Social Justice and Equity Director’s Foreword

DIRECTOR’S FOREWORD

The primary role of the Social Justice and Equity Portfolio is to ensure equal opportunity for all law students regardless of their identity or background. We work hard to build on the work of our predecessors in order to create a more accepting environment for everyone regardless of their race, sexuality, gender, disability, and socioeconomic status.

With this in mind, the Social Justice and Equity Portfolio has taken steps to grow our student involvement through the addition of many new initiatives. This includes the new Women’s and Queer programs in the Professional Mentoring Program to challenge traditional power dynamics in the law, our newest Equity Seminar on the topic of Addiction and the Law to better educate students on this issue, and the expansion of the Reasonable Observer blog to ensure a greater platform for students to explore important issues on a public forum.

We believe that it is vital to continue this work into the future as many glass ceilings remain. This has never been more apparent than in the wake of 2020, which not only saw unprecedented hardship and mental health struggles for all, but particularly for the marginalised and disadvantaged groups of society. It is for this reason that the Social Justice and Equity Guide is of even greater importance this year, as it provides volunteer opportunities for law students in a time when probono legal assistance is critical.

As Director of the Social Justice and Equity portfolio, it is my honour to write this foreword. It is an invaluable resource which would not have been possible without the tireless work of our Publications Officer, Toby Nelson, and our Publications Sub-Committee, Emma Groves and Nikkita Chandnani. It is through their work, and the Society as a whole, that the Law Faculty will continue to better the experiences of students and the wider community alike.

Sarah Mason Monash Law Students’ Society Director of Social Justice & Equity