The Memo 2023

ABOUT THE DLSS

The Deakin Law Students' Society (DLSS) is one of Deakin University's oldest and largest student-run organisations and aims to support Deakin law students in making the most of their degree. The DLSS organises and runs a range of events and services across its portfolios, providing information and opportunities for Deakin law students to be supported academically and socially throughout the year.

The DLSS offers a chance to meet new people, improve your legal skills and make great friends, all whilst learning more about the world of law.

USEFUL LINKS

More information on DLSS: https://www.deakinlss.org/

To become a Member: https://dlssmembership.getqpay.com/

This publication is provided free of charge by the Deakin Law Students' Society. Any opinions expressed in this publication are not to be held as those of the DLSS, Deakin Law school or Deakin University. The DLSS, Deakin Law School and Deakin University do not necessarily endorse these opinions; they belong solely to the authors.

This publication is copyright. Except where permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this publication may, in any form or by any means (electronic or otherwise) be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any process, without special written consent of the DLSS.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Cook

Edit and Design: Jordan Cook

© Deakin Law Students' Society

Room EA2.17, School of law, Deakin University

221 Burwood Highway, Burwood 3125

www.deakinlss.org

HEAD EXECUTIVE GILMORE GIRLS

PRESIDENT: JULIA

Julia is heading into her fourth year of a Bachelor of Laws/International Relations. She works as a paralegal, bartender and gym receptionist and her hobbies include reading, dancing, gymming and religiously over-scheduling her life.

Julia's role as that DLSS president is multi-faceted The more technical aspects of the role prescribe the president as the DLSS’ representative to all external entities. Then come the innately rewarding elements of presidency; coordinating the executive committee, setting the society's goals and standards for the year, and most importantly, considering at all times how all the moving parts of the DLSS function in unison to best serve the Law cohort.

Julia’s hopes for 2023 are to prioritise student e satisfaction with DLSS events by elevating eve focusing on in person events. She wishes to creat supportive culture which allows all the committee m in their respective roles. Above all, Julia wants th 2023 DLSS to carry-on in years to come and co Deakin Law Cohort and its rising trajectory.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I prioritise workplace culture and team-buildin leadership. From my experience, if I can motivat invested in the team and follow-through by prov support and resources, it stimulates initiative and ef

Further, I always strive to train and encourage people to go beyond their roles, to develop their skills and move up.

VICE PRESIDENT: ROCCI SEPTEMBER

Rocci is beginning his fifth year of a Bachelor of Laws/International Studies whilst working at Kmart

Rocci is heading into 2023 as Vice-President. His role is to ensure all committee members have the tools to excel in their portfolios, whilst also providing support to them when needed. He also acts to support the President in her roles and tasks, and liaises with Law School academics and his counterparts in other universities’ law societies.

Through his role, Rocci aims to help promote a transparent society that students can and want to freely interact with, whilst creating a more friendly and cohesive law student cohort. Law students should look forward to coming to uni and Law Society events to catch up with friends, meet new people and have fun. He hopes to promote this atmosphere through his role and is excited to meet students at Burwood, virtually, or at one of the Society’s sensational events

Which leader do you look up to?

Queen Elizabeth was a leader that I looked up but only really appreciated in recent years. She dedicated her life to the service of others which inspires me as I believe helping other people is one of life’s purposes.

SECRETARY: KAT

Kat is heading into her fourth year of a Bachelor of Laws and Arts. She works as a legal assistant and, as of recently, aspires to be an ice (skating) princess whilst spending more time reading than sleeping.

As the secretary, Kat is the DLSS Public Officer and does everything administrative in the DLSS, including all internal meetings and documents (like the Constitution and Bylaws) and organising new officers! She is a ‘neat freak’ who loves administrative work and works as a legal assistant, so she decided to apply for it would perfectly suit her. Kat is looking forward to sup and constitutional obligations of the DLSS and its mem sure all law students can get involved in the DLSS even

How crucial is the role of a secretary to running such as the DLSS?

The role of secretary is key to ensure the DLSS fulfils a constitutional obligations; as the public officer of the D top of all of the DLSS Bylaws and the Constitution to m members perform their obligations and DLSS processe are clearly set out.

MACY is heading into year five of her Bachelor of Laws/Commerce degree. She works as a legal assistant and her hobbies include playing basketball and netball and going to the beach.

