Obiter, Issue 7: Exam Period, 2013

the ndsls

obiter

Sean D’almada-Remedios and Mark Van Der Hout, 2013 Allens Client Interview Winners

07

Exam Period Semester One June 2013 the notre dame sydney law society

Notre Dame Sydney Law Society

acknowledgements Obiter Issue Seven Editor Caroline Michel Contributors Lauren Absalom Eden Christopher Design Alexander Carlos Special Thanks Peter Gray NDSLS Committee 2013 Executive Eden Christopher, President Natalie Baladi, Vice-President Daniel Austin, Secretary Sean D’almada Remedios, Treasurer Directors Jacob Deigan, Careers Julia Lavers, Competitions Aidan Williams, Education Peter Gray, IT Alexander Carlos, Marketing Caroline Michel, Publications Dominique Hermo, Social Events Rachel Bennett, Social Justice Lauren Absalom, Sponsorship Year Representatives Adrian Vincent, First Year Shelby van Ooran, Second Year Caitlin Gallagher, Third Year Sean D’almada Remedios, Fourth/Final Year Contact the Editor Contact the Committee www.ndsls.org

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From the

Editor

Caroline Michel

Hi all,

When I write this issue of The Obiter, the last of the semester, I think about all the things that have changed so far this year.

It’s so hard to believe that I am half way through my 2nd year at Notre Dame.

I remember my first day last year so clearly, like it was yesterday. I tentatively walked into the Criminal Law classroom ten minutes late on a Monday afternoon. I’d forgotten where the campus was, and had taken the wrong exit at Central Station. The class was completely packed and I found the one remaining seat in the back row where I couldn’t see anything. The room was ridiculously freezing despite it being 30 degrees outside. It wasn’t exactly the best day of my life.

Being a part of the NDSLS committee has really made me feel a part of something special. As cliché as this may sound, taking every opportunity that comes your way really does help you get the best out of your time at university.

This semester, the NDSLS has run many fantastic events, such as the Amazing Race, Law Ball, Competitions, and Study Boot Camp. Our aim all year has been to deliver fantastic opportunities to all of our fellow students, to enrich everyone’s experience at university.

I hope the upcoming Winter break is safe and enjoyable for everybody.

Best, So much has changed since then though, especially this year.

Caroline Michel Publications Director

Notre Dame Sydney Law Society

in this issue 6 The Sponsorship Portfolio 8 Summer Clerkship Applications 11 Electives, Which to Choose?

14 Upcoming NDSLS Survey 17 YourSay

President’s Note I could say so many cliché things at the moment about exams, law school and the fact you are probably reading this as a procrastination tool (this could possibly be the most well-read issue of the Obiter).

In fact, it is probably hard not to be cliché for this issue. I will try my best though.

I recently watched the first couple of episodes of Suits, which has been recommended to me by so many for so long. The blonde kid didn’t impress me too much but I loved Harvey - what a boss! I was always expecting Harvey to do the immoral thing and was constantly surprised when he played it by the book

because I thought Hollywood had taken his character to the edge of reality (I’ve never seen a partner walk around so much and do so little work). So when he took down that judge, who didn’t grant him the injunction, it made me think a lot about the way I was brought up to expect lawyers to act and be.

I expected Harvey to be someone to ‘do what it takes to get the deal done’. Mainly because in the first scene of the show that’s what he did. I only watched three and a half episodes, so those with a better knowledge of the show may enlighten me as to how he is portrayed later on.

It made me think about our graduates in the workforce at the moment- many of who are regarded highly for their work ethic and yes, some have reputations based around their strong ethical behaviour.

It is something we should all think about as we move into the workforce - what will you do when a particularly tough situation comes your way? Questions about ethics are ones we should all think about, because how we act will demonstrate to others our integrity and courage.

See you all next semester!

Eden President

Notre Dame Sydney Law Society

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Thank you Minter Ellison!

The NDSLS would like to officially welcome back and thank Minter Ellison for their continued support, which we so greatly appreciate. We look forward to continuing this fantastic partnership through the rest of 2013 and beyond.

We would like to remind students about the ‘Minter Ellison Careers Guide’ that we published in May. See it here.

Minter Ellison offers Summer Clerkships, and applications are now open! For more information, visit their website.

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Notre Dame Sydney Law Society

The Sponsorship Portfolio

By Lauren Absalom Sponsorship Director At Notre Dame Sydney Law School we are exceptionally lucky to have the exposure that we do in the wider community; both legal and non-legal.

As a small law school, we are lucky to have some high calibre law firms in our Sponsorship Portfolio for 2013. We have built upon the already impressive portfolio from 2012, and we need to commend the sponsors who have supported us for multiple years.

They have had an instrumental influence in how the NDSLS has grown from strength to strength.

