If you can relate, you’re certainly not alone.

These are all examples of ‘mindlessness’ – when you’re awake and functional, but distracted and not capable of giving 100% attention to a single task.

People can often find themselves in auto-pilot mode however, when it comes to study, this is not a state you want to be in.

As the name suggests, the ideal state to be in is a ‘mindful’ one. A mindful person is focused and grounded in the present moment. The good news for students is that mindfulness can be used as a powerful tool to boost your study efficiency and get you energised and ready to go come exam day. Here are some tips to bringing the mindful edge to your study sessions:

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Meditation and breathing exercises: Meditation brings you into the present by forcing you to focus on your breath. Before studying, practice breathing techniques that block out distractions and energise your mind. Mobile Apps such as Smiling Mind are great for helping you do this. Don’t worry if you’re not good at it to begin with!

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Get in the (study) zone: Creating a space for study where you know you’ll be free from excessive noise and distractions will help you get more done. For some, this is a desk at home, for others it’s a library or a quiet cafe. Sitting on your bed staring at your messy room, not so much.

Switch off: It might be difficult in this day and age, but turning off your phone (or putting it on ‘do not disturb’) and staying clear of tv or Netflix is super important to helping you stay focused. Remember, mindfulness is all about the here and now – these technologies take you away from the present.

Break up your study sessions: It can be hard to stay in a state of mindfulness for over an hour – even people who have been practicing for years still find it difficult to keep the concentration. Take regular breaks to refresh and re-energise. If possible, get outside during these breaks and have a healthy snack.

The usual suspect: You’ve heard it a million times – ensure you get a good night’s sleep. But it’s especially important when it comes to mindfulness and study. You’ve probably realised by now that if you’re going off two hours sleep, it becomes a whole lot harder to concentrate. Try cutting down on caffeine and energy drinks, especially after 4pm.

Think about walking into an exam room. Now imagine walking into a sports arena with 100,000 screaming fans. The situation might seem scary to most but many athletes work on making sure they feel energised and ready to perform at their peak. A key reason behind this is a secret performanceenhancing weapon – mindfulness. Some sports teams even employ a mindfulness coach, something previously unheard of in the ‘macho’ world of sport. Players are taught to be ‘right here, right now’ in high-pressure situations. As with anything, this takes time to develop and a big part of the process is about acknowledging when your concentration is drifting and bring it back to the present. The challenge is to see your exam as an opportunity to thrive, not to fail. Mindfulness can help you get there.

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A Job of Choice After Law School Nigel Preston BA/LLB

At the end of your course, you’ll discover that getting a job with a law firm is stressful and uncertain. You’ll be overwhelmed by information from many sources; major law firms will provide you with useful advice, your LSS will do what they can, and the Law Institute of Victoria will provide comprehensive information. In addition, your fellow students will be a never-ending source of rumour, some right, very often wrong, but always with an agenda. There are obvious points about this time: The first is that you’ll be competing against formidable competition for a small number of positions. Every law graduate is necessarily amongst the best students of their year, and yet, you must stand out even in this group to get a position with a law firm. It follows that the most important thing you can do is to excel in your law course. There is no substitute for doing well, even if that means making hard choices.

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Second, you must develop a battle-plan, a strategy, as soon as possible. The objective is to find a USP (a unique selling proposition) that you can offer a law firm at the end of your course; something that will make you stand out from the competition as the one to hire.

Third, you must develop your interview technique. Everyone has unintended and undesirable habits (like not smiling, appearing to be defensive etc) that they need to work on.

Additionally, you must develop a methodology to answer questions when you’re under pressure. This takes instruction, practice and time. Your LSS has secured 7 videos that will help you develop your interview technique. Each video is by two, experienced lawyers and acted by a law student. The videos are on YouTube under the title ‘A job of choice after law school – the video series.’ The titles covered are:

Careers Guide

Nigel Preston BA/LLB

1. We value innovation. What does innovation mean to you?

2. Tell us something about yourself that we wouldn’t learn from your resume.

3. Assuming we offered you a job, how would you prioritise your working day?

4. Do you have a philosophy about work?

5. If you were forced to think of a single reason for hiring you, what would it be?

6. What if your instructions conflicted with your personal sense of justice?

7. Do you have a methodology to resolve conflict in the workplace?

A final point. These videos will be useful, regardless of the job you choose. Whether you end up working for a law firm, for Government or a corporation, the lessons from the videos are equally applicable.

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Resume Writing

What You Need to Include in Your CV WORK EXPERIENCE

YOUR DETAILS

Include your name, address and contact phone number Add your email address - make sure the address is professional, Gmail or Outlook is preferred You can also include your LinkedIn account

A history of your work experience. Include both paid and volunteer positions. Volunteer experience can include active positions in clubs and societies, or even community volunteering. Do not include everything! Refine the list to cater for the job you're applying for For each role, mention the period of time you were in the role and include a short summary of what you did, skills you gained and achievement PREVIOUS EDUCATION

A history of your education - start with your most recent or current education. For example: PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

A summary of what you do (If you are a student, mention what and where you study) It should state the type of positions you are seeking - e.g. clerkships , legal assistant , law placements etc

CORE STRENGTHS / SKILLS

A list of core skills, strengths and achievements that you have gained during your education or work experience

Bachelor of Laws | Victoria University 2020 - present VCE Certificate | Name of your highschool First year of VCE - Graduation You do not need to include your primary school education - keep it short and sweet and do not excess 3 listings.

Include academic achievements (like a thesis/ATAR)

REFEREES

Include at least two referees and their contact details - these are employers or supervisors that can comment on your skills and experience Make sure you have the referee's permission before you add them to your resume

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Careers Guide

COVER LETTER EXAMPLE Annabelle Watkins 23 Acacia Court Sunshine VIC 3020 awatkins@bigpond.net.au 0415 245 679 6 February 2021 Ms. Kaye Slater Human Resources Manager Smith and Sons 429 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000 RE: Position number 200331 Graduate Lawyer - Medical Negligence Dear Ms Slater, I wish to apply for the Graduate Lawyer position with Smith and Sons as advertised on SEEK on the 27th January 2018. The position sounds exciting and aligns with my strong interest in compensation law and medical negligence. I would welcome the opportunity to contribute my strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and empathy with individuals, particularly those going through challenging circumstances.

After recently completing my Bachelor of Laws degree at Victoria University Law School, I did particularly well in Torts, receiving a High Distinction having developed a good understanding of the principles of negligence. I have also gained practical legal experience through working at Slater and Gordon where I demonstrated my strong research skills, high attention to detail and confident client presentation skills.

For the last four years, I have also worked part-time in the Customer Service team at Target where I have learnt to communicate with customers from a diverse range of backgrounds. Last month I was awarded the Employee of the Month for excellent customer service. I was also promoted to team leader recently where I am responsible for managing a small team, organising staff rosters and balancing the end of day accounts. I have proficient skills in MS Office and have used technology throughout my studies and at various workplaces.

I would welcome the opportunity to work at Smith and Sons particularly as your graduate lawyer mentoring program is well recognised and your business continues to expand. I can be contacted on my mobile 0415 245 679 should you require any further information.

Yours sincerely, Annabelle Watkins Dictum Society

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The Power of Transferrable Skills

By Justine Warne - VU Employ Enterprise skills, transferable skills, ‘soft’ skills: no matter what you call them they are incredibly valuable to employers. Everyone has transferable skills, but not everyone knows how to harness them to their advantage and articulate their skills to an employer.

If you want to make the most of your transferable skills in your resume and cover letter, then you need to look at the job description and the key skills, and then link your transferable skills to those. Your real-life examples don’t have to come from legal experience (although this is a bonus). Your job is to focus on what you bring to the role – not what you don’t have. Some of the top skills needed to be a successful lawyer are: Leadership skills: As long as you keep in mind the difference between a leader and a boss, then you are on the right track.

Learning when to step back, how to motivate and support others, and how to mediate conflicts are some soft skills needed to be an excellent lawyer and team player.

Communication skills: Being able to effectively interact with other people will be integral to your law career. Strong verbal and written communication skills are vital, and this includes knowing when to use legal jargon or laypersons terms. For a successful law career, you also need to know to be a strong and empathetic listener.

Attention to detail: The field of law is heavily detail-oriented and this is a critical

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skill to being a successful lawyer. Your attention to detail is assessed almost immediately in your written job applications, your LinkedIn page and your emails. Any misspellings and grammatical errors in documents can reflect poorly on your attention to detail.

Problem solving and creativity: Problem solving is an essential as a lawyer and a great skill to have for your future career.

Coming up with creative ways to solve problems is highly regarded. You can be creative in any industry you’re in, it’s just a matter of thinking outside the box and coming up with solutions!

Time management skills: Whether you are a law student or an attorney, knowing how to take control of your time is an essential skill to have. Being organised and managing your time effectively can result in better work productivity, and can make a positive impression to colleagues, bosses, and clients.

The more real-life examples of how your enterprise skills will benefit the organisation, the better. You need to reflect on your work, studies, volunteering, and extra-curricular activities and identify examples of these transferable skills. Look for the positives in the skills you’ve gained, whatever role or industry it was in, and sell this as your experience.

VU Employ is here to help! Email us at vuemploy@vu.edu.au for help identifying your key enterprise skills, tailoring your job applications and preparing for graduate roles.