The primary responsibilities of the director of finance are centred around the expenses of the society. It involves preparing a yearly budget for events, managing the payments of these expenses, as well as sourcing funding from faculty and other third parties

Macy decided to apply for the role because it provides invaluable experience as a bachelor of commerce and laws student and is a great way to get involved at uni & make connections with likeminded people.

FINANCE DIRECTOR FINANCE OFFICER

NIRVIGHNA is going into her fourth year of a Bachelor of Laws. She works as a legal assistant and her hobbies include singing and dancing.

What will you never spend money on?

MACY: Parking, unless it's absolutely necessary.

NIRVIGHNA: A lottery ticket, it's not worth it!

SPONSORSHIP SUITS

SPONSORSHIP DIRECTORS

GAB and COURTNEY are both beginning their fourth year of a Bachelor of Laws/Commerce and Laws/Arts respectively. Gab works as a paralegal and loves travel, reading and walking Courtney works in the Army and loves musicals. She will be performing an abundance of one women shows this year even though she claims to be a horrendous singer.

The role as the Co-Sponsorship Directors is to engage directly with law firms across Victoria to build a relationship between them and the Law Society. This involves coordinating funds to provide events to the cohort or orchestrating people to present at those events

Gab and Courtney decided to apply for the role as they both love being able to directly contribute to the amazing events developed by the Law Society and seeing the lasting impact the relationships with the firms can generate.

Their hope is to build on the already strong relationships and foster great connections between the firms and the students.

SPONSORSHIP OFFICER

LUCY is in her third year of a Bachelor of Laws degree. She works as a legal secretary and loves reading and baking

What are the core values to look for in a sponsor?

GAB: A team who engages really well with DLSS… always enthusiastic about connecting with students and supporting our events.

COURTNEY: Individuals that love the idea of engaging with the student body and have a genuine interest in interacting with students

LUCY: It is important to collaborate with sponsors that are open and willing to share their insights with the DLSS and its members

TIPSFOR SURVIVING LAWSCHOOL HEAD EXEC

This may be bias, but definitely joining the law society committee!!

A thing we all do at some point, but try not to leave things to the last minute.

Get involved in the DLSS for sure! Uni clubs and committees are the under appreciated MVPs of actually making friends at uni and also getting so many opportunities and tips from academic student societies.

Friends and events both social and educational are the absolute key to getting through studying law.

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there- everyone is in the same boat as you!

TIPSFOR SURVIVING LAWSCHOOL HEAD EXEC

Make some friends, it will make a world of difference.

Be bold and sit next to someone in class and speak to them Go to Law Society or other club events and meet people. Uni will be tough, but crying together is immeasurably better than crying alone.

Do your best to be involved with as much as possible. Find what you enjoy and do as much of it as possible because that’s where you’ll find your people.

Review your notes after every class and make sure that you understand them clearly, this will save you so much time when it comes to the exam period.

ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO

The Activities portfolio is all about running events that bring the students of Deakin Law School together for socialising and letting their hair down! We throw major events in the committee calendar, including the Annual Deakin Law Ball, the biggest event of the year!

The Activities portfolio has brought many events to the Deakin Law Society that are notable. Including starting the first year law camp, which allows first years to make connections that will last their time at Deakin and beyond. Last year, the Activities portfolio created our first Boat Cruise party, which allows students to enjoy some drinks, and have fun. Last year the Activities portfolio brought back the much anticipated Law Ball after not being able to host it for the past 2 years due to the pandemic

GOALS FOR 2023

The 2023 goals for the Activities portfolio is to host all the events that run annually, and connect with more students, increasing attendance. However students are studying, we aim to gather and expose them to the great events hosted by the DLSS. We also aim to specifically market large scale events such as Law Ball, encouraging Deakin Law students to bring their friends from all degrees and universities, allowing for socialisation and interaction between all students. The Activities portfolio as a whole allows students to engage with the society on a more relaxed level, so we can show students there is more to Law school than just assignments!

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Activities portfolio is extremely looking forward to backing up last year with another great Deakin Law Ball, and encouraging all students to attend. Hosted by Crown Palladium, this spacious venue allows us to treat Deakin Law students to a night they won’t forget, especially since this will only be the second Law Ball thrown after the pandemic. So look out for ticket release dates so you and your friends can secure the best table possible for a great night!

ACTVITIES DIRECTOR

MILLA is in her third year completing a Bachelor of Laws/Arts degree. She coaches athletics and cross country, works as a barista and runs when she can find the time!