Thank you to: Our 2013 Gold Sponsors: • Allens • College of Law • Maurice Blackburn Our 2013 Silver Sponsors: • Clayton Utz • DLA Piper • Herbert Smith Freehills • King & Wood Mallesons • Minter Ellison We have delivered on a number of excellent events courtesy of our sponsors in Semester One, which have gone a long way to enriching your student experience. This included the annual Maurice Blackburn Law Ball, which in its fifth year continues to get bigger and better! This year, we had the highest 6 | The Obiter, Issue 7

number of student involvement in the Clayton Utz Negotiation and Allens Client Interview competitions that we have ever seen. You wanted to know how to write a good CV – Allens brought out Amy to tell you. This is a fantastic way to allow leading professionals to foster some of the most vital legal skills. The 2013 Careers Week went a long way to providing you with the access you need to starting thinking about your impending careers. The Alternate Careers Fair presented many of the diverse career options outside of private practice, and the Clerkship Seminar helped you get started in a career in some of the big Sydney firms. We have provided you with inspiring guest speakers who have the view we can’t have – been there, done that! We’re here to answer any questions about Law School you might have, but they could answer the practical questions. And as usual, we sent the best-dressed team to the Notre Dame Gift.

In Semester Two we have so much more already in the works to deliver to you guys. There will be the Women in Law High Tea, Equality Luncheon, Interviewing Presentation, Mooting and Witness Examination competitions and many Social Justice Events and guest speakers, starting with Graham Innes.

That’s just the beginning - we’re looking forward to an incredible Semester Two, so stay tuned!

Notre Dame Sydney Law Society

Thank you Herbert Smith Freehills!

The NDSLS would like to officially welcome back, and thank Herbert Smith Freehills for their valued sponsorship and support of our society. We look forward to continuing this excellent partnership.

We would like to remind students that Herbert Smith Freehills offers Summer Clerkships, applications for which are now open. To find out more, visit their website!

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Notre Dame Sydney Law Society

Summer Clerkship Applications

By Lauren Absalom Sponsorship Director June 19 is right around the corner! Came quickly didn’t it?

chance you do – you simply won’t be happy at that firm.

All of a sudden we have to start thinking of Summer Clerkship applications, because a good application is the first step to getting a 2013/14 Summer Clerkship, and that is the first step to the start of your Career post-Law School.

2. Your Cover Letter is your chance to show you have the ‘Wow’ factor – make sure it is a well-polished document that puts your best foot forward.

The first thing you need to know is that applications open on JUNE 19 and close on JULY 19! This is one deadline with no extensions, and no reason to miss.

Most of the larger firms offer a Clerkship Program and the first step to preparing is to do your research into the firms offering a Clerkship. Then you need to consider your own goals. What you want to do with your career should impact which ones you apply for – don’t apply for everything because you won’t appear genuine in your application.

We were lucky enough to have Amy Spira from Allens do a CV and Clerkship Presentation for us, these are a few of her hot tips for making a good impression on paper: 1. Apply at firms that make you excited about your career; if you don’t genuinely want the role, your application will most often reflect that. If you do get an interview you won’t be able to convey an honest desire to be successful in the role; and in the off 8 | The Obiter, Issue 7

3. Your CV should be no more than 3 – 4 pages long and only cover the most relevant things.

4. If there are additional questions in the application, this is another chance to have the Wow factor! Don’t skim over it; take your time and prepare a polished response.

5. Use the ‘bottom drawer approach’. Once you have finished your application put it aside for a few days and then come back to it with a fresh perspective to review it. Only then is it safe to hit submit! This step requires you to have left enough time for it; a rushed application will most certainly not be your best application.

The NDSLS has members who have completed this process successfully before, so if you are finding it difficult, don’t grapple with it alone! Send an email to one of your Committee Members and we can guarantee that you will be given the assistance you are after!

Notre Dame Sydney Law Society

DATES YOU CANNOT FORGET: Applications Open: June 19 Applications Close: July 19 at 5PM Interviews commence: August 19 Offers Made: September 27 Offers Deadline to Accept or Decline: October 1 For everything you need to know about Clerkships, including a list of participating firms, visit the Law Society of NSW webpage.

To make applications for many of the firms visit cvMail.

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Notre Dame Sydney Law Society

Thank you King & Wood Mallesons!

The NDSLS would like to officially welcome back and thank King & Wood Mallesons for their continued and valued sponsorship and support. We were very lucky to have them present at our Clerkship Seminar this year.

We would like to remind students that King & Wood Mallesons offers Summer Clerkships, applications for which are now open! To find out more, visit their website.

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Notre Dame Sydney Law Society

Electives, which ones to choose?

Anonymous Student Contribution People often ask me what electives I chose; Construction and Building Contract Law Employment Relations Law Occupational Health and Safety Law Mining and Petroleum Law Business Taxation Law Entertainment Law So there you go - I think it really shows where I want to go when I’m done!

