President’s Welcome

Congratulations

and welcome to UTS Law for 2023!

Irrespective of the path that brought you into the great halls of UTS Building 2, joining UTS Law will take you on a journey of exciting opportunities, challenges and important lessons. UTS Law prides itself on its practical, wellrounded, and social justice focused approach to the study of the law, which aims to allow you to flourish in whatever career path you choose!

A huge part of what you will learn at law school is the way the law penetrates every aspect of our daily lives. You will also discover how critical the law is in responding to abuses of human rights and upholding the importance of social justice within our society. By choosing UTS Law, you have selected a degree that constantly encourages you to interrogate the systems and structures upon which our society is based, equipping you with the practical skills to contribute to real change.

One of the best things about UTS Law is its collaborative and supportive student culture. University is not just about gaining the education to equip you for your future careers; it’s also about making lifelong friends that can support you through your educational journey. That’s where the UTS Law Students’ Society, or the UTS LSS, comes in!

The UTS LSS is the largest student-run organisation on the UTS campus, and is all about catering to the social, vocational and educational needs of UTS Law students. Whether you’re keen on socialising with your other first years at events like First Year Law Camp, First Year Drinks, Law Cruise and the Law Ball, or focusing on kicking your educational and career goals with events like the Buddy Project, First Year Peer Mentoring, the Breaking into Law Panel and Junior Gauntlet, the LSS aims to design a university environment that allows a diverse range of students to thrive.

The LSS also has a strong focus on supporting the well-being of all our students and runs mental health focused events such as the Smile Project (think therapy dogs on campus!) and R U Okay Day. If social justice is your passion, the LSS also has you covered. With the Brennan Program, a diverse range of equity schemes, and a variety of panels and conferences, the LSS is proud to run initiatives that tackle the unique disadvantages that certain groups experience at the hands of the law.

As President, my role is to lead the fantastic team of 42 LSS councillors, who all volunteer their time to run the initiatives and events that improve the university experience for over 1000 LSS members. Joining the LSS in my first year (a Covid year - gross), is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Being involved in the LSS has allowed me to form lifelong friendships, connect with incredible academics and industry professionals, and learn invaluable skills. I know joining a university society can be daunting, but I cannot encourage you all enough to take the plunge, and join the LSS. You never know the experiences, people and lessons that may be waiting for you!

Make sure to check out the QR code on the back page of this manual to become a member of the LSS and access discounted tickets to our events, merchandise and opportunities to attend our wonderful range of events!

Please take the time to read the rest of this manual - it is your one-stop shop for everything LSS that you will be able to access as a first year, and throughout the rest of your degrees. If you ever have any questions, feel free to message me on Facebook or reach out at president@utslss.com, my inbox is always open! I wish you all the best of luck as you enter this new chapter, and I cannot wait to (hopefully) meet you all around campus!

Written by Georgina Hedge UTS LSS President