This publication is provided free of charge from the Deakin Law Students' Society (DLSS) on the understanding that the editors, all contributors and any other persons related to this publication are not responsible for the actions of readers based on the information, error or omission in the publication. The views given in the publication do not necessarily represent the views of the editors, DLSS or Deakin Law school. This publication is copyrighted. 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 person, without special written consent of the Deakin Law Students' Society.
Acknowledgements
Design & Editor: Sophia Qureshi
Editor in Chief: Priyanka Sharma Contact
Email: secretary@deakinlss.org
Website: deakinlss.org
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which the DLSS is founded, the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation. We recognise their continued connection to the land and waters. We pay our respects to Wurundjeri Elders past, present, and emerging and extend this respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Elders and people from other communities.
President’s Welcome
My name is Lucy French, and I am the President of the Deakin Law Students’ Society for 2025.
The DLSS functions as an endeavour run by students and for students, dedicated to offering Deakin Law students opportunities to delve into their legal passions, establish lasting connections, and depart university feeling self-assured and ready for the legal field. Our engaging events, informative publications, and esteemed competitions accomplish this objective.
Whether you are a new student navigating higher education for the first time or a seasoned learner seeking to expand your horizons, this guide is the place for you. Like many of you, I was worried about commencing my university experience, feeling overwhelmed and uncertain. Commencing my degree in 2020, with Elle Woods as the only lawyer I knew, I understand the nerves and fear of the unknown that many of you are likely to be experiencing.
Now, entering my final year with diverse real-world. experiences and knowledge, I still vividly recall my first few days
at university and how overwhelming the concept of meeting new people, understanding new ideas, and adjusting to a new way of learning was. However, I took the say yes approach and decided to make the most of my time at university. This opened the door to my role with the DLSS, starting as a Sponsorship Officer and leading me to where I am today within the DLSS.
Reflecting near the end of my degree, I am immensely grateful for my pivotal decision to embrace the unknown, despite lacking any prior legal experience. In essence, I want to emphasise that you are the writer of your story and can make anything happen if you put your mind to it. From my perspective, the vital skills for navigating law school successfully include practicing self-compassion and embracing growth opportunities. Trust that with time and effort, everything else will eventually fall into place.
Lucy French 2025 President Deakin Law Students’ Society
What is the DLSS?
The Deakin Law Students’ Society (‘DLSS’) is a student-led organisation operating on behalf of the Deakin Law student cohort. As one of Deakin University’s longest standing student societies, it is our goal to facilitate and allow Law students to maximise their university experience through social events, competitions, publications, panels, workshops, and work experiences.
As a member of the DLSS, you not only have access to discounted tickets to the hottest events in the Deakin law calendar, but you also gain access to a wide range of career-based initiatives and join a beautiful community of law students.
Become a Member
Get to Know Your Librarian
Mrs. Michelle Bendall is our esteemed law librarian. She is your go-to person for any legal research relevant queries. The following interview includes a few questions for you to get to know her a little better, as she is a pillar of support to students undergoing their law degrees.
What initially ignited your passion for law and research?
It was whilst working as a casual Administrative Assistant at the Law Institute of Victoria after I finished university The work involved assisting with investigations of professional misconduct. When I pursued a professional career as a law librarian, I knew that I always wanted to work in a role that involved undertaking legal research Like the Victorian case [mentioned later in the interview], any aspect of legal research normally involves some form of historical analysis to understand how & why the law is today, and there’s always a story to be told in that.
Scholarly Services Librarian, Law
BA (Legal Studies), Grad Dip Inf Serv , FHEA
What is a useful library resource that you believe students may overlook?
The Law & Legal Research guides. Some students use them in first year law units and then forget about them. These guides are developed to be a useful resource for undertaking any type of legal research throughout your law degree.
Is there a case that has stuck with you since your first read? If so, why?
Futuretronics International Pty Ltd v Gadzhis [1992] 2 VR 217. It is a Victorian case about real estate auctions and misleading conduct. Justice Ormiston had a real storytelling way of judgment writing and the opening paragraph really catches your attention He also provided a detailed analysis of the history of the law in Victoria.
What is the most frequent concern brought to your attention by law students? How would you address it?
Students who start their legal research using Google can quickly be overwhelmed with information overload and are unable to critically evaluate which sources are appropriate for them to rely on.
Always start your legal research with a relevant Law & Legal Research guide, and be systematic in the way you undertake legal research. There is a time and place for using Google Scholar for legal research after you have undertaken research in these resources
What is one piece of advice you offer Deakin Law Students?
Do not expect to know everything about legal research before O Week. Training in undertaking legal research is embedded in the law curriculum and you will build your legal research skills throughout your degree, one step - one unit, at a time The ability to undertake legal research and reference according to the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (AGLC) style is a graduate skill expected by future employers Get to know the AGLC early by reading Part 1 of the AGLC before you start referencing sources. The AGLC is not just for university studies - it is used throughout the Australian legal community
Finally, take advantage of the great events and programs offered by the DLSS. The first place to start is by reading this very useful guide.
Deakin Library Resource Guides
The Deakin Library is home to a plentitude of resources that can help you in your studies. The best place to start is almost always the Deakin Library Resource Guides. These guides are tools tailored to the study and assignments of Law students and step you through tasks such as using legal abbreviations, legal researching, and legal referencing. Included are links to some of the many guides at your disposal accompanied by an overview of when each could be useful.
Deakin Library Resource Guides
The Law and Legal Research Hub is home to shortcuts to all other law guides. This is the perfect place if you are unsure of which guide will best suit your needs.
The Legal Research Basics guide takes you through the different types of sources at your disposal, legal writing skills, and when to use, and not to use, Google.
The Australian Guide to Legal Citation, 4th edition (AGLC4) is the accepted Legal referencing standard in Australia. The text itself can be quite overwhelming and complicated to apply to your written work. The Legal Referencing guide will help you contextualise and use the AGLC4 in your law assessments and is a brilliant point to get started when referencing.
You can access a free and complete PDF version of the AGLC4 through the Melbourne University website.
Legal Research Databases
When undertaking Legal Research, properly understanding which databases to use will elevate your research and legal knowledge. There are two main databases which Deakin Law students have access to through Deakin Library - Westlaw Australia and Lexis+ Australia. Other resources such as AustLII and Halsbury Laws of Australia are also useful and accessible through the library.
Legal Research Skills
In order to conduct meaningful research you should attract relevant sources of information. To do this you should identify key words and phrases relating to the topic you are researching.
Synonyms can be used to expand your search results. Synonyms can be used by using the advanced search tab when searching.
Filtering by ‘peer-reviewed’ sources will yield credible results from your search.
Using quotation marks around a phrase will ensure the words are grouped as one term in the search
Deakin Library allows you to save sources found in your search so you can easily find them at a later time. You can group these sources to keep them together for assignments.
Searches can also be limited by source type, campus location, field of study, or date range. Sources can also be sorted by relevance and date of publication.
Legal Research Skills
Using boolean operators refines the results yielded from your search. Boolean operators increase the specificity of your results by narrowing or broadening the scope of the search. Using boolean operators ensures that the sources yielded from your search are relevant to the work you are doing. The following image identifies some of the most commonly used boolean operators that can be used in your research.
The Australian Guide to Legal Citation 4 (‘AGLC4’) is the golden resource for law students when undertaking legal research. This referencing guide is vital in ensuring that the referencing you do in assignments is adequate. When done correctly, legal referencing coroborates the legitimacy of your work and secures the easy marks in your assignments.
Healthy Study Habits
Study in Intervals
Studying law involves consuming a lot of content, from textbook readings to case judgements. By staggering the study blocks and taking on one chunk at a time, you can minimise the overwhelm that comes with completing your course work.
Schedule
Scheduling is really important to help you manage your time and commitments. When creating a schedule, block out non-negotiable’s first such as work, sports, or time to relax. Schedule study around everything else to ensure you aren’t over committing yourself.
Minimise Distractions
Declutter and simplify your study space, use earplugs or noise cancelling earphones, turn-off notifications, or even hide or lock away your phone!
Take care of yourself
Law is a marathon, not a sprint. Maintain a healthy study/life balance by sleeping and eating well, exercising, working, and spending time doing what you enjoy. You can further support your social life by attending DLSS events!
Study Support
Turnitin is a service which upholds academic integrity by checking for any unoriginal or potentially plagarised material present in your work. This is a brilliant resource to use before submittig an assessment. It is best to allow a 48 hour gap when using Turnitin to receive your result prior to submission.
Peer mentoring sessions are available for students from Week 1-5 every trimester either online or on campus. They offer advice covering topics such as choosing your major, effective study notes, and general wellbeing.
Writing mentors are available where students need help with assignment questions, research, academic writing and referencing.
The Handbook outlines the rules and requirements surrounding your course including compulsory units, trimester dates, student rights and responsibilities, and detailed information about each degree.
The Indigenous Students page contains links to resources for indigenous students such as the NIKERI Institute, counselling, and tutoring through the Indigenous Tutorial Network.
DeakinTALENT
DeakinTALENT is a hub for all things career, professional development, and practical legal experience at Deakin. These services are available for students and alumni for the rest of your working life. Included below are some resources that you may find useful.
Resumes and Cover Letters
It’s important when applying for graduate roles, Work Integrated Learning (‘WIL’) positions, internships, and clerkships to ensure that you have a resume and cover letter that is up to scratch. The DeakinTALENT site provides access to resume and cover letter templates for law students, as well as a Resume Review function that gives your advice and feedback on your resume.
Jobs and Internships
DeakinTALENT offers job advertisements for part time work, internships, clerkships and graduate roles on the Jobs and Internships Board.
Work Integrated Learning
Alongside promoting work and internships opportunities, DeakinTALENT can also be used as a resource to source Work Integrated Learning (‘WIL’) placements. In order to receive further information and updates about available opportunities, subscribe to WIL updates as well as general email updates when creating your DeakinTALENT account.