I didn’t really go towards the Health/HR/Bioethics kind of courses because my interest in the content wasn’t there and I didn’t see it as useful for my goals.

I would have to say I have been lucky in the sense that I have known a general direction of what interests me, and have been able to, first of all, pick law as a degree and then choose electives I have enjoyed. Most people ask what would be most beneficial to them and all I can really say is that, “What is beneficial is something that will interest you and serve you for future” So maybe the real question people should be asking is,

Peter Pan later became a lawyer - did you know that?

There are plenty of statistics that get thrown around about how very few law students go into practice and how the law degree is the new arts degree (everyone’s doing it). So why are you studying law? It is useful. Anywhere you go in life, knowledge of the legal constructs and a general understanding of how society interacts within itself is invaluable.

It’s definitely tough to work out a direction for yourself because there are so many options out there.

A good friend always tells me that you’ll never work a day in your life if you love what you do - it’s so true.

Another question my parents, family and friends love asking is what area of law I want to specialise in.

They’ve been asking since high school and how the hell would I know at 15? I have never tried it - any answer would be about as informed as asking a six year old. As my degree has gone on I have found where I have wanted to go. This has happened by not only choosing electives carefully, but also getting work experience in multiple practice areas and reading different textbooks.

“What do I want to do when I’m a grown up?”

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Notre Dame Sydney Law Society

Even work outside the law has informed my choices, just like discussions with mentors and family about their jobs has given me direction.

Reading books as well as the newspaper can also be helpful. I subscribed to the Financial Review a couple of years ago and not only have I learnt a lot, I have learnt about jobs that I didn’t know existed which really interested me!

How to Contribute The Obiter welcomes original student written pieces. If you would like to have something included in our publication, don’t be shy - we are now accepting a range of original works whether they be short articles, long essays or maybe just a piece

So where is all this going?

Well, insolvency law is trying to run next semester - something I want to learn about! I was not sold on it until I read the Deans last email detailing “10 reasons why you should do insolvency law” (or words to that effect). It really is an opportunity to be studying with a leading mind in insolvency law in Australia. What an opportunity for anyone who is interested in having a strong commercial sense and awareness.

For someone who has done all their electives, you have to ask... Why would I do more!?!?!?!

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of advice for other students. As long as they are focused on a legal or university related issue/topic we would love to publish your work! If you are a budding writer why not send us something? You can either upload your document here, or email it directly to Caroline, the Publications Director at publications@ndsls.org. It’s that easy. We look forward to hearing from you.

Notre Dame Sydney Law Society

Thank you DLA Piper!

The NDSLS would like to officially welcome back and thank DLA Piper!

DLA Piper is a commercial law firm whose support of the NDSLS is greatly appreciated.

We thank them for their sponsorship in 2013 and look forward to future opportunities to work with them.

We would like to remind students that DLA Piper offers Summer Clerkships, applications for which are now open! To find out more, visit their website.

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Notre Dame Sydney Law Society

Tell us how to improve!

The NDSLS mid-year survey is opening on 1 July and is your chance to give your feedback to your NDSLS Committee about how we’ve performed so far this year.

The survey will be completely online and will include both generic questions and portfolio-specific questions.

We will take all of your input seriously in order to deliver a stronger performance in Semester Two and continue in our mission to enrich the student experience.

Let your voice be heard.

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Notre Dame Sydney Law Society

Thank you Maurice Blackburn!

The NDSLS would like the officially welcome back and thank Maurice Blackburn for their valued sponsorship and support. Maurice Blackburn has sponsored our annual Law Ball for 5 years now, and we were very lucky to hear from them at the Clerkship Seminar. We look forward to continuing this partnership in the future.

We would like to remind students that Maurice Blackburn offers Summer Clerkships, applications for which are now open! To find out more, visit their website.

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YourSay Recently, the NSW government passed laws to end the right of silence whilst being questioned by the police. A right to silence has always ensured that a court cannot use silence as evidence of guilt. Some argue that taking away the right to silence will abolish this protection for the accused. Is the right to silence a necessary protection? Or does it delay justice? What do you think?

Let us know what you think! Jump online and send us your thoughts to have your say published in the next Obiter! Contribute by clicking here.

Disclaimer: All submissions will be considered for publishing provided that they do not contain offensive language or themes. The NDSLS reserves the right to refuse a submission if it is inappropriate.

The Obiter, Issue 7 | 17

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The NDSLS would like to recognise the significant contributions of our Gold Sponsors.

These sponsors have been with us for many years and have made significant contributions to YOUR society during that time. Check out their website and Like them on Facebook to stay informed on how they can help you more.

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This is a publication of the Notre Dame Sydney Law Society. Its sponsors, contributors, the University of Notre Dame Australia, its affiliates or its employees do not necessarily endorse any facts or opinions contained within this publication