Torts Illustrated (Issue 4, 2015)

Elective reviews Humans of Lawbry domestic violence in bhutan

The Christmas Edition.

Thank you to our wonderful sponsors, McCullough Robertson Lawyers, for supporting the QUT Law Society and allowing us to produce this quarterly publication.

Particular acknowledgment goes to the newly appointed publications group, especially Helen Driscoll, Kate Droney, Emily Ryan and Nina VVos. The 2015 publications team have set a high standard for their successors. On behalf of Publications 2016 we look forward to bringing you another year of great reading.

CONTENTS Editor’s Salution .......................................1 Editor’s Welcome .......................................5 Executive Handover Events .......................................6 Moot Club .......................................8 Competitions .......................................8 General Content Indigenous Scholarship .......................................9

Trending in 2015 ......................................10 Electives Evaluation ......................................12 First Year Law ......................................14 Banking and Law ......................................16

Humans of the Lawbry ......................................18 Clerking at KWM ......................................22

Behind your Handshake ......................................24 LLB445 Review ......................................26 Music Review ......................................28

Minter Ellison Interview .....................................29 Travelling Sierra Nevada ......................................30 Decoding your Coffee ......................................32

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TORTS ILLUSTRATED | December Christmas editon | 2015

2015 Editor’s Salutations Written from the Dungeons of C Block…

Finally, it has happened. I’ve finally been disposed of.

A coup of such rampaging force has toppled me from my lofty heights as QUTLS Editor