Careers Guide

The Admissions Process

Tertiary Education The first step to becoming a qualified lawyer in Victoria is to complete tertiary education in law. This can be either: Undergraduate: Bachelor Degree (LLB) Postgraduate: Juris Doctor (JD) Victoria University is among the institutions approved by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board.

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Practical or Supervised Training After you graduate from your tertiary education course, the next step is to undertake either a:

For a successful completion of tertiary study, the admissions board requires you must complete the "Priestley 11". These are mandatory units that you need to complete before graduating with an LLB

Practical Legal Training (PLT) or Supervised Legal Training (SLT) Legal training aims to provide you with the necessary skills and values to be a capable and ethical practising lawyer.

Admissions

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The final step in this process is successful admission as a Victorian Lawyer. An application for admission is made to the Victorian Legal Admissions Board.

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Careers Guide

"You career begins on Day One at Maddocks "

About Maddocks

Application Process for Seasonal Clerkship

Established in 1885, Maddocks is one of Australia’s oldest independent law firms. Founded in the boom years of the last 19th century, when gold brought prosperity and architectural grandeur to Melbourne, Maddocks has grown into one of Australia’s largest firms. Maddocks now has 84 partners, who work alongside more than 550 people to assist the public and private sector clients across offices in Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney.

Our clerkship program is the first step for students seeking graduate positions.

Our particular areas of focus are in the Infrastructure, Education, Government, Healthcare and Technology sectors. We offer specialist legal expertise in the areas of: o Employment, Safety & People o Corporate & Commercial o Government Advisory o Property, Development and Construction & Projects o Dispute Resolution & Litigation Our mission at Maddocks is to make a difference for clients, the communities in which we operate and each other. We are known for our collaborative approach and high service standards, and for being accessible, transparent and responsive to our clients commercial needs. It is why some of our client relationships go back more than 100 years.

We give back to the communities in which we operate through our pro bono program, grants programs for community organisation and our staff volunteering initiatives.

We are committed to attracting the best people and to build a workplace in which all of our people feel they can bring all of themselves to work.

Key Values Our values outline the expectations we have for the way we interact with each other, our clients and the community. Our culture is built on a foundation of five core values that are promoted and observed across the firm. These values are; o Integrity o Collaboration o Commitment to doing things better o Respect for the individual and diversity o Stewardship

From Day One you will experience what it’s like to work at Maddocks. This means you will have challenging, meaningful work, gain exposure to clients, be given a good level of responsibility, work in a supportive and collaborative team and have regular access to our Partners. The training you receive throughout your clerkship will ensure you are thoroughly prepared and ready to get involved in and contribute to client work straight away.

The program begins with a comprehensive orientation which includes training and development activities. You will also meet the people you will be working with. During the program you will rotate through two practice groups of your preference and be supported in each rotation by a buddy and coordinator. You will receive feedback from Partners and others you work with, and a feedback review at the completion of each rotation. It is important to have fun too, and you will have plenty of opportunities to experience life at Maddocks through a range of social activities.

The application process involves submitting your CV, cover letter, academic transcript and short answer questions.

You can apply for a Seasonal Clerkship directly through the Maddocks website, www.maddocks.com.au Maddocks is an ongoing signatory to the LIV Seasonal Clerkship and Traineeship Guidelines. We recognise the importance of a fair and transparent process throughout the application, recruitment, interview and offer process.

Applications open on Monday, 28 June 2021 and close at 11.59pm on Sunday, 15 August 2021.

During the clerkship program you will have the opportunity to rotate through two practice groups of your preference. You will be supported in each rotation by a buddy and a coordinator.

We welcome students who are in their penultimate or final year of a combined degree, undergraduate law or the JD. International students are not eligible to apply.

Contact Jessica Parker | People & Culture Advisor People & Culture Direct +61 3 9258 3357 jessica.parker@maddocks.com.au

AN INTRODUCTION ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU WORK.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART ABOUT YOUR JOB?

I am a retired Justice of the High Court of Australia (1996-2009). Before that I was chairman of the Australian Law Reform Commission (1975-84); Judge of the Federal Court of Australia (1983-4); and President of the Court of Appeal of NSW (1984-96). Since my judicial retirement, I have served on many UN bodies, including the Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry on North Korea (2013-14). I work in Sydney and remain very busy.

I have always enjoyed meeting people. I have even become fond of webinars, although they are tiring and lack the empathy of actual meetings. I like to challenge my mind with new ideas, derived from new technology or universal human rights.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO LAW STUDENTS WHO WISH TO PURSUE THIS CAREER? Law, in its many and varied aspects, is attractive because it involves helping to solve puzzles. Sometimes, it provides opportunities to advance justice and fundamental rights. It is a great privilege to help people with legal problems. Never to be motivated as such by high income, profitable work. Intellectual stimulation and contributing (so far as possible) to just outcomes was what gave me a buzz. And it still does. Both my brothers became lawyers. I was the first in our family.

My sister embarked on nursing and she was probably the brightest of us all!

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL WORKDAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? I have always started work early. That is a tradition of the Sydney Bar. I arrive at work at 6am. I try to answer emails quickly. I have many meetings, a number for civil society. I undertake occasional mediations and large commercial arbitrations overseas. I generally have evening engagements at universities, civil society and international bodies, mostly

by AVL. But now increasingly, with actual meetings.

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The Honorable Michael Kirby AC CMG, Former Justice of the High Court of Australia, serving from 1996 to 2009.

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AN INTRODUCTION ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU WORK

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART ABOUT YOUR JOB?

My name is Arushan Pillay. I am a Judge of the County Court of Victoria, sitting in the Common Law Division. My family is of Tamil background and we came to Australia from South Africa in 1976. I grew up in Tasmania, where I completed my legal studies. I came to Melbourne to begin my career, managing to eventually gain an opportunity at Slater and Gordon. I signed the Victorian Bar roll in 2003 and practiced mainly in occupational health and safety, administrative law and personal injury law. I was appointed as a Judge in 2019.

My favourite part of being a Judge would probably be engaging with and serving the wider community. Whether that be by way of hearing a case and providing a party with their day in Court, hosting a school for a school group session, speaking to University students, young practitioners or simply challenging and being challenged by other Court staff.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO LAW STUDENTS WHO WISH TO PURSUE THIS CAREER? The law is a profession for everybody.

Regardless of your background, there is a place for you in this profession and there is no reason why any of you ought to be excluded from finding yourself in my chair.

His Honour Judge Arushan Pillay, Judge at the Victorian Bar since 2003.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL WORKDAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? Our Chambers share carriage of the Medical List with the head of the Common Law Division, her Honour Judge Tsalamandris.

This means that our general day is likely to include case management of matters in that list. We also spend time in Court, whether in person or virtually, and generally hear Serious Injury Applications and Trials, with the occasional APSA (Quasi-crime) matter.

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AN INTRODUCTION ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU WORK My name is Justin Hannebery, and I am a Judge of the County Court of Victoria. I was appointed in December 2020. I have arrived at the court at a time that the entire justice system is emerging from the restrictions enforced by the pandemic. As someone who has been a lawyer since 1996 and who was at the Victorian Bar from 1998 until my appointment, I can attest to the fact that no other event has created the challenges wrought by COVID 19. Over the course of the last 12 months, as practitioners we learnt to do things remotely by necessity. We learnt that many things could be achieved without the physical attendance of people in court.

Many things, most notably Jury trials, have proven much harder to adapt to this format.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART ABOUT YOUR JOB? There is no doubt that the pandemic will leave a lasting legacy. The unfortunate part of that legacy has been a backlog of cases, which means that many accused people, witnesses and complainants have endured elongated delays without the resolution of their matters.

One of the special privileges of having this job is feeling that you can make a real contribution to addressing these delays and by doing so contributing to a fairer and more efficient justice system. My experience as a judge thus far has been, I suspect, quite different from what the job typically entails.

I have dealt with cases both online and in person, and in the coming months I will be presiding over Jury trials conducted in something close to their usual format. I am Dictum Society

fortunate to have a job where I am provided with great support from both my judicial colleagues and those that work at the court.

That has undoubtedly been the favourite part of my job so far.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO LAW STUDENTS WHO WISH TO PURSUE THIS CAREER? For those students interested in pursuing a judicial career, I would advise them to consider this kind of appointment as being an opportunity that can emerge after you have been practising in a jurisdiction for a number of years. Whilst there are no hard and fast rules about the professional backgrounds of those who become judges, it is rare that somebody is appointed to a court where they don’t already have a strong connection as an advocate. My own career that has led to this appointment began with my work as a solicitor in a criminal law firm where I had the chance to appear in court on a daily basis. This gave me some confidence to go to the bar in 1998. I practised mainly in criminal law with a focus on Jury trials, most often in the County Court.

Courtroom advocacy is a skill that is acquired gradually over many years of experience.

Those that want to pursue a career at the Bar or as a Solicitor Advocate should seek out all opportunities to develop these skills.

This can come through undertaking advocacy and presentation tasks, but it can also come through observing those already skilled in the field performing the task. Victorian courts are almost always open for anyone to go in and observe. Find the best advocates, watch them in court, seek out opportunities to work with them whenever possible.

