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General Support and Student Representation
As a member of the Law Students' Society you can avail yourself to the support
services that we offer. Whether it is an educational, administrative or equitable issue, your LSS Committee can help you resolve it satisfactorily.
For example, if you have a problem with a lecturer, you can approach the LSS with your concern and we will act as an advocate for your cause
if it is within reason. We are familiar with the Faculty's dispute resolution procedures and have set forms and channels which we can direct
you to. Also, if you have difficulty with a particular unit or subject matter you can notify the LSS of your issue and the we can assist you in
addressing the issue with the coordinator of that unit. Furthermore, the LSS acts as the student representative on the following Committees:
- Law Advisory Council: This is an annual meeting chaired by Sir
Lawrence Street and attended by the Vice Chancellor, the Dean of EBL Faculty, the Head of School, legal practitioners, local councilors and the
President of the LSS. Its objective is to review current practice in relation to Law at UNE, make recommendations and direct future initiatives.
The LSS presents an annual report to the council based upon representative views of the UNE law students population.
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Staff
Selection Committee: The President of the LSS
(or his or her nominee) forms part of the staff selection
committee and has the opportunity to participate in
the selection process once applicants have been short
listed. Staff selection will occur again early in 2005,
with the appointment of replacements for Daud Hassan,
Peter Hemphill and Rohan Price. In addition, the School
of Law Equity Committee (see below) has set the wheels
in motion for the appointment of an Identified Aboriginal
Lecturer in Law, which the LSS has a voice on the selection
of.
- School of Law Meetings: The LSS has an active role at almost all
of the monthly School of Law meetings where the LSS report is a permanent fixture on the agenda. The participation of the LSS in these meetings maintains
good communication between staff and students, especially in regard to any changes to awards such as the proposed changes to LS400 Honours that is
currently under consideration. Also, the Board of Studies meetings which form a part of the School of Law meetings every six months allows the LSS
to stay informed on the academic achievements of the law student population and any changes to curriculum and syllabus.
- School of Law Equity Committee: This committee meets monthly to
discuss particular issues that affect particular groups of disadvantaged students. This committee works according to defined principles of equitable
study and forms opinions and makes recommendations on any current or ongoing issues. The meetings are chaired (currently) by Emilia Della Torre and
attended by the Deputy Head of School and a selection of other voluntary staff members in addition to a nominated representative of the LSS.
- Teaching and Learning Committee: The Vice-President (Education) sits on
this university committee and represents the views of UNE law students. Matters that are discussed in these meetings include essay writing, general
study skills, exam preparation techniques and exam performance. The committee advise the Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) and the various Faculties
about general student performance issues and develops the programs that the TLC offer to students.
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ALSA
- Australian Law Students Association: ALSA
is the peak national law student body that provides
information and resources to students and lobbies the
Federal and State governments on educational issues.
They have developed relationships with professional
political lobbyists over the last couple of years whilst
confronting the Nelson Education Reforms. Delegates
from every LSS/LSA in Australia form part of the ALSA
Council, which they attend every six months, and the
ALEF (Australian Legal Education Forum), which they
attend at the annual ALSA Conference in July. However,
every law student in Australia is eligible to attend
these meetings and give an opinion on the matters discussed
or just to sit in. Your LSS is an active member of these
events and makes it a priority every year to represent
to views of UNE law students and in fact ALSA regularly
seeks the advice of the UNE LSS when confronting issues
that affect regional students. For more information
about ALSA, check out their website at www.alsa.asn.au
or contact the LSS.
Education and Employment Opportunities
Along
with our regular Town and Gown events that allow students
to mingle with legal practitioners and lecturers, the LSS
regularly organise visits from Practical Legal Training
(PLT) providers. Last year College of Law, Monash, QUT and
Griffith Universities attended throughout the year. The
LSS maintains a current database of all the PLT providers,
their costs and details of the courses that they provide,
however, this literature is no substitute to actually attending
the PLT Seminars that we provide and picking the brains
of the representatives attending. We are also in contact
with graduates who have been through the PLT process (as
well as those who have completed Article Clerkships and
Judges' Associateships) and we can provide representative
views on each institution or form of practical legal training.
In
addition, the LSS organises study skills workshops attended
by representatives of Counselling and Careers, the Teaching
and Learning Centre, the IT Department and law lecturers,
which address particular issues confined to the study of
law. Another workshop which we plan to initiate in 2005
is a career application workshop that will aim to give students
practical advice and instructional practice on compiling
a CV, writing a cover letter, applying for vacancies and
applying for Articles, PLT and Judges' Associateships. This
workshop will be attended by representatives of large law
firms, graduate students who have been through the process
themselves and will be run in partnership with UNE Counselling
and Careers Services. Furthermore, the LSS produces two
publications, Essays
in Law and The
Essential Careers in Law Guide, that can either assist
you to achieve higher marks in your units or guide you down
the path for your legal career.
Practical Skills Competitions
The
LSS, like most other LSS/LSA's, organises practical skills
competitions that are necessary for professional development.
Its all well and good that you are a HD student who can
argue in written form the jurisprudential, equitable or
common law reasons for a particular matter. However, this
skill means nothing if you cannot deliver these arguments
verbally to an irate Registrar or Judge. It is a common
occurrence for many graduates to freeze with fear in their
first few months of attending Court or become confused and
bewildered by the sheer pressure of it all!!
To avoid this occurring the LSS, like most other LSS/LSA's, organises competitions
that assist student in developing the professional legal skills that are necessary to practice law in the real world and which they seldom
receive from a university degree alone. The competitions that we run include Moot Court, Negotiation, Client Interview and Witness Examination.
In addition, in 2005 we will run some coaching workshops attended by lecturers that have practised law as either Barristers or Solicitors and
psychologists from UNE Counselling and Careers that can assist you develop mediation and negotiation skills. Keep an eye on the Competitions
page to find out how to sign up and the dates, venues and times of both the workshops and competitions.
In previous years, the LSS has sent the winners of our internal competitions to compete against other universities at the
annual ALSA Conference. Next year we will aim to establish a Regional Practical Skills Competition run in partnership with other regional
universities that will allow our winners to develop their skills against students who are closer to UNE students in both a geographic and
demographic sense. This competition next year will be in supplement to the ALSA competition for us, but will not be a rival competition to
ALSA. It is envisaged more as a progressive step between our internal competition and the national stage which ALSA provides. Keep an eye on
the homepage for announcements about this new opportunity!
Building Networks
The
LSS not only offers a network of alumni members as a permanent
connection to the real world, which is facilitated through
our relationship with the UNE Development Office, but we
also provide students, both internal and external, opportunities
to increase their network base through our social events
and other seminars that we run. Becoming involved in your
LSS, whether as a committee member or as a generally subscribed
member, is a fantastic chance to help you get to know the
people that can help you get to where you want to be and
more. Remember, sometimes its not what you know, but who
you know that is the critical factor in getting your dream
job.
Last But Not Least....Social Events
The
LSS year is full of fun social events that complement your
studies with very important relaxation (you may read this
as drinking), laughter (at others or yourself), and socialising
times. We know how important it to maintain a balanced lifestyle
as a student because remember, we're students too! In addition
to the entrenched Trivia Nights, Annual Law Ball, Town and
Gown and BBQs, we're also planning to address a long overdue
priority in hosting some External Receptions both in Armidale
during Residential Schools and in two capital cities next
year. For mature age students, we'll organise some small
dinners for the not-so-old to meet others of similar minds
and for internals - well you just wait to see what's in
store for you next year. If you have any ideas on social
events for next year, contact Helen Littlejohn, our VP Social
Director, and give her a piece of your mind!
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