ACTIVITIES OFFICERS

BELLA is going into her fourth year of a Bachelor of Laws. She works at Rebel Sports and her hobbies include playing sport and going to social events

SOFIA is in her second year of a Bachelor of Laws degree. She works at Boroondara Sports Complex and loves to coach netball.

ELEANOR is heading into her second year of a Laws/Arts degree. She works and Woolies and Love House (which she'd like to clarify is a restaurant.) She loves baking, sports and reading.

What is one of your bucket list items?

MILLA: One of my bucket list items is to travel to Europe, especially travel through Tuscany and the south of France.

BELLA: One of my bucket list items is to go sky diving

SOFIA: I want to visit every continent

ELEANOR: One of my bucket list items would be travelling the world.

COMMERCIAL CAREERS

ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO

The Commercial Careers portfolio functions within the DLSS to acknowledge and educate students on the pathways to the commercial sector This includes helping to simplify the clerkship application process and aiding students to have the best chance to attain this opportunity. More so, the portfolio allows students to be educated on what is included in the commercial sector. Previously, the commercial careers portfolio has successfully ran a Meet The Professionals Networking Night and Mock interviews to aid students in preparing for the future.

GOALS FOR 2023

During 2023, the goal of the portfolio is to make commercial law more accessible to students. This will be done through educating students on what commercial law is, the different areas in commercial law and what steps they can take to put themselves in the best position for clerkships, whether it be the application process, interview and networking tips or how to be the best possible clerk.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Many brand new initiatives will be run Keep an eye out for our clerkship guide (this will be a comprehensive guide to applying for clerkships and any law jobs in general). Taking an active role in panels (through asking questions and listening). Attending our annual meet the professionals evening - there is a brand new networking guide that students can use to have the best skills possible. Also, getting involved in activities such as mock interviews or our clerkships workshops.

COMMERCIAL CAREERS DIRECTOR

KATHRYN is in her fourth year of a Bachelor of Laws/Commerce degree. She works as a retail sales assistant.

What would be your dream law job?

My dream job would be to move overseas to New York and be a partner at a big commercial firm.

COMMERCIAL CAREERS OFFICERS

JOSH is entering his third year of a Bachelor of Laws/Arts degree and works as a paralegal/legal assistant

EMILY is in her third year of a Bachelor of Laws/Commerce degree and is a litigation support clerk

JIM is beginning his third year of a Bachelor of Laws degree and works as a contract manager

NEHA is in her third year of a Bachelor of Laws/Criminology degree and is a retail manager.

What is the strangest thing you've had to do for a job?

JOSH: Strangest (but fun) thing at work would be our staff trip to Puffing Billy.

EMILY: The strangest thing for a job interview was probably to describe what kind of animal I would be - not that strange though!

JIM: The strangest thing I had to do for a job was to play Texas Hold’em with some clients.

NEHA: The strangest thing for a job interview would be probably be when I had to demonstrate to adults how I would teach a child to tie their shoelaces!! A humbling experience

COMMUNICATIONS

ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO

The Communications portfolio is your one stop shop for all written communication We bring you all the DLSS publications, from the bi-annual publication Et Cetera to this, The Memo! Communications is responsible for serving the law cohort by making guides for their time at law school, and for managing the face of the DLSS by maintaining the website

GOALS FOR 2023

In 2023, Communications is looking to be better than ever. We hope to bring Et Cetera to print, and connect with more law students with this tangible publication We hope to launch this in tandem with an in-person event Whilst the written word is important, it is equally important that we use it not as a substitute for in-person interaction, but as a tool to enhance it. We are also excited to present new publications that will aid students in their law school journey, including the Skills guide and a fortnightly newsletter. However mostly, the goals of Communications for 2023 are to continue to ensure that the DLSS is fresh faced and presented well, by providing polished publications, re-launching a new and user-friendly website, and continuing to provide editing services to other portfolios.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2023 will see Communications provide more opportunities for students to get involved. We are excited to provide students with an opportunity to get writing published in a legal setting, with Et Cetera opening for student submissions! Getting writing published is an excellent way to get exposure in the profession, but it can be difficult to find a place to get started. Et Cetera provides an ‘in’, where students can learn the process of getting published from application, through submission, editing and then publication. Keep an eye out for the submission form on socials in the coming months! In addition to this, of course, students should look out to get their hands on a hardcopy of Et Cetera for the first time!

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

ZOE is in her fourth year completing a Bachelor of Laws/Arts and works in the Rebel Sport back of house, spending her days fan-girling over new running shoe tech and gushing at toddler sneakers. She loves long distance running, reading, and travel

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS

JORDAN is entering her second year of a Bachelor of Laws/Science. She works as a bartender and law clerk and loves to travel and read.

