Ella Saint John

Success in Succession

We recognise that many of the best paralegal, legal assistant and research roles are rarely publicly advertised. They get filled by word of mouth, making it difficult for students without industry connections to get that first job. Success in Succession resolves this issue. We’ll launch a dedicated Facebook group where USYD law students and alumni can post the roles they’re leaving so current students can step into them. Turnover peaks can be predicted, for example, when students leave to start graduate roles, and when they move into clerkships over summer and winter. Those are exactly the moments when many opportunities open up, and the group gives everyone a central place to see them as they happen. The Facebook group will be a self-sustaining forum, empowering other students to solidify their network within the law school and improve communication between students and the profession.

Clerk on Call

Whilst we acknowledge there are many pathways students can choose to pursue in the legal profession, clerkships are one of the most popular avenues students decide to partake in. The process is stressful, arduous, and can often leave students guessing what firms actually want. This policy is a new mentoring program that will launch before the clerkship presentations begin. Current and former USYD students who received clerkships will be matched with current students based on preference. Your mentor will have been through the process themselves, giving students an in-depth understanding of what the application process and interviews are like, how to approach networking events, and what made their application stand out. You’ll get tailored guidance rather than generic advice that applies to every firm.

The program brings a new buddy system into the law school so that you’ll have someone in your corner who knows how stressful clerkships can be because they’ve just done it. Having a familiar person to check in with before an interview or after a rejection makes the process that bit easier.

Beyond Harbour Views

We know law students are time-poor, and between classes, readings, part-time work and more, attending every seminar for each career path available might not be realistic. As a result, many students default to the corporate pathway because it's the most visible. The Careers portfolio for Shine will focus on expanding students' awareness of career pathways beyond the corporate space. We will introduce an ‘All Careers’ panel event early on when you’re mapping out your plan for the year, without all the time cost. The panel will bring together leading professionals across the legal landscape, including government, international law, in-house, the Bar, not-for-profits, and more. Each panellist will have 10 minutes to present what their job involves; that's 10 options in 1.5 hours, not 1 option in 1 hour. The outcome will be a bird’s-eye view of every path available to students in a single event. That way, students can target the rest of the Careers events throughout the year intentionally.