Law scholarship recipient becomes part of the family

The story of first year law student Samuel Adams and the connection he has made to his benefactors – the wife and children of RJ Hand – is special. Samuel has become a part of the family and joins them, when he can, for Sunday lunches.

Samuel was awarded the RJ Hand Memorial Scholarship in honour of esteemed general commercial lawyer Robert Hand, a University of Tasmania alumnus.

The pair share some parallels in their early lives. Both came from large families and farming backgrounds. Robert was one of nine children, and Samuel is one of eight. Robert spent three years working on the family farm in Campania, Tasmania, before deciding he wanted to study law, which he achieved after matriculating from school by correspondence and earning a Commonwealth Scholarship.

Samuel hails from central Queensland, where he spent summer holidays on his grandparents’ property.

“It’s where I learnt to ride horses and did fencing. Mr Hand did all of that sort of thing as a kid,” Samuel said.

For Samuel, it was an early career in the army – where he joined the military police – that set him on his legal course, first in the legal/law enforcement space working in minor investigations.

Caroline and Melita Hand with RJ Hand Memorial Scholarship recipient Samuel Adams Image: Peter Allen

“But I found I’d rather prosecute the cases than just investigate them,” Samuel said.

However, juggling army with full-time study in Queensland proved difficult. And there were other challenges. Samuel’s parents’ divorce and move to the coast created financial and other stresses for the family.

But things took a turn for the better. Having served his four years in the military, Samuel was accepted into the University of Tasmania to study law and was awarded the RJ Hand Memorial Scholarship.

Samuel said the scholarship’s impact has been twofold.

“Firstly, I’ve been able to actively engage in my studies and with my family; secondly, there is the personal relationship with the Hands – they’re like a second family. I really enjoy going to visit and having brunches and lunches with them,” he said.

“It was unexpected that I’d form such a close bond with the scholarship benefactor. I think I’ve been very blessed. I consider her (Caroline) my Tassie mum … We have really good chats.

“If I hadn’t had the scholarship, I would have been juggling more work. Instead, I’ve been able to knuckle down on my studies. It’s definitely a change of direction in my life.”

And then there is the inspiration that Robert Hand’s career in law has provided.

“It has been very interesting to see what a career in law can do,” Samuel said. “Robert was very successful, and I’ve personally been very inspired by him.”

Caroline Hand attributed her late husband’s success to his determination to educate himself about whatever he was working on, whether it was for industries as varied as meat export, pharmaceuticals and energy, or projects such as the development of Hobart’s Hotel International, which became the Grand Chancellor. This determination also led to Robert’s appointment to several boards, often as chairperson or managing director. “Bob put everything into understanding each business,” Caroline said. “When he was consulting for the Hydro, he had written so many equations in his notebooks that one of the employees asked if he had done a physics degree.”

And Robert’s belief in education was something he passed on to his children. “If the children showed an interest in something, he’d insist we buy a book on it,” she said.

It’s an interest in learning that continues through Samuel, who was offered a prestigious summer clerkship at Sydney-based international commercial law firm Allens. Samuel hopes to one day work as an Australian Government solicitor in the Attorney-General’s Department in Canberra.

“That’s my goal,” he said. “My passion is public law. I’d love to get to a point where I can influence some positive law reform.”

Samuel says after his degree he plans to do legal training in Tasmania, where the University’s Law School is uniquely integrated with the legal profession.

“There’s a special relationship here with the Supreme Court,” he said.

“I couldn’t have expected a better recipient than Samuel,” Caroline said. “The University understood what we wanted to do, and the process has been easy and enjoyable.”

Robert and Caroline’s daughter, Melita, agrees. “This benefits us, too. We are able to pass on Dad’s legacy to someone deserving,” she said.

“To us it’s more than a financial contribution. We hope, also, that Samuel is lifted and encouraged by having his potential recognised.”

Samuel Adams Image: Li Lai