CHRISSA is going into her fourth year of a Bachelor of Laws/Arts. She works as a paralegal and her hobbies include Reading, writing novels, Netflix, and hanging out with friends

If you could conduct an interview with anyone in the world, alive or dead, who would it be?

JORDAN: I would love to interview Princess Diana and discuss the duality of being adored by the public whilst struggling with the paparazzi and the monarchy. Also her opinion on Harry and Megan's recent ventures.

CHRISSA: I would love to interview Julia Gillard. It would be interesting to gain her insight as the first woman to become Prime Minister of Australia It would be great to explore her journey and her rise to the top and to understand the barriers she faced as a woman in politics

CHARM is in her second year of a Bachelor of Laws/Commerce. She is a waitress and aged car worker and loves Binge-watching tv shows and event planning.

If you could write an article on absolutely anything, what would it be?

ZOE: ‘RAT Test’ it’s just a RAT It stands for Rapid Antigen Test You’re saying RAPID ANTIGEN TEST TEST AND IT’S A TAUTOLOGY (ATM machine is the same it stands for automated teller machine you're saying machine twice!)

CHARM: If I could write an article on absolutely anything, I would write about injustices to underprivileged groups around the world and the lack of human rights in most countries I would like to be a voice for those who cannot speak out about their situations.

TIPSFOR SURVIVING LAWSCHOOLPORTFOLIOS

Take time to yourself, balance is key and if you don’t make time for the things you enjoy then studying becomes way more burdensome.

Keeping checklists and a diary!!

Don’t be afraid to talk to people in your classes! Law school is easier with friends than without

Get involved. Joining the DLSS after beginning law school knowing no-one was the best decision I ever made.

Having networking opportunities and social events has made the whole experience 1000% times better.

Attend all the classes/seminars if you can!

Figure out your style of learning and what works best for you, and aim to pick your subjects and classes accordingly.

TIPSFOR SURVIVING LAWSCHOOLPORTFOLIOS

Overworking yourself is a thing, and it’s very real Trust yourself, listen to your body and know when it is time to pace yourself and take breaks.

Don’t compare workloads and grades, everyone is different and everyone succeeds at different rates and paces, this doesn’t make anyone better than the other!

Ask lots of questions and engage in the lectures and seminars - don't be afraid to ask when you are unsure as majority of the time everyone is thinking the same thing!!

Bring your own lunch, toasties at Little Bang are $$$

Be as up to date as possible! It’s almost impossible to catch up on all the content from the semester in SWOTVAC week.

. Definitely try to start assignments as soon as possible before they start to pile up, try and make heaps of friends, and always have a cup of coffee ready for those long nights spent studying.

COMPETITIONS

ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO

The Competitions portfolio is the gateway for students to delve into the world of practical legal experience whilst undertaking their law degree. The portfolio strives to create unique opportunities to allow students to firsthand apply their research and public speaking skills by competing in a variety of competitions. Our role as a portfolio is to bring some enjoyment and excitement to your studies. We make it so that competing is stress-free, enjoyable but most importantly rewarding!

Competitions has consistently been one of the largest portfolios on the DLSS and understandably so Our portfolio is always working to deliver quality competitions and think of new ways to engage students and what they are interested in. We are serious about our competitions as we are one of the only student societies to run more than 5 competitions per year. And we do it year after year for you!

GOALS FOR 2023

In 2023, the portfolio aims to create a more inclusive, encouraging and supportive space for competitors to ensure they are best equipped with the knowledge and skills to get the most out of their experiences. To achieve this, our portfolio is committed to running valuable information sessions alongside a new competition handbook to help students thrive and feel comfortable in their competitions This year, we plan to make YOU the centre of what we do by increasing transparency on the scoring process and building further learning opportunities through engaging in critical feedback.

We hope to see a year full of excitement, participation and enjoyment to maximise our growth as a portfolio. To make competitions bigger and better, a new competition set to be announced later in the year will make its debut which is a key interest area for many students!

UPCOMING EVENTS

We have six planned competitions, one workshop and one information session planned for 2023. This includes; Senior Moot, Bail Application, Client Interview, Junior Moot, Witness Examination and a new competition

In between our own competitions, we even provide information on how to engage in exciting external competitions if you’re really passionate!

You can stay up to date on how to get involved through the DLSS socials or alternatively sign up to our mailing list by contacting Adam at directorcompetitions@deakinlss org! Oh, and just you wait for the competition guide!

