Two UNE Law students have been nominated as finalists for the 2023 Australian Law Students' Association (ALSA) Awards.
Both student nominees already boast an impressive extracurricular record and currently sit as committee members of the UNE Law Student Society (LSS).
Finalist and Bachelor of Law and Arts student, Lara Glasson is President of the LSS and was nominated for ‘Female Law Student of the Year’, while Bachelor of Laws student and LSS Social Media & Communications Officer, Amy Danek won the nomination for the ‘Outstanding Advocacy Award’.
Continuing this potential ALSA awards sweep by UNE Law students was the LSS itself - being nominated as a finalist for 'Best Student Engagement Initiative Award' and 'Spirit of Leadership Award'.
The ALSA is the peak representative body for law students’ associations in Australia, and operate as the voice of 40 student organisations for over 40,000 students nationwide. Their long-standing awards program celebrates exceptional achievements in legal education and aims to recognise individual accomplishments of deserving students and outstanding student-led initiatives.
Lara and Amy’s nomination highlights their commitment and contributions to the legal community and to their fellow students. We reached out to them both to chat about their nominations and what it means to them and the LSS.
UNE Law students and ALSA Award finalists Amy and Lara.
Where are you from and what led you to study law at UNE?
Lara
I grew up in Griffith NSW. After high school, I went to uni and became a teacher. After starting my own family, I started my own business, supplying play-based resources and running professional development training for the early childhood education sector. In 2019, I left our family home with my two children due to domestic violence, I was homeless, facing bankruptcy, had to shut down my business and make a fresh start with my children. Going through all that led me on a new path to studying law at UNE.
Amy
Born and bred Sydney girl. I am more creative than analytical, so it was a bit of a shock to my family that I chose to study law.
I had experienced challenging legal issues within the realm of employment law after having my first child, alongside bullying issues within the education system of two of my children. I’ve also had to advocate for them through the medical system as they possess a very rare gene mutation which causes medical issues that isn’t recognised widely here. I guess being an advocate in those areas lead me to study law and continues to motivate me in my career progression towards graduation. Many of us tend to have some form of negative legal experience that motivates us on our journey, that is mine!
Why were you nominated for your award?
Lara
I was nominated for ‘Female Law Student of the Year’ for the work I have done for the LSS and the advocacy work I do for UNE students and for women and children who have been impacted by family violence. It’s a cause close to my heart and one that drives my ambition to be a family law mediator and barrister after my studies.
Amy
I was nominated for my work under the social justice and equity portfolio within the LSS. I have worked with a few organisations attending seminars and writing about key issues, such as the annual Disabled Australian Lawyers Association (DALA) networking event.
The main focus on my nomination was around my advocacy work for Rightful, the online legal platform where legal teams can collaborate on legal projects remotely. The concept aligns strongly with my personal situation, being a primary carer means I can’t gain that clerkship role type experience in your standard office setting and there are many primary carers in the same position. This means there is a massive inequity applied to us as a diverse group when we graduate and competing for employment in a very competitive job market that really values legal experience as a prerequisite. The platform also bridges gaps such as the knowledge gap that exists between uni studies and real world practice and fosters an inclusive environment to support the influx of diverse groups of legal professionals and law students such as those with a disability, neurodivergent minds that prefer and feel they work better In less busy environments and supports the recent Fair Work Act amendments that act to protect the right to flexible work environments for these groups of people.
How did you feel to be nominated as a finalist?
Lara
I think I’m still in a state of shock about it, to be honest! Also, immense joy and pride. It’s wonderful to be recognised for the hard work we have all put into the LSS this year. I’m very grateful to my peers who trusted me with the task of being President of the LSS this year. I hope I’m making them proud. This award is for them as much as it is for me. We’ve all put in a solid effort and achieved so much this year. Being chosen as a finalist has left me feeling motivated, inspired, and honoured for the opportunity to be considered among such exceptional individuals.
Amy
I didn’t really expect to end up as a finalist. I’ve really just thrown myself into LinkedIn this year as the LSS social justice and equity officer, on the hunt for those in the industry to chat to so I could write for our social pages and inspire students. It’s a self-driven project that I have found really fun and I’ve made some really good friends in the process.
I was actually in a zoom session at the time the email came through and my ‘profesh face’ quickly turned into a freak out excited face. I felt the need to apologise to the lawyer whom we were chatting with so she knew where the random outburst came from! So yes, I am really excited! It’s really nice when your hard work is recognised, especially by inspirational organisations such as ALSA.
Do you think such Award events are beneficial for law students?
Lara
When you nominate for awards, you get a chance to reflect on the things you’ve done. You don’t often get to sit and do that. It’s an opportunity to really focus on all the positive things you worked hard on and achieved, but also recognise the things you’ve overcome to get to that point of being about to put a nomination you are proud of together. That is the benefit. Self-reflection is always a good thing.
Amy
Absolutely. I’ve learned that upon graduation, the job market is really competitive.
These kinds of awards reward you for your efforts made outside of ordinary studies at uni. External efforts can really showcase your passion as an advocate and they bring out who you are as a person, particularly when utilising these achievements on your LinkedIn profile or your resume. A resume really is just a piece of paper. Showcasing being a finalist or an award shows you’re passionate about what you do and that others in the industry are recognising that passion and spirit. It shows the legal world and future potential employers who you are and what you love doing.
Law students are pretty hard working and competitive. Being rewarded for that hard work we purposely put ourselves through is a great feeling. I also imagine that the energy in the room from experiencing the excitement other law societies, associations and students will be an inspiring and motivating experience which I very much look forward to!
Has UNE or the Law School contributed to LSS’ recent success?
Lara
We have a great partnership with the UNE Law School and UNE Life to be able to do the things we do. We would like to thank Michael Adams for being supportive of the changes we made this year and Dr Kip Werren for encouraging us every step of the way. We are also very grateful to all the staff who continue to help us promote the things we are doing for the student body. Without their assistance, we wouldn’t have seen the growth we have had this year.
What does Advocacy mean to you?
Amy
Personally, it means standing up for what you believe in, but doing so after shining the light of critical objective thought. I quote from our property law UC, Dr Kip Werren “to come down hard on one side, rather than sit on the fence.” Advocacy is basically choosing a side and fighting the metaphorical war, in a professional manner of course!
I strongly believe advocates have the ability to change the world, particularly by disrupting social structures that are unjust in current societal systems. It’s a pretty unique and powerful skill and also an inspiring and motivating aspiration to work towards. I aspire to be that kind of advocate. One that shakes up the way that things are to help build a more inclusive system which reflects the way things should be. What is the Latin term for talking about the law as it should be… De lege ferenda!
Do you like your chances of winning?
Lara
I’d like to think so! But I do know that as an LSS, we are still a small operation compared to other LSS’s in the cities, and we still have a lot of growing to do. Just being shortlisted as a finalist is an honour and confirmation that we are on the right track. I look forward to seeing the LSS continue to grow in years to come.
What is your best advice for fellow law students?
Amy
One, network! Your connections are your strongest asset. Law school can be lonely, harsh, draining, punishing and we all have days where we ask ourselves why we are still slogging away at it! Especially parents. It’s really challenging to bring up tiny humans and study a law degree.
Two, stay in contact with alumni friends. They are experiencing the ‘small fish in a big sea’ as junior lawyers and have some really important experiences and advice to share. Live vicariously through their lived experiences, this will put you ahead of the game on graduation because you will be equipped with more knowledge in the job market.
Three, study groups! We find they are best kept small. Grab a few students whom are taking the same unit as you and get together for zoom sessions, collaborating on practice questions etc. You will find information sticks when you have someone to go over it with.
Four, attend online seminars hosted by law firms! You will find there is quite a few if you go looking. This builds your knowledge base on the areas of law that interest you and employers will be impressed that you went above and beyond to learn.
And finally, get involved with the UNE Law Student’s Society. We have found that the more minds on board, the greater achievements we accomplish. The friendships built are truly invaluable and it’s fun!
How can students attend the Awards night or support the LSS from home?
Lara
We will be providing updates on our social media pages throughout the night. Make sure you are following us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for any announcements - fingers crossed!