His Honour Judge Hannebery Judge at the County Court

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JUDGE'S ASSOCIATE

Sasha Anne Suman STAGE ONE

AN INTRODUCTION ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU WORK. My name is Sasha Anne Suman. I studied a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) at Victoria University, completed a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at the College of Law and recently became admitted as an Australian Lawyer. Currently, I work as Associate to the Sexual Offences List Judges at the County Court of Victoria. In this role, I run the Sexual Offences List, maintain all records of witness’ evidence, and provide support to the Sexual Offences List Judges both in court as well as in chambers. The matters that I manage within this list consist of serious Sexual Offence matters involving child and cognitively impaired complainants.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL WORKDAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? A typical day as Associate to the Sexual Offences List is broken into two different stages: running the court list and preparing for the next day’s list.

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Stage one involves running either the 9am Sexual Offences List or the 10:30am Special Hearing Initial Directions Hearing List. I call the matters, take case notes of all issues discussed and provide the Judge with available dates to list further hearings.

When necessary, I also conduct arraignments. This means, I perform a formal reading of the charges laid against an accused in court and they are expected to enter a plea of guilty.

Immediately afterwards, I ensure the court system is updated with all information obtained during the morning’s hearing. This involves physically creating the orders made by the Judge and distributing them to parties. Additionally, I enter future hearings into the court system allocating them to a Judge. Once I have finished all duties regarding the morning’s list, I can prepare for the next day’s list.

STAGE TWO Stage two involves managing the progress of Sexual Offence matters as well as organising all documents, parties and the List Judge for the next hearing. Firstly, I create the Court List. This is a document containing a list of the matters proceeding on a day and all information required to ensure a Judge is fully informed about them.

If there are any trial or other documents outstanding, I contact counsel engaged in Careers Guide

the matter to obtain these documents and add them to the court file when received.

Once the Court List is completed and all necessary documentation has been received, I provide them to the List Judge and brief them on the matters proceeding.

In this meeting, I will inform His or Her Honour of essential information they need to hear the matters. This includes, the circumstances of the alleged offending, the position of each party and the pre-trial issues. I also advise on orders to be made such as when to remand or bail an accused to. After this meeting, my team is prepared to hear the Sexual Offences List the next day.

And the exciting cycle repeats!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART ABOUT YOUR JOB? My favourite parts of my job are being involved in court proceedings, working directly with a team of Judges to manage a list and contributing to justice being granted to victims of terrible crimes.

Administering court procedure while present in the court room and constantly observing litigation is not only exciting, but incredibly educational. I aspire to become a barrister in the not-so-distant future. Witnessing different styles of Dictum Society

advocacy in diverse matters with commentary and advice from experienced Judges has provided me with invaluable insights into this profession and how to succeed in it. Thus, working in this role is continually preparing me for my future career.

The most rewarding part of my job is being part of the team that can grant justice to children and vulnerable people that have been sexually abused. In this role, I hear the circumstances of offending and how it has affected its victims in detail.

I also have the opportunity to have direct conversations with the List Judge or Head Judge of the List and provide my input on the management of these matters. To hear that a matter has finally resolved, an offender is held accountable for their actions and a victim can finally start moving on from a traumatic event is incredibly fulfilling to me personally. This is by far the best part of my job.

Sasha Anne Suman, Victoria University Alumni

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SENIOR

RESEARCHER

(CIVIL)

Jacob McCahon As the Young Lawyers president, I work with Brad (manager) and Tessa (vice-president).

Together, we oversee the Young Lawyers Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is made up of the co-chairs of the various Young Lawyers committees.

These include: Community Issues, Law Reform, and Social. It's thrilling to work in a volunteer capacity with such enterprising and impressive people.

AN INTRODUCTION ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU WORK (BOTH WORK AND LIV) My name is Jacob McCahon. I am the senior researcher (civil) at the County Court of Victoria. I am also the 2021 Law Institute of Victoria Young Lawyers president. The County Court is an excellent place to work. I work within the Law Reform and Policy Team. This is a four-person team featuring the manager for law reform and policy, a legal policy officer, and the senior researcher (crime). Being a part of this team is great because I get exposure to legal research questions from judges and law reform submissions for the Court. The legal research questions from judges can involve any practice area within the Court's civil jurisdiction. The research questions have ranged from: defamation, to personal injury, to contract, to adoption. It is a dynamic and intellectually stimulating role that requires lots of statutory interpretation and judgment reading.

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WHAT DOES A TYPICAL WORKDAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? A typical workday consists predominantly of doing research tasks for judges. Sometimes I have multiple research tasks to complete at once. This requires allocating my time appropriately, communicating with judges, and prioritising the most urgent tasks.

The research questions often relate to evidence, civil procedure, and subordinate legislation (e.g. the Court's rules). It's a very educational role and I feel lucky every day to do it. I will also often spend part of the day working on law reform projects. I assist the manager of law reform and policy with law reform submissions made by the Court (concerning the civil jurisdiction). These could be things like fees for lawyers in worker compensation applications, drafting legislation around which state courts should hear matters involving federal jurisdiction, or updating court transfer rules (e.g. transferring a case from the Magistrates' to the County Court).

Careers Guide

Since I've returned to the office, I'm also trying to spend more time sitting in court and observing. I think we can learn lots from turning off our devices and watching the drama that is live court.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART ABOUT YOUR JOB?

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO LAW STUDENTS WHO WISH TO PURSUE THIS CAREER? I would say don't think of potential legal roles in siloed terms. As in: 'I want to be a court researcher for life'. It's a thrilling role, but there are other similar positions that one can do to prepare them for a research position, or that they can do afterwards.

My favourite part is the learning. I have an insatiable appetite for learning. In law, we need to know lots of things. We're paid for our expertise and to know how society works.

This means we need to know about institutions and schemes - or know where to find out. We're also paid for our attention to detail and dissecting complexity. Of course, we will never know everything. This is because laws, rules, and judgments are being made everyday.

Nevertheless, knowing lots is good enough.

And this job enables me to learn lots. As a bi-product of the role, I'm always reading new and important judgments, legislative updates, and government policies on whatever topic the judge or legislature is currently tackling. It's a brilliant job for people who love the law and a variety of complex and intellectually stimulating information.

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JUDGE'S ASSOCIATE

Niko Kordos

I began studying a Bachelor of Laws at Victoria University after I completed my VCE. After graduating from VU I began working as a graduate lawyer, practising mainly in commercial litigation and dispute resolution. Working as a solicitor can be a very rewarding career and, for most, it is the primary goal for law school graduates.

However, for some it can often involve spending a significant amount of time managing clients and attending to administrative tasks, rather than engaging with legal authorities, legislation and the law generally. For those who want to work in a position in the early stages of their career which gives them the opportunity to become familiar with the inner workings of court processes, how to advocate (and just as importantly, how not to advocate) while learning directly from a senior member of the legal profession, an associateship is something worth considering. “What is an associateship?” you might sensibly ask.

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Unhelpfully, the answer can vary greatly depending on who you ask. For instance, I work in the Commercial Division of the County Court and my role is remarkably different to that of an associate who works in the Criminal Division. We hear different sorts of cases, the relevant rules that govern us are different and, usually, the careers that the judges led before being appointed were different. Further, my experience in the County Court may not reflect the experiences of an associate in another court or tribunal.

That being said, some typical duties an associate might undertake include legal research, communicating with the parties to a dispute and various organisational tasks such as drafting and filing orders. In some ways it can be a mix between paralegal work and personal assistant work with the added benefit of being able to sit in court watching barristers make their case on behalf of their clients, which is beneficial from a learning perspective, and generally speaking, entertaining.

Before applying for an associateship it is worthwhile thinking about what it is you want from it and what it is you want to do afterwards. In many ways, you cannot “go wrong” by completing one. Even if I decided I never wanted to pursue a career in litigation, having been an associate would still have assisted me and taught me skills which are transferable to any role. So if you Careers Guide

are on the fence, you should apply and be comforted that very few, if any, regret the choice. In regards to advice when applying, I would suggest that you do your best to ascertain what it is the judge or court is looking for and the type of work they do.

This can be difficult, but knowing at the very least what sort of matters the judge hears will help shape your application. Each judge will have their own expectations, standards and preferences.

You cannot assume that all judges prioritise good grades over everything else, for instance. Some will want you to have worked in the law before working for them, others will prefer that you intend to one day become a barrister.

For this reason you should not be disheartened if you apply for a role and get rejected. Often it is bad luck and persistence usually pays off.

Please feel free to find me on LinkedIn and message me if you have any questions about being an associate.

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IN

HOUSE

TOYOTA

COUNSEL:

AUSTRALIA

Andrew Dowling

Hi, I’m Andrew and I work as a Senior Solicitor for Toyota Australia.

After finishing my law degree at VU in 2015, I commenced in a graduate role at Corrs Chambers Westgarth where I rotated across the firm’s Corporate, Construction (disputes) and Commercial Litigation practice groups.

During my five years at Corrs I acted for a broad range of domestic and international clients in relation to various commercial disputes including contract disputes, administrative law matters, class actions, and regulatory proceedings. I also completed two client secondments to the ACCC where I unlocked my passion for consumer and product liability law. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I took some time off to consider my next career move and an opportunity came up at Toyota Australia which I successfully applied for.

Working in house is considerably different to working in private practice. At a law firm, clients expect premium legal services. As such, law firms allocate considerable time Dictum Society

and legal resources towards ensuring that any advice given or work undertaken is as close to perfect as possible. By contrast, when you work in house speed is paramount and an 80% complete legal response within 3 hours is more important than a 100% comprehensive legal response provided within a week. My clients in house are other business divisions within Toyota Australia and include Sales & Marketing, Supply Chain, and Guest First Division. A typical day at Toyota will involve disputes work (e.g. working with our external legal counsel in relation to litigation matters that often involve the ACL), corresponding with various regulatory bodies, reviewing marketing materials, and responding to urgent ad hoc legal matters which can come from any division. The culture at Toyota Australia is outstanding and the company provides a lot of perks to employees. Many of my colleagues have been with Toyota Australia for 25+ years and this is a testament to the quality of the work environment.

For anyone considering a career in house, my advice is to spend 3-5 years minimum in private practice to develop your legal skills as this will serve you well when you are ready to make the big move in house. When choosing which company you would like to work for as an in house counsel, take some time to consider what products or services you are passionate about and allow that to guide which companies you apply for.

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ABORIGINAL FAMILY

LAW

Maria Pejoski-Aleksovski

My current job title is Senior Lawyer at Djirra (Aboriginal Family Violence Legal Service). At uni, I studied a double degree of Bachelor of Law/Bachelor of Arts.

My name is Maria Pejoski-Aleksovski and I am a lawyer and proud feminist. I am a daughter to migrant parents, I have three sisters, a very supportive partner and a gorgeous six-year old son.

I grew up in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, attended four different public schools, graduated law from La Trobe University and became the lawyer I always wanted to be.

At present, I work as a Senior Lawyer at Djirra, which is an organisation that provides legal and other support services to Aborginal and Torres Strait Islander women, who have experienced family violence. On any given day, I assist clients in relation to various legal issues including family

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law matters, by negotiating parenting arrangements for their children; Intervention Order matters, by applying for a Family Violence Intervention Order, following an incident of domestic violence, and appearing at the Magistrates' Court on behalf of my client; Child Protection matters, by running submissions before the Children's Court with respect to the placement of a child, following the involvement of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH); and VOCAT matters, by preparing an Application for Assistance and appearing at a hearing at the Victims of Crime Tribunal, seeking an award for my client who has been subjected to serious family violence and incurred injury.

In addition to the legal services, I may also provide non-legal support to my clients, including assistance with crisis accommodation and making housing referrals, engaging with other professionals, including psychologists and counsellors to prepare necessary reports, arranging financial assistance for clients and other services.

Working at a not-for-profit and community organisation has allowed me to develop the necessary personal skills to support vulnerable communities and has educated me about the gaps in society, and how to initiate change and progress.

I find my role at Djirra rewarding and am humbled to work with Aboriginal and Torres

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Strait Islander women, in supporting them with their legal needs and addressing change in our legal and political systems.To be a good lawyer, you need to understand and attend to the needs of your client, and not simply focus on the bottom line. I worked in private practice for almost a decade and identified a serious gap between clients who could afford legal services and those who could not.

To have the opportunity to now give back to the community is an honour and I would encourage all law students to embark on their own legal journeys, before finding the right fit.

Remember, your first professional role does not need to be the place where you retire.

Whether you embark on a career pathway through the public or private sector, remember to explore, learn and grow, and maybe one day you will arrive at an organisation like Djirra, and finally feel at home.

Maria Pejoski-Aleksovski - Djirra

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POLICE PROSECUTION

Macabe Dangerfield currently work as a sessional law lecturer at VU. I was delighted to return to the law school that provided me with such a life changing education and I feel so passionate about assisting other students achieve the same life changing educational experience.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL WORKDAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

AN INTRODUCTION ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU WORK. My job title is Lawyer and Prosecutor in Victoria. I studied a double degree at Victoria University. I studied Law/Arts (Psychology) and graduated with First Class Honours in 2017. After graduating in Law, I completed a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Post Graduate studies in International Law in a Masters’ Degree program.

Prior to working as a lawyer and while I studied at VU, I assisted a barrister on a voluntary basis, this was an invaluable experience as I had the opportunity to learn from an experienced barrister in the area of commercial law. Since 2018, I have worked as a lawyer and criminal prosecutor in Victoria. I prosecute criminal matters triable in the Magistrates’ Court as well as conducting preliminary committal stream, filing hearings. Since 2019, I have returned to Victoria University Law School and I

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Generally early starts, I commute into the city each day. I work with a professional group of people who are committed to the law, assisting the court in the pursuit of justice and representing the community in matters of community safety. My typical day is actually not very typical at all, it may consist of discussing criminal investigations with police officers, negotiating the appropriateness of criminal charges with defence lawyers. It regularly involves appearing in court, prosecuting driving offences, thefts, assaults, deceptions, gang related criminal offences and burglaries. My day can also involve prosecuting Bail and Remand matters, which can be offences ranging from thefts to murder.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART ABOUT YOUR JOB? I would say there are many parts of my job that are my favourite. I enjoy presenting a professional legal submission to the court as this assists the court in hearing the best evidence and making a good decision in the Careers Guide

interest of community safety. I also enjoy knowing I have done my best to represent victims of crime and seek a fair and just outcome in court. It is important to remember, prosecuting is not about sending people to prison, it is about assisting the court in achieving a fair and just outcome for all parties involved, this includes the accused person. In my role as a sessional law lecturer at VU, every part is my favourite part. I love being in such a privileged position and having the opportunity to assist VU students in achieving their goals. I enjoy being able to give a first-hand practical approach to the study of law. I get great satisfaction seeing students achieve genuine educational milestones and then get rewarding and satisfying jobs.

The legal profession is often generous and many Lawyers are happy to assist enthusiastic law students. From my experience, VU was a fantastic place to study, I immersed myself in the study and it prepared me well for a career in law. Law is a responsible and rewarding career, with dedication and commitment it provides great life where you can genuinely help people in need.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO LAW STUDENTS WHO WISH TO PURSUE THIS CAREER? Firstly, apply yourself to your study, law is challenging and requires hard work. A degree in law or legal study is like a driver licence or an airline ticket, it can take you anywhere you want it to. Secondly, immerse yourself in the legal profession and become involved in programs such as the VU mooting teams. Make contact with Lawyers and barristers and politely introduce yourself, explain you have a passion in law and ask if you could voluntarily learn from them.

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LEGAL ACADEMIA

Tristan Galloway pedagogy or public law issues – currently I’m exploring legal perspectives on Australian sovereignty.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL WORKDAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

AN INTRODUCTION ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU WORK.

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I took a winding path to my current position. After high school, I taught English in China and travelled Asia for two years, then started an Arts/Law degree, majoring in Chinese. My initial aim was private commercial practice in China, but I soon discovered a deeper passion for global politics and public law. After honours, I pursued an International Relations doctorate, which combined law, global (internet) governance, political theory and China. Postgraduate studies coincided with a lengthy stint in the gig economy, delivering pizzas and lectures, providing research and customer assistance.

Eventually I gained a position in VU’s First Year College, teaching introductory law in the new block mode. I now teach in the College of Law and Justice, primarily into administrative law, other public law courses and the honours program.

Nowadays my research focuses on legal

Teaching, marking and research – that’s the bread and butter of my daily work, though every day my focus varies. I might teach for half a day, then mark or research the other half of the day. About a quarter of my time is spent teaching, which means I get to engage with students regularly. On non-teaching days its either marking, which comes in waves every month, or research, which means reading journals and other secondary sources, examining legal frameworks and concepts, and ultimately writing journal articles, conference papers and contributing to books. Alongside this, I sometimes spend time developing course materials, refreshing my knowledge in areas I teach, helping students navigate their studies or university life, and helping with the administration of the College of Law and Justice.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART ABOUT YOUR JOB? I would say my favorite part about my job is the Students! My job involves a lot of engagement with students and that is unquestionably the most fun part of my job. I love talking to students about the law, whether in a purely doctrinal sense or in more abstract discussion of how law intersects with philosophy, society

Careers Guide

or politics. I also really enjoy the intellectual nature of academic work.

Reading students’ work constantly exposes me to different perspectives on law and life, and both teaching and marking challenges me to expand my own understanding and develop my ability to articulate myself. Working together with academic colleagues on research has that same social and intellectual engagement, while general research and writing involves lots of intellectual stimulation. As a massive nerd, all of that is great.

That may not suit everybody. At a practical level though, you need decent grades. The typical pathway to academia is via higher study - honours, Masters and PhD. Most academics only really begin teaching once they start their postgraduate studies, though some begin as honours students or after pursuing a professional career. A final practical point is that there aren’t many academic jobs, so competition can be high, and careers often begin with gig economy teaching and research work.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO LAW STUDENTS WHO WISH TO PURSUE THIS CAREER? Academia is a strange dichotomy of the social and the solitary. Teaching involves constant public speaking, yet much research is done alone, with intermittent public expression (and criticism) of your ideas. .

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BEYOND

LAW

PROPOSAL

PRACTICE:

MANAGEMENT

Karina Heikkila - PhD (Animal Law), LLB (Hons), GDLP AN INTRODUCTION ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU WORK I am a Proposal Architect and Senior Bid Manager at a large, exciting global tech company with a great culture and commitment to important social causes. I did my LLB (Hons) and then my PhD in animal law at VU. I worked in different law-related jobs (academic, barrister’s assistant and Senior Associate in the Court of Appeal) for a total of 4 years before I decided that law is not for me. I sought a role that would employ my broader skills and those I developed in law. I also wanted flexibility and rewards.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL WORKDAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? I help my employer chase and win large deals in the $10’s millions and beyond. Continually, I work with newly formed international teams – so it is quite social. I add value constructing deal strategies. That requires collaboration, imagination, creativity, and implementing best practices and standards. My days can be hectic and highly varied. When deals are in, I enjoy some flexibility to regroup, network, improve and develop. I also participate in various meaningful volunteer activities.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART ABOUT YOUR JOB? I get to exercise my highly valued law skills. I write to build compelling proposals. I absorb the

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rules and constraints of the deal, identify opportunities, gather evidence on why we should win, and then write persuasively. I change the style to suit the audience. I ensure precision and eliminate ambiguity to reduce commercial risk.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO LAW STUDENTS WHO WISH TO PURSUE THIS CAREER? Just because you study law, that doesn’t mean you have to practice law. You have developed sought after skills. Just one option is bid and proposal management. You can do it across industries – law, technology, construction, health, not-for-profit, government services, engineering, and the list goes on. You will see there are always openings across Australia and internationally. You can visit the global professional association at www.apmp.org for further information – including how you can become a member, get training and access to resources, and get accredited. You can also seek mentorship via our Australia chapter. Many people come to bid and proposal management from a wide variety of past careers, areas of study, and with and without prior experience.

It offers you a chance to exercise a wider variety of skills – management, project management, design, research, writing, editing, content development, knowledge management, collaboration etc. It offers scope for growth, opportunities for international work with transportable skills, and it can be very well rewarded. I can assure you, it is a great way to see how business works at ‘the pointy end’, in business development. The lifeblood of every business.

Careers Guide

PERSONAL

INJURY

LAW

Sarah Elseidy

My job title is Lawyer and I completed a Graduate Degree in Law with Victoria University. I commenced my degree in 2013.

I originally grew up in the western suburbs of Melbourne, however in 2018 I made the decision to move to Geelong.

I am currently employed at Slater and Gordon (Geelong). Slater and Gordon is a national law firm that specialises in Personal Injury, Superannuation and Insurance, Class Actions, Commercial Litigation and Employment Law. I work in the personal injury department and specifically practice in the motor vehicle accident compensation team. I assist people who have been injured in transport accidents (including pedestrians and cyclists) get compensated for their injuries. My role is very client focussed, therefore a typical day would generally involve client appointments.

Otherwise I may have settlement conferences or a court hearing (which can run for several days). I also have two legal assistants, so I am often communicating Dictum Society

with them both. In more recent times, emails have been the main point of contact, so I spend a fair bit of time reading and responding to emails. The other main part of my role involves reviewing and strategizing my files. Given my job involves helping people who are injured, I am often reading medical reports and clinical records which really makes this area of law interesting as there is a level of medical knowledge a personal injury solicitor needs to have.

Even though I may have described what a typical day may look like, not one work day is the same. I come into work every morning expecting that any part of my day may not go as planned. My area of practice (like so many others) is fast paced so I need to continuously think on my feet.

My advice to law student is Do not rush your law degree! Take your time and get involved in as much volunteer work/internships. The Law Faculty provides so many opportunities, so do not wait till the last year of your degree get onto it as soon as possible. The experience I gained throughout my degree has been invaluable.

My second piece of advice is do not pursue this career for the money, you need to be passionate and committed because many entry level jobs will not pay you the big bucks until you have worked hard and earned your worth.

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FAMILY LAW

Monique Cassar received the offer. It still makes me emotional to this day. Looking back, I could never imagine myself in another position, or another filed other than being a lawyer.

I am a family law Solicitor at Kennedy Guy lawyers. I completed a Bachelor of Laws at Victoria University.

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Deep down I was always meant to become a lawyer, I just didn't realise it until I was in year 12 and I chose legal studies as a fill-in subject. From a young age I displayed the requisite skills and attributes of a good lawyer: good communication skills, compassion, perseverance, organisational skills and integrity. I have always enjoyed true crime documentaries and far-fetched TV shows such as Law and Order SVU (still my favourite show ever!) and whilst I admired the lawyers in those shows, I always questioned whether I was capable of becoming a lawyer myself. Having grown up in a middle-class family in the western suburbs of Melbourne, I didn't attend the best high school, I didn't have a private tutor and both my parents were labourers.

Nonetheless, I persevered and to my dismay VU offered me a place as a law student. I'll never forget the feeling I had when I

Throughout my studies and post-studies though I worked as a Receptionist, Legal Assistant and Paralegal in both private and government roles across different areas of practice including Migration Law, Property Law, Litigation and Public Law and Planning.

I also volunteered with a local council in their legal and governance team and completed an internship through VU at Victoria Legal Aid. All these experiences lead me to my current role at Kennedy Guy lawyers, a private and general practice law firm in Sunshine. We provide expert advice in the fields of Business and Property Law, Family Law, Litigation and Estate matters. I was admitted to practice in February 2020 and I have been working at Kennedy Guy for almost a year. I couldn't be more grateful to my employer and my colleagues for believing in me and for their ongoing support.

A 'typical' work day for me involves drafting correspondence to clients, the other side and third parties, interviewing new clients, drafting agreements or Court documents in preparation for trial, instructing Counsel and in some cases appearing in Court myself. A small portion of my role is also networking during or after work hours with other firms, solicitors and businesses that Careers Guide

aren't law-related. Although the work is somewhat similar as I am working in just family law, the clients I meet and their legal needs are different which raise new challenges each day and keeps me on my toes. Working as a family lawyer is often emotionally challenging, especially when children and Family Violence is involved, however, there's no greater feeling than being able to support your client through one of the most difficult times in their lives and achieving a good outcome for them.

I am fortunate to have had a lot of support from my older brother Richard, my partner Nathan and my dad Michael who have been by my side from day one of law school right up to the present and I wouldn't have made it through my degree if it wasn't for them and their encouragement along the way they believed in me even when I didn't believe in myself. I wish you all the very best of luck in your studies and I am looking forward to having you join the profession.

My advice to law students who wish to pursue a career in law is to do it for the right reasons. If you enjoy what you do the rewards in being a lawyer will follow in time.

Don't underestimate how competitive the job market is and how hard it is to obtain a role as a first-year lawyer. However, persevere and don't give up because as soon as you stop believing in yourself so will everyone else. Take the opportunity to volunteer and gain experience in as many areas of practice as you can because by broadening your knowledge and your skills you will be more employable. Last but not least, network and build positive relationships with your colleagues, family and friends who you can reach out to and bounce ideas off, unwind with and rely on for support.

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COMMERCIAL LAW

Lucienne Galea My name is Lucienne Galea and I am a Senior Associate at B2B Lawyers working in the litigation department. B2B Lawyers is a boutique firm with a variety of practises including litigation, property transactions and insolvency work to name a few areas.

I graduated from Victoria University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Laws with Honours. I took quite a traditional route with my career by obtaining work experience as a law clerk whilst I studied, completing my training at the firm I was then working for and then became a solicitor in a private law firm. I would always encourage work experience, take as much as you can get in with as many areas as possible. This will not only build your confidence as you learn more about legal process but will also reveal to you what areas of law you like and what kind of lawyer you want to be (whether as a solicitor, taking the pathway to the bar, becoming in-house counsel, etc). At the start of the pandemic I moved firms and have enjoyed challenging and engaging cases.

The work is fast paced, constantly changing (as is the law) and requires dedication and sometimes (but not always) a few extra hours in the day. Hopefully by the time you get to my stage, you are in a job that you love and finding the work both challenging and rewarding. It is difficult to say what a typical day involves because my day changes constantly and when I have a list or a plan in mind, things often pop up and will require my attention which would derail what I had previously thought I would

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finish. It is really important, if you want to become a litigation lawyer, that you are able to be flexible and manage your time efficiently.

These skills (useful in any job) are particularly important in litigation. I always check emails at the start of my day and also my calendar to ensure any deadlines are met. After that it depends which files are more pressing.

Sometimes negotiations are on foot so they require continuous attention to keep the momentum ongoing and sometimes the skill is in knowing when to not do anything on a file. I often draft applications to the Court (for example to commence a proceeding, interlocutory applications like discovery, etc).

There is such a wide variety of tasks and each file and client is different and so I am never bored. Working in litigation the role is not just about court work. Often the matter will settle before a court hearing, which is always desirable as it will save costs for all parties (running a court case all the way to a hearing is often very expensive). The role involves not just knowing the law but also being able to manage people’s expectations and guiding them throughout what many see as a complicated and stressful process. Court work is only scary if you are unfamiliar with the rules and processes. Once you do a task a few times you will learn what does and doesn’t work and what to expect and all of a sudden what once was daunting becomes second nature.

My advice is never to underestimate yourself if you come up against an experienced practitioner, we were all new once. The years people acquire in practise may be deceiving and just because you haven’t practised as long as your opponent does not mean that you are not matched to them.

Careers Guide

FAMILY PRIVATE

LAW: FIRMS

Fatoum Souki

My path to law is one that was led by a belief that if you want to see change you have to make the change. And with that I started a path of social involvement and law seemed like a natural progression to be able to do more for my community.

Having attended Gilmore College in Footscray we often had partner projects with VU and encouraged to seek higher education. Many people attending my high school were from families of migrant parents and so the University experience was something new. I completed my Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice Management with the hope that one day I may have my own practice. I now realise that was an ambitious thought soon after when the social aspect of law was still very focused on the known image of law, middle aged Australian men who had a history of legal networks and connections. And there I was an ambitious girl from the western suburbs who had never met a lawyer, trying to find my place amongst the legal world.

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After a few years at the Financial Ombudsman I made the move to suburban firm, I was able to experience law amongst the community and those I have vouched to help, but the itch to have my own practice was still lurking. I finally made the decision to open up my practice Souki Lawyers. Over the years I have seen the ambition of young lawyers walk through the door and forge their own legal path and yet my core motive to help the community has always been my directing reason.

It had not always been easy, but it’s been worth it. When I see the face of a client in appreciation of have access to justice, when they would otherwise feel there are so many obstacles is well worth it.

The story I often share with many is how it was time to be admitted and I have completed my practical training at the Western Suburbs Legal Service and I didn’t even know any of the formalities or traditions of my admission to the Supreme Court. My University experience was amazing. We moved from Footscray park to Queens street campus early on in my degree and always felt like the University was challenging us to find our path and explore opportunities for different places our law degree could take us.

Souki Lawyers was established to give back to my community and I hope I can continue to do so for as long as my service is needed.

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SENIOR

POLICY

LAWYER

-

LIV

Michelle Luarte submissions and held approximately 360 Committee meetings (many of which were conducted remotely due to COVID-19).

Senior Policy Lawyer - Law Institute of Victoria. I studied a Bachelor of Laws at the Victoria University Queen Street Campus, whilst completing Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing at RMIT (I felt that I needed to balance learning about contracts with something more creative!). I subsequently completed a Master of Human Rights Law at Monash University.

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Before joining the LIV, I was a graduate lawyer at Women's Legal Service Victoria and a union lawyer at Professionals Australia. Whilst I wholeheartedly know that my true passion now lies in legal policy, I do not regret my past experience in practising law. The issues that lawyers encounter at a 'ground level' inform a better understanding of the broader systemic issues, which drive law reform. In other words, they often go hand in hand (which is why our LIV Committee members are so valuable!).

I am a senior policy lawyer at the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV). The LIV is the peak body for the Victorian legal profession, and represents around 18,600 lawyers, students and people working in the law in Victoria, interstate and overseas.

I oversee the Disability, Elder and Health Law (DEHL) Section, Succession Law Section, Workplace Relations Section, the Diversity Committee and Sexual Harassment Working Group. With my work I am often juggling multiple consultations/inquiries, competing interests and varying deadlines. That being said, I really enjoy the broad variety of subject areas as this means that no two days are the same.

At the LIV our policy work is done by pulling together the expertise of LIV members who contribute through sections and committees - this is why my manager describes the Legal Policy team as the "brains trust" of the LIV. The LIV consists of 13 practice sections and 84 Committees and Working Groups. In 2020 we issued 206

A typical workday will involve doing a call out to subject experts for feedback to an consultation/inquiry, preparing submissions (sometimes this will be a cross-sectional one with other members of the Legal Policy team), conducting meetings with Committee members and/or external stakeholders, assisting the Professional Development Careers Guide

team to put together a CPD event, or assisting the LIV Ethics Team with queries.

Working at the LIV has given me opportunities to network with distinguished members of the legal profession, and to contribute meaningful change to law reform, but I am also grateful to work within a fun, supportive and dynamic team.

(4) When preparing your resume for an entry-level role, consider adding extracurricular activities which demonstrate values that align with the work you are applying for. For example if you are interested in human rights, you may want to consider doing some charitable work i.e. volunteering at a soup kitchen.

I have a few pieces of advice: (1) There are many other options besides practising law in the traditional sense. This can include a career in strategic policy and legal research for a large government department or agency, or even a nongovernment agency.

(2) I recently conducted interviews and scanned hundreds of cover letters. Some cover letters were addressed to the wrong person, whilst some were mistaken as to the type of organisation they were applying to. I would suggest proof reading cover letters before pressing send, and conducting research about the company beforehand i.e. by reading the Annual Report.

(3) If you are applying to join a policy team that has published submissions online, I would recommend reading some of the submissions and commenting on any submissions which are of relevance or left a lasting impression. Also, it doesn't hurt to capitalise on a passion in policy!

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WHAT AT

A

IS

IT

LIKE

COMMUNITY

TO

WORK

LEGAL

CENTRE?

By Bill Swannie - Lecturer, Victoria University In a word: FANTASTIC. If social justice is your passion, you want contact with real clients from day one, and to be involved in a range of interesting work, working at a community legal centre (CLC) can’t be beaten. One of my first practising roles was as a solicitor at the Tenants Union of Victoria (now Tenants Victoria). The Legal Service at the TV has three main roles: supervising the advice service (where tenants call or drop in for advice on tenancy issues), input on policy work (including proposed legislative amendments), and casework. As a lawyer at the TV, I represented clients in a range of interesting cases at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), and in the courts. I briefed Counsel in a Supreme Court case where a tenant was challenging a decision by VCAT to evict them from their home.

The appeal was successful and it was rewarding, when the case was remitted to VCAT, that a different VCAT member dismissed the application by the Director of Housing for eviction. It felt like I was assisting a tenant to stand up for their rights, in the face of the overwhelming resources of the state. I was at the TV when the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 came into operation, and we ran a test case, involving a

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public housing tenant, to clarify the obligations of the Director when evicting tenants from their home. Although the tenant succeeded at VCAT, this decision was overturned by the Court of Appeal (Director of Housing v Sudi [2001] VSCA 266). Although the client lost this case, I assisted him in negotiating with the Director to stay in his home. Community legal centres are typically small and close-knit. We had five lawyers at the time, and each had a different role. We trained and supervised the paralegal staff who manned the advice service. We reviewed information sheets that the TV provides to inform tenants of their rights and responsibilities. We were consulted by government and other members of parliament on proposed legislative amendments relating to tenancy law. Within 12 months of starting at the TV, I was promoted to the role of principal lawyer, which gave me overall responsibility for the legal service. I had regular contact with lawyers at other CLCs, and we worked (often with the assistance of the Federation Community Legal Centres) on projects such as lobbying for change to the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic), or improving the way that VCAT deals with tenancy matters.

Working at a CLC is demanding, and the salary will never allow you to buy in Toorak. However, it has many rewards, particularly early in your legal career. People I worked with at the TV have gone on to roles at Victoria Legal Aid, in government and at the Bar. If you’re interested in social justice and human rights, I urge you to consider working in a CLC. Careers Guide

LIFE

AS

A

PARALEGAL

Tugba Gocmen

I am currently employed as a paralegal at a boutique suburban law firm. I also volunteer as a lawyer once or twice per month at a community legal centre which I have been attending for 4 and a half years to date. I have studied Bachelor of Laws at Victoria Law School between March 2010 and January 2013. I have also studied Diploma in Law at Monash University between February 2015 and April 2018.

I have also worked at various law firms to date most recently at a law firm for almost three years where my role was a combination of administration and assistant to the Principal in which we shared matters. I have recently commenced working at a law firm in the Northern Suburbs a few weeks ago and am enjoying my role, atmosphere, and staff that I work with.

A typical day in a law firm involves ensuring that work is completed in a timely fashion and that we keep up with our budgets as we work on timesheets. This involves committing to several hours of legal work on each matter in order to bill clients and to increase our own performance in the future. It's also important that staff are able to communicate and cooperate with each other each day to foster a comfortable working space.

I am a young legal professional with a Turkish background, possessing many years of legal experience in various areas of law. I have completed my admission at Leo Cussen Centre for Law in 2013 and thereafter commenced my journey in striving to assist clients in the best possible way.

Ensure that you gain as many skills and experience as you can. The best way to do this is to enquire with any law firm or legal centre about volunteer opportunities as I believe this is the best way to get your foot in the door in the future. It's also important to have strong legal professional connections, whether this is through mentors or anyone you know is in the legal sector as this could assist you in gaining a career. Best of luck and I wish you all the best.

I have volunteered at various legal centres and have provided legal advice around various areas of law. I have found that volunteering has immensely increased my self-confidence, communication, and ability to liaise with various individuals and stakeholders.

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LEGAL COUNSEL

Dr Meg Good Law Studies (US) and the Centre for Professional Legal Education to create comparative animal law education materials.

I am the Senior Program Manager and Legal Counsel at Voiceless, the animal protection institute and an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Tasmania (UTAS) Faculty of Law. I studied an undergraduate combined Arts (International Relations)/Law degree and completed a PhD in environmental law at UTAS. Voiceless is a national non-profit animal protection organisation based in Sydney. I coordinate the Animal Law Education (ALE) program, as well as handle the in-house legal work. As Legal Counsel, I have a wide range of responsibilities, including ensuring compliance with our fundraising obligations, coordinating and liaising with pro bono lawyers, drafting and reviewing agreements and identifying and advising on legal issues.

As Senior Program Manager, I help support and develop animal law education in Australia, and guest lecture into animal law courses on key animal law issues. I am currently working with the Center for Animal

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'Animal Law’ is an umbrella term that refers to the laws governing animals and the human/animal relationship. As animals are present in so many different areas of our lives, the scope of animal law is broad. For example, animal law may involve administrative law, consumer protection law, constitutional law, criminal law, environmental law, family law, property law and more. It’s also inherently interdisciplinary, as animal law raises questions of science, ethics, philosophy and justice.

As with other areas of social justice law, many of the key issues in animal law relate to issues of law reform. You can learn more about animal law in the Voiceless Animal Law Toolkit: www.voiceless.org.au/voicelessanimal-law-toolkit-second-edition/ Animal lawyers may work in a range of roles, such as RSPCA prosecutors, in-house legal counsel at animal protection organisations, solicitors at community legal centres, lecturers and researchers at universities, advisors in government/parliament or lawyers in private practice.

Although at present there are limited opportunities available to work in animal law in Australia, the field has grown significantly Careers Guide

over the past decade. There are now more lawyers practising animal law, more community legal centres and clinics, and almost half of Australia’s law schools currently offer animal law courses. Over the next decade the area will continue to expand and we can expect to see more job creation and a mainstreaming of animal law as an established area of legal practice and study.

3. Develop your legal skills and don’t be afraid to specialise – It is crucial that you properly develop your general legal skills.

Many animal law positions are solitary and have minimal/no senior legal supervision.

The more experience and expertise you can bring to these positions the better.

Voiceless will be releasing an Animal Law Careers and Volunteering Guide in 2021.

Please email legal@voiceless.org.au if you would like to receive a copy upon release.

There are 3 important things you can do as a law student if you are keen to get involved in animal law: 1. Study animal law – You can access a list of current courses via the Voiceless website: www.voiceless.org.au/animal-law/studyanimal-law/ 2. Volunteer – Volunteering in the space helps you to understand the daily work of an animal lawyer, and to establish connections in the area. You can access a list of animal law organisations and law firms offering animal law volunteering opportunities via the Voiceless website: www.voiceless.org.au/animal-law/animallaw-services/ Dictum Society

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LEGAL

AND

POLICY

CONSULTANT

Victor Aeberli

I am a law graduate who dropped out of high school at the age of 15 years old. This made it extremely difficult for me to get into a law degree but with a little persistence I managed to gain a place. I struggled with grades during my first couple of years of my degree and slowly things started to make more sense. I am still finding my footing, but I have accepted that I'm a late bloomer and taking my time is the only way I can properly grasp concepts which some might find much easier to grasp. English being my second language, I have had to work extra hard to command professional and academic respect from my peers and colleagues. I work for Lauders Group of companies, we deal in property developments. I am not specifically in legal practice, but my job requires some legal knowledge. Having that knowledge helps me use a lens that my colleagues do not have and adds value to the decision-making process. I suppose the lesson is, just because you studied law, that doesn't mean you have to be a lawyer. Yes, many people around you (family, friends) will ask why 69 you're not practising or why you chose

another field. My response is - going to law school teaches you a school of thought, not a profession. I believe that to be true for any studies you may be undertaking. It is a way of thinking rather than a profession.

Because if you're attached to the idea that you have to find a job in that specific field, you will blind yourself to other possibilities and open yourself up to negative self talk such as "I'm a failure" if you don't find work in legal practice. Be kind to yourself, allow yourself to learn skills outside of the legal profession which will set you apart from other interviewees if you do decide to step into legal practice at a later stage of your career. You will have the knowledge of law school and you will have the extra experience from whatever job you worked in prior to applying for a legal role.

Digressing, a typical work day could mean I go out to see our development sites and sit in on meetings with engineers, construction contractors, landscape architects, members of city councils, town planners, marketing executives, sales executives etc. I could be sitting at my desk sending off emails looking at different investment opportunities - assessing risk on certain decisions - ensuring settlement documents are all above board - liaising with accountants and project managers to ensure payments are being made at the right times for various projects - updating investors on progress of developments devising loan applications - requesting funds transfers from various trust accounts as well as many other tasks.

Careers Guide

WORKING PUBLIC

IN

AUSTRALIAN

SERVICE

ALTERNATIVE

-

AN

CAREER

PATH

Lachlan Martin I was asked to write this article as an alumni of Victoria University, and I think in part due to my being awarded the University Medal for Law, along with the Supreme Court Prize. I now work as a lawyer for the Australian Public Service, at a statutory insurer called Comcare. My work involves litigation in worker’s compensation matters. While studying, I picked up a role as a paralegal in an immigration law firm. Prior to my decision to get study law, I was a case officer working in review of migration and refugee decisions at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (the AAT).

For my small part of the guide, I want to discuss the two present passions in my life: a career in the public service as a lawyer and workplaces that allow people to do a good job without risk of injury. My grandfather died from silicosis as a result of workplace exposure. I know that workplace injury can have wide reaching impacts on a person and on their family. In the modern legal workplace, we face a heightened risk of psychiatric injury when compared to the general population. We know that firm culture remains founded on the extraction of billable hours from staff. Mental health is at best a secondary consideration. Many of us have seen people burn out due to unrealistic workload, emotionally charged matters and staff or management workplace tensions. I have close Dictum Society

friends who disappeared socially following taking up lucrative top-tier positions, who only found time after they quit their high-stress jobs.

That said, there are those for whom this environment suits, and can endure these stressors. I wish them the best.

I have never fancied myself as a person willing to make potential sacrifices of my mental or physical health for a job. Particularly, as I’ve found, that it is unnecessary. I’ve worked for the APS for around seven years. In that time I’ve been able to study, raise a daughter, maintain 9-5 hours at work, pursue artistic and personal endeavours, and manage a physical disability.

My partner can also engage in their career and be supported, and we maintain a rich family life.

The work is interesting, and there is an inherent joy in your labour serving the societal good. The pay in public service, in the early stages, is also normally better than even top tier salary (though I concede top tier often scales better).

The workplace is diverse and merit based, a far cry from the male dominated leadership and sometimes openly nepotistic trappings of big law. Like all workplaces there are ups and downs, but nowhere have I found a culture more interested in maintaining the welfare of staff.

I want to dispel the myth that a career as a lawyer is necessarily a difficult one. For a graduate facing worry about the next few years, or those already in a job and not sure about their options, I want to recommend the possibilities of a career in the public service.

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VGSO SOLICITOR

Steve Tamburro summary prosecutions, merits review at VCAT, judicial review before the Federal and Supreme Courts, privacy complaints, electoral law litigation, professional misconduct hearings, and victims of crime compensation matters. I have appeared at hearings, drafted submissions, prepared evidence, given advice, and instructed counsel at trial. Prior to joining the VGSO, I was an Associate to a Judicial Registrar of the Federal Court of Australia.

(Acting) Senior Solicitor, and I studied a Bachelor of Laws (part-time) immediately following high school.

I work at the Victorian Government Solicitor's Office (formerly "Crown Solicitor's Office"), which forms part of the Department of Justice and provides legal services to the whole of government. I am placed in the Regulation, Administrative, and Disciplinary Branch, which specialises in administrative law and summary prosecutions, as well as professional regulation (such as misconduct hearings for various industries, including medicine, architecture, education, and local government). Most of our clients are statutory authorities or other regulators, and we aim to assist them across the whole range of their litigation or advice needs.

I joined the VGSO in 2018 as a graduate, and was admitted as a solicitor in 2019.

Since joining the VGSO, I've been involved in a broad range of matters - including

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My day at work changes from day to day.

Most weeks I start the day by reviewing my calendar for the week to track upcoming court or advice deadlines, and whether I have any meetings or hearing for which I need to prepare. Often those best-laid plans can go out the window when urgent requests for advices or last-minute instructions in court proceedings are received! When trying to explain my job to friends or new graduates, I tend to compare it to "spinning plates". Essentially you have a list of matters in your name, each with their own quirks or sensitivities, and with their own timelines and due dates, and you need to eke out what time you have to keep each of them going at the right pace and in the right direction.

When I first started at VGSO, and I was mostly involved in complex research tasks and statutory interpretation advices. It actually felt like doing a university exam every day (the furiously-paced review of previous cases, the intense amount of Careers Guide

information being processed and pumped out in short spaces of time, the rush of getting it over the line in time). However, I've since moved mostly into litigated matters, and now most days I prepare documents for filing whilst fending off phone calls and emails from litigants, clients, counsel, court, opposing solicitors, etc.

A lot of the time, this can mean that you spend hours with a witness taking statements and learning about the background facts to a matter. Some other times that means attending hearings (and mercifully we are starting to do that in person!) or preparing submissions - which is a fun exploration of applying the law to the facts and flexing your written persuasion muscles.

Today I came into the office and tried to clear as many emails as possible before attending for a (contested) directions hearing, and afterwards I took our current graduate for a coffee to explain the process to her and ask if she had any questions. I'm still working on my oral advocacy skills, so I hope she found it helpful. I go to Court fairly often, and will be attending hearings most days this week. This afternoon, I'm googling some fairly… obscure terminology to prepare an advice about some upcoming legislative amendments. It's great to get this diversity of work; I like the opportunity to develop skills in multiple areas - and it help Dictum Society

keeps my fairly short attention span in check.

My best advice is unoriginal, and something that I was told by a friend at law school (who was much more senior than I was). Write down why you want to work in the law, because you will need to remind yourself at times, and stick with it.

Other than that, all I can do is encourage you to take it easy and be kind to yourself.

There's plenty of great work out there, and everyone gets there in their own way and in their own time.

Finally, everyone in the industry is super friendly and generally happy to donate their time if you'd like to meet to hear about their work, so be as sociable as you can! Spend heaps of time around courts (for the right reasons obviously), and always follow what's in the news cycle. It's surprisingly important to be up to date with what's going in the world around you.

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IMMIGRATION LAW

Meaghan Lawrie human rights and immigration space for about twelve years. The business assists people with a range of immigration matters, with a focus on assisting asylum seekers.

Peggy is an incredibly inspiring person to work with and learn from, dedicated to community service and assisting disadvantaged people.

I am a Junior Lawyer and Registered Migration agent at Kerdo Legal. I studied a Bachelor of Performing Arts and Law at Monash University.

I work at Kerdo Legal, which is a small private immigration law firm. During my fourth year of law, I contacted Peggy Kerdo, who is the principal solicitor at Kerdo Legal, after seeing her speak at a Law Society event at Monash. I began an internship in October 2016 and after three months, I started a part time position as a paralegal. I continued to work this job part time throughout the remainder of my law degree.

I completed my law degree in 2017, and then studied at College of Law to complete my Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. I was admitted to practice in 2019.

Kerdo Legal began in 2014, so it is a relatively young firm. Peggy Kerdo began the business after having worked in the

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It is difficult to describe a typical workday.

Immigration matters are typically extremely drawn out, particularly for protection matters, and the different stages of the processes raise very different tasks along the way.

A day could involve meeting with new clients, explaining the visa application process or the administrative and immigration law framework if the client is after assistance challenging a decision.

Other responsibilities include corresponding with clients to gather relevant documents for an application and assisting them to fill in relevant forms, accompanying clients to interviews at the Department of Home Affairs or AAT and writing briefs for court matters.

For protection visa applications and appeals, we include submissions addressing the legal framework of visa eligibility, and country information supporting the client’s claim and circumstances. Writing submissions allows you to become intensely Careers Guide

familiar with your client’s story, experience and claim. It often involves taking a deep dive into research on current international humanitarian issues. For example, you may be finding country information to support a protection claims for a Uyghur person from China, for a Hazara person from Afghanistan or for a Christian convert from Iran.

Something I have really enjoyed about working at a small firm is the early exposure to each stage of the process.

I would definitely recommend choosing an elective in Migration Law or Refugee Law if you are interested in working in the area. A solid understanding of Administrative Law is also important.

My biggest advice for anyone wanting to pursue a career in immigration would be to try to get some experience volunteering either at Asylum Seeker Resource Centre or Refugee Legal. And if not, reach out to other immigration law firms.

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IMMIGRATION LAW

Roger Fernandes Administrative Appeals Tribunal as well as judicial review in the Federal Circuit Court, Federal Court and High Court. Those of you who have studied administrative law will appreciate that most of the cases in this jurisdiction involve migration matters.

I have been practising migration law for over 30 years. During that time I have also lectured in migration law at Victoria University for nearly 28 years at the undergraduate and postgraduate level .

Migration law can be challenging as you are dealing with complex legislation. It also involves dealing with people’s emotions, especially where the law does not fit within their specific factual circumstances.

I would definitely recommend this area of practice especially to Victoria University law graduates seeking to practise in this area.

There is never a dull moment.

Victoria University has developed specialist expertise in teaching migration law and law students are able to complete units in migration law and practice which would provide them with a competitive edge in practising migration law.

Migration law is extremely dynamic, subject to constant change and its importance has gained special impetus during the COVID-19 Pandemic, especially when borders remain closed.

I have found that practise in this area of the law to be extremely rewarding in assisting clients to resolve their migration issues.

This, at times, involves reviewing decisions of the Minister or his delegate at the

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FAMILY

LAW

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WILLS

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ESTATES

Olivia Lilly

Pathway into my current role Upon commencing studying legal studies in year 10 of high school, I knew that I wanted to be a lawyer. After graduating high school in 2014, I studied a double degree of law and global studies at Australian Catholic University, graduating in 2019. Throughout my global studies degree, I was able to pursue my passion for human rights within sociology, women’s and gender studies, politics and international development units. Choosing another degree to complement law informed my fascination for jurisprudence and has ultimately assisted me in finding the areas of law I desire to work in. Once I was in my second year of tertiary studies, I began seeking employment opportunities within law firms. I had heard that another pathway to a job, other than clerkships, was through starting in a firm as a paralegal/clerk, and working your way up to being a solicitor. I took advantage of tentative connections and had multiple interviews, however none led to work that I was able to complete alongside full time studies.

Truthfully, I had quite a random introduction to my current job. My mother’s friend was in a book club with one of the solicitors at the firm, who had sought expressions of interest for junior positions. Through this link I was able to start working as a junior clerk at Pearce Webster Dugdales in mid-2018, in my third year of studies. I continued in that role for the rest of my studies, before fortunately attaining a role as a trainee solicitor at the firm whilst completing my supervised legal training throughout 2020. It was interesting compleng my trainee year in Covid-19, as I spent significantly less me in the office than I anticipated. However, I all learnt and Dictum Society

experienced so much and completed all the requirements, becoming admitted to practice in March 2021. I’m currently practicing as a solicitor at Pearce Webster Dugdales, predominantly working in family law and wills and estates.

Tips for law students to get their foot in the door whilst studying: 1. Maintain part-me roles in any capacity whilst at university to demonstrate commitment, memanagement and other skills 2. Participate in extracurricular activities/clubs/associations to give yourself a compeve “edge” 3. Always be searching for openings within firms for junior roles 4. Apply yourself during the clerkship/traineeship process and make a concerted effort with applications 5. Take advantage of any networking opportunities to make connections and meet people in the industry 6. Sign up to memberships and associations for organisations such as the Law Institute of Victoria and Victorian Women Lawyers 7. Apply for mentor programs to gain connecons 8. Create a presence on LinkedIn

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PRINCIPAL LAWYER

Tonnou Ghothane I am the Principal of the law firm, Ghothane Lawyers. I studied Bachelor of Laws at Victoria University.

I arrived in Melbourne on 1996 to undertake my further studies from Nepal.

My initial plan was to complete my course and return back. Accordingly, I completed my Bachelor of Business from Swinburne University. Fortunately, Government of John Howard introduced scheme for internationals students to apply permanent residence visa after the completion of course around 1999.

Even though it was lucrative offer, my mind was still to return back to Nepal. I could have changed my units at Bachelor to be eligible of new scheme, but I did not. Later due to some personal reasons, I made up my mind to stay in this beautiful country. I enrolled for Master’s degree at Swinburne University to be eligible for permanent residence visa. I was glad that I decided to stay back. Bedsides English, I speak Hindi and Nepali.

A Typical Day: I arrive at work around 9AM in the morning.

The first 15 minutes of the day is spent among team members to discuss if there is any issues or improvements that can be made. Then it is time to check emails. After that I plan for what is to be done whole day.

Most law firms open for clients from 8:30AM onwards but we do at 10AM. Our main practice area is Immigration law.

In Immigration law, most of the time spent is at clients meeting. However, most time we need is outside clients meeting in administrative work. The most time we spend at administrative work is preparing draft submission, visa lodgement, documents checking and preparing and legal research. The 1-hour time before we open allows us to complete some of that tasks.

After 10AM, we open for clients. Most of our clients make appointments prior to visit. The walking clients are rare. In clients meeting, I take instructions from clients. In Immigration law, there are number of issues client face like visa lodgement, visa refusal, visa cancellation and unlawful. I cater for niche market. Hence, I speak to my clients in language they understand like Hindi and Nepali.

I am in Immigration industry since 2007.

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It is easier for my clients to express their situation in their first language so that I can assist the best way I can.

Usually, the daytime is spent meeting clients, taking phone calls and answering and writing emails. I hardly get time to do administrative work. I sometimes do not take appointments during office hours to complete any outstanding work. Mostly I do administrative work after office hours.

Depending on work, I do stay back late after we close at 5:30 PM.

The teaching at Victoria University already puts you in better position. The graduate needs to be positive and willing to learn even after the completion of a degree to pursue successfully in the career.

I do have paralegal to assist me. However, I need to supervise and make a final check before I submit or send anything to Department.

My advice to law students is that it would be better if you could decide in what area of law that you want to practice when at University. In that way, you are more passionate, and you conduct more research about law and practice well before you complete your degree. It makes you more confident when applying for job. It gives you more chances at landing job and enjoy your work.

However, it is not easy to choose the areas of law that you want to practice. You can decide that once you enter in the workforce.

The job market is very competitive. It is advisable in some cases, to take up intern position to practice in your areas of interest.

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Maintaining Mental Health Lawyers are known to be stressed out, overworked and feeling burnt out. It is understandable as the work we do can be intensive both emotionally, mentally and physically. Here are some tips to help you out in your future law firm to maintain your mental health!

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With all the task given to you in the legal industry, it is elementary to lose track. Time management is important; prioritise tasks that have been set as "urgent" or "important".

Keep an up-to-date list and organise your task effectively. It is also important that you are prepared. Preparation is equally important; setting enough time for you to complete a certain task correctly will go a long way!

Socialising Responding to emails, and court work can take a toll on mental health. So getting out there and socialising will help! There are many network events for lawyers to meet up, especially if you keep up with Dictum's Alumni Events or even current student events as well! Make sure you tune into Law Institute of Victoria events tailored to lawyers all around Victoria, where you can mingle and relax with peers in the same sector as you are.

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Keeping it simple and tidy

Make time for yourself!

We get so caught up with work that we forget that we have other hobbies and fun activities that we like to do! Getting out there to play badminton, watching movies, or cooking a warm homecooked meal is very important for your mental health. Enjoy the things that make you feel like yourself!

Talk it out If something is bothering you or doesn't sit right with you, feel free to talk to your co-workers. Lawyers are expected to suppress their emotions; while it is important to regulate it to act professionally, it is equally important to finding support with your colleagues or team members! If you do require support, there are external sources BeyondBlue (1300 22 4636) and Lifeline Australia (13 11 14). However, there are resources specifically for lawyers - Lifeline for Lawyers (1800 085 062) and Lawyer's Assistance Program (1800 777 662).

Careers Guide

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