COMPETITIONS DIRECTOR

ADAM is heading into his second year of a Bachelor of Laws degree. He is a concierge at Westfield and loves travel.

COMPETITIONS OFFICERS

NATHAN is in his third year of a Bachelor of Laws/Commerce degree and is a consultant/rep, product specialist, tutor and loves surfing, podcasting and golf

KATIA is going into her third year as a Laws/Commerce student. She works at Kookai's head office and is also studying to become a qualified pilates instructor.

ALEX is starting his second year of a Bachelor of Laws degree. He is a bartender and loves all things sport, especially soccer (which he calls the real football).

ANGUS is in his second year of a Bachelor of Laws. He works as a team member at Bunnings and loves the gym, footy and languages.

KOSTA is a fourth year student completing a Bachelor of Laws/Commerce. He works in confectionery manufacturing and loves Gym, Cars, Coffees, Food, and Bars.

If you could debate against anyone in the world, alive or dead, who would it be?

ADAM: Put me in court against Shakespeare. Could you imagine debating? I could literally say “Your Honour, thy slayed” and get away with it.

NATHAN: I'd have to go with Sir Samuel Griffith, the first Chief Justice of Australia.

KATIA: The Queen herself Elle Woods - two blondes going head to head in courtroom would be iconic.

ALEX: Definitely have to stick with debating with my parents. Nothing better than a nice little heated conversation over the dinner table about the world’s problems. The best part about it as well is that I always win (obviously)!

ANGUS: Younger me so I could put some sense into him.

KOSTA: Harry Potter.

EDUCATION

ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO

The Education portfolio is a key connector between the student body, Deakin University and the DLSS. The Education portfolio focuses on providing academic and wellbeing support to Deakin students One of its most notable achievements is the consistency of the events produced. Continued initiatives each year such as the legal research workshop and writing workshop have allowed the portfolio to create deep rooted relationships with sponsors

The Education portfolio has been around since the beginning of the DLSS and has since produced a variety of high calibre events that provide students with the tools they need to succeed. A notable achievement for the portfolio last year was the inaugural event- ‘The Defence Rests, Why Shouldn’t’ We?’. This event featured 5 panellists with varying backgrounds in the law and aimed to discuss the importance of maintaining a work life balance. The panellists took part in honest and candid conversations about their own challenges and techniques of managing a busy workload and personal life

GOALS FOR 2023

The Education portfolio’s goals for 2023 include the continuation of past events, however we are aiming to redesign the delivery of the content to add a new spin on well-established events. We are excited for our panel ‘The Defence Rests, Why Shouldn't We?’ to be an inperson event and to continue to have honest conversations about wellbeing. We are also collaborating with the Commercial Careers Portfolio for a brand-new event that discusses ‘Legal Pathways’ available to students following the completion of their degree This event will be aimed towards first year students and will answer popular questions regarding clerkships and PLT.

UPCOMING EVENTS

First up is the ‘First Year Crash Course’ on the 15th March. This is the one-stop-shop session for first year students who are looking to get head in their degree We will cover everything from wellbeing, to studying tips, to how to get involved with the DLSS The following week on the 22nd March is our brand new Legal Pathways event aimed to answer all career related questions!

EDUCATION DIRECTOR

MARIETTA is entering her third year of a Bachelor of Laws/Arts degree. She works in retail and enjoys spending time with her cat.

EDUCATION OFFICERS

ALICE is in her second year of a Bachelor of Laws/Arts degree. She works at Bounce hosting children's parties and enjoys the beach.

Most embarrassing school memory?

MARIETTA: In Year 7 when I thought the Kokoda Track was in Australia. Not sure why it has stuck in my head so much but my friends have never let me forget it

ALICE: During online school in 2020. I thought was mic was turned off and started singing. The whole class heard and my teacher laughed at me

MACKENZY is going into her second year as a Bachelor of Laws/Commerce student. She works in retail and hospitality and loves to paint when she has free time.

What has been the best excuse you have given in school?

During year 11 and 12, I was a boarder and if I’d ever forgotten to do work, I’d just say that I’d left it at home (3 hours away) and would never have to hand it in because they thought I lived in the bush! (I lived in an extremely civilised regional town.)

JULIA is in her fourth year as a Bachelor of Laws/Arts student. She works as a legal assistant and loves to chill with her dog or tend to her veggie garden

What has been the latest you’ve left a piece of work before the deadline?

I have definitely mentally thought I've handed in my work and then suddenly remember I haven't. Luckily I’ve never forgotten after the due date! But I do cut it very close.

ENGAGEMENT

ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO

The Engagement Portfolio is the in-person arm of promoting events across the DLSS, ensuring that Law students are getting the most out of their time studying at Deakin. This includes the promotion of DLSS events, initiatives, and social activities, as well as promoting events for external stakeholders to encourage students to expand their education outside of the classroom.

The Engagement Portfolio is brand new to the DLSS in 2023. The aspiration for the Portfolio is to encourage Deakin Law students to return to campus in a post-COVID environment, and for the cohort to maximise their enjoyment of their time receiving an education with Deakin

GOALS FOR 2023

The primary goal for the Engagement Portfolio for 2023 is to establish the Portfolio as a consistent force across the DLSS and the Deakin Law School as a whole. This encourages students to extend their Law education beyond purely what is taught in the classroom. Further, we are wanting to establish the inaugural Deakin Law School Alumni Evening, inviting previous Deakin Law students to share their experiences and network with the current cohort.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Engagement Portfolio will be attending your classes throughout 2023, providing you with a short description and information about relevant upcoming events for both your study and social life. The best way to get involved is just to attend events - and don’t worry if you don’t think you will know anyone, you can always speak to Nick, Dillon or Drisana.

ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR

NICK is heading into his fourth year completing a Bachelor of Laws/Criminology. He is a paralegal and a part-time model (you may have seen him on a Deakin ad or two.)

ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS

DILLON is in his fourth year of a Bachelor of Laws. He distributes beer, wine and spirits and loves long walks on the beach.

How would you market your favourite movie without giving it away?

NICK: “Imagine a donut inside the hole of another donut.”

DILLON: “A detailed depiction of modern Haematology with a twist.”

DRISANA is going into her second year doing a Bachelor of Laws degree. She is a casual employee at Dusk Chadstone and enjoys basketball.

What is your favourite form of social media?

Instagram which a great tool to reach out to a wider audience and share thoughts, ideas and opportunities to the world.

TIPSFOR SURVIVING LAWSCHOOLPORTFOLIOS

Staying consistent and up to date with the content. Once you fall behind on lectures it’s really hard to catch back up so staying on top of it will reduce a lot of stress and be helpful during exam period.

Think in terms of elements and sub-headings.

Starting assignments early - like over the top early, even if it's just a rough plan while the topic is fresh in your brain. It means if something happens or just life gets in the way you never start too late and fall behind.

Finding a group of really good and supportive friends who you can have fun with! Having a really good uni/work/life balance is so important and finding this balance early on is so helpful.

TIPSFOR SURVIVING LAWSCHOOLPORTFOLIOS

Don't make your notes super fancy and pretty as much as I did in my first year, you’ve either learned or will learn that we literally don't have time for it.

Always ask questions when you are unsure! The teachers are always happy to extend a helping hand, and it is okay to be confused sometimes Be proactive about planning and starting assignments Anticipate busy assessment periods and work backwards from there.

Try to attend all seminars and classes throughout the trimester. It will help you keep on track with content and make friends

Learn as quickly as possible what the best resources are for each unit, and stick to those.

Taking regular breaks doing the things you love to avoid getting bogged down in the epic highs and lows of Law School

INDUSTRY CAREERS

ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO

The Industry Careers portfolio aims to provide the Deakin Law School student body with information and insights into career opportunities that exist outside of commercial law. This includes providing opportunities for students to learn about criminal law, family law, personal injury, property law, sports law and succession planning.

The industry Careers portfolio is proud to have provided students with insightful panels each year about a variety of practice areas, including criminal and family law, government law career paths and human rights law.

Most notably, in 2021, the portfolio coordinated the inaugural Deakin Law Students’ Society Barrister Shadowing program, which allowed selected students the opportunity to network one -on-one with some of the best barristers in Victoria. This is a unique opportunity for students, and has proven to be a great success.

GOALS FOR 2023

The industry careers portfolio hopes to grow and scale our initiatives to ensure they provide students with more opportunities to engage with industry law practice areas. This will involve coordinating and hosting more events in person.

UPCOMING EVENTS

To get involved, keep an eye out for announcements on DLSS social media. Our flagship networking event “An Evening with the Industry Professionals” will be a great opportunity for students to network with representatives from a variety of firms and learn about the broad range of practice areas that industry careers represents.

INDUSTRY CAREERS DIRECTOR

BAILIEJEAN is heading into her fourth year of a Bachelor of Laws/Criminology. She works as a receptionist at a boutique law firm. She loves to play and watch sport, travel and cook.

INDUSTRY CAREERS OFFICERS

CONNOR is in his second year as a Bachelor of Laws student. He works as a casual traffic controller, retail assistant and a casual legal assistant.

What is your dream career (besides law)?

BAILIEJEAN: to be a professional traveller. I love travelling and wish it was a viable option to spend my life travelling around the world If this was my job, I’d probably also want to document my travels by writing a blog or sharing my favourite photos of each place on social media.

CONNOR: be either something in motorsport (F1), or golf. Maybe a talent manager/agent in either Motorsport, golf, other sports related industry or even arts related industry such as the music or acting industry.

EMILIE is going into her second year of a Bachelor of Laws/Criminology She works at Kmart and is a swimming instructor. She loves to spend time with family and friends down by the beach. She also enjoys learning new recipes and playing netball.

ISABELLE is a fourth year student completing a Bachelor of Laws/Criminology. She is a legal assistant and loves to play soccer, read and belly dance.

Which area of law do you believe to be the most difficult?

EMILIE: Family law. To witness the trauma on families and the children on a daily basis would take a significant emotional toll. However, to be able to protect the vulnerable in our society would be extremely fulfilling.

ISABELLE: I believe the most difficult area of law would be criminal law as it significantly changes an individual’s life dramatically whether being the victim or the accused.

MARKETING

ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO

The DLSS Marketing Portfolio acts as the bridge between the society and law students, ensuring that the events and initiatives are successfully promoted to our student base as well as ensuring that students are aware of available opportunities. The Marketing team manages all social media platforms for the DLSS and utilises these platforms to successfully connect with Deakin Law students. The Marketing team is also responsible for the DLSS O-Week stall as well as DLSS merchandise.

Despite the inconsistency of lockdowns over the previous few years, the Marketing Portfolio has successfully marketed over 100 events, inclusive of selling out our prestigious Law Ball in 2022. In 2022, the Marketing team re-released our merchandise and also dropped fresh designs later in the year.

GOALS FOR 2023

In 2023, the Marketing Portfolio’s main goal is to increase connectivity between the DLSS and Deakin Law students. Through our recent social media rebranding as well as the introduction of our TikTok, the Marketing team are aiming to engage more personally with students and create a sense of community and belonging for students, and encourage students to attend networking events and competitions.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Two words: DLSS TikTok! Coming soon… stay tuned!

Our O-Week stall will be held on the Burwood Campus on 27 February 2023, and we have some very exciting things available for the first 100 people that sign up to a DLSS membership (did someone say Yo-Chi…?) We will also be releasing an exciting merchandise drop around midyear, with completely fresh designs, as well as a surprise - our lips are sealed!

Make sure you follow our social media platforms to stay in the loop, to be connected to DLSS, be first in the know about upcoming events and initiatives, to sign up for competitions and of course, to message us with any questions that you may have!

We have had an amazing start to the year and we cannot wait to support all of the other portfolios with their initiatives for the year, to connect with students and for whatever 2023 has in store!

MARKETING DIRECTOR

BETH is in her third year completing a Bachelor of Laws/Arts. She is a paralegal at WorkSafe.

MARKETING OFFICERS

ERICA is going into her second year as a Bachelor of Laws/Arts and works at Louis Vuitton.

How would you market your favourite movie without giving it away?

BETH: My fave movie is Little Women (2019) and I would take Laurie and Jo’s hill scene and just plaster it all over every social media and city billboards.

ERICA: Divergent - an elevated version of main protagonist breaking the norms and lead hottie four

FIRAS is beginning his third year of a Bachelor of Laws/Commerce and works at Woolies.

LUCY is in her third year doing a Bachelor of Laws/Science.

What is your favourite form of social media?

FIRAS: Instagram because it has a bit of everything.

LUCY: Instagram because it is like having a fun little diary that I can look back on.

SOCIAL JUSTICE & EQUITY

ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO

The SJE portfolio aims to encourage discussion around contemporary legal and social issues to promote a culture of reflective and compassionate thinking. The portfolio also aims to ensure that the DLSS and more broadly the law school is inclusive and accessible to all students.

The SJE portfolio is a relatively newer portfolio and has been around since 2020. The portfolio generally has been responsible for running events that aim to encourage discussion around social justice and inclusivity within the law, as well as other initiatives including podcasts, blogs, fundraisers, handbooks and more.

GOALS FOR 2023

The goals for the SJE portfolio in 2023 is to offer insight into a broad range of issues and to further the existing initiatives from previous years The portfolio aims to not only be educational, but also provoke students to question the legal industry and the laws themselves, since these students will have the opportunity to shape the industry and maybe even create new laws The portfolio also aims to have an overarching view over the DLSS to ensure that it is promoting a culture of inclusivity, and is supportive of all students

UPCOMING EVENTS

We would love for students to come to our SJE 2023 events! We aim to initiate insightful conversations that we believe students will greatly benefit from. These include; a Gender and LGBTQIA+ Diversity in the Law Keynote Address, a Volunteering in the Law Expo, a Climate Change and the Law Panel and a Legal Reform and changing the Law Panel. We also encourage students to listen to our podcast or read our blog if they would like to improve their knowledge of current affairs or social justice and the law.

SJ&E DIRECTOR

LAURA is in her fourth year completing a Bachelor of Laws/Commerce. She works as a Local Councillor and a Student Ambassador. She enjoys footy and basketball and loves playing the piano and attending live music events.

SJ&E OFFICERS

MIORA is going into her fourth year doing a Bachelor of Laws/Arts degree. She works for Youth Victoria and is the Youth Governor of Victoria for Youth Parliament. When she is not working or volunteering she is normally playing guitar or reading!

SWATHIKA is beginning her fifth year as a Bachelor of Laws/Arts student. She is a paralegal at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. She loves dancing, and would probably show up to any pop up dance class in town!

BELLA is in her fifth year doing a Bachelor of Laws/International Studies. She works as a receptionist and spends as much time as she can outside at the beach, in the forest of rollerskating.

MIHAIL is our queer officer for 2023. He is entering into his third year as a Bachelor of Laws/Arts student. He works at an ice-cream truck and likes playing and streaming games and reading.

What is one topical issue in law you would like to be discussed further?

LAURA: I would like to discuss the overarching ways the law adds to and perpetuates barriers, and how access to justice is systemically classist.

MIORA: How the legal system, although progressing, still has a long way to go in being inclusive and breaking down inaccessibility barriers

SWATHIKA: I believe there is plenty of room for reform in the Immigration Detention System in Australia The process for claiming asylum should not be as unjust or difficult, starting with offshore processing

BELLA: I would love to talk more about the vast disparities in the way the legal system currently functions for Indigenous Australians, and how we can work towards dismantling the systems of inequality

MIHAIL: Some of the complicated language which is used within the profession, although technicality is important there are some instances which i believe it is not required and it actively hurts everyday people who are trying to access the legal system.

TIPSFOR SURVIVING LAWSCHOOLPORTFOLIOS

Coffee, music, being with your friends !!!

Take good notes that you know will be useful in exam season.

Create a short concise version of your notes that you will use during an exam. This is especially helpful with the return of timed law exams

Referencing the handbook and shift f7 all the way

Involve yourself in the university life to meet people in your degree. It makes attending class and studying so much easier as you want to go to see your friends at the very least

It also helps to grow your network going into the profession after you finish law school.

TIPSFOR SURVIVING LAWSCHOOLPORTFOLIOS

Do the readings and attend seminars, as much as you don’t want to do them sometimes, there is a reason why they’re given to us !

Be patient. Law school is tough and time consuming so be patient with the material to grasp an understanding, and be patient with yourself in completing tasks to ensure you can complete your work to a standard you are proud of.

Once you skip a lecture it’s very easy to keep skipping. Go in-person as much as you possibly can, build strong habits and lean on your friendsyou’ll need each other!

Be proactive! Start with content a week earlier than the trimester begins so you can stay a week ahead. This establishes a strong start to each trimester and helps with not falling behind when assignment season is on the horizon.

Set a study plan to make sure you stay on top of your readings, lectures and assignments!

GET INVOLVED

The easiest way to get involved is to become a DLSS member to stay updated on all our upcoming work and events.

Events such a panels, competitions, networking nights, publications are all really great ways to meet new people and start participating in University life.

If you would like to have a role within the committee, keep an eye out for First Year and JD Representative elections during Trimester 1. DLSS officer applications for 2024 will also open in November.

WELCOME!

The committee is thrilled to welcome you into another year of Law school.

We are so excited for the upcoming year and are elated to be your committee and guide you through this year. We are always here for you to and will be here support your journey through your time at university and beyond.

- The DLSS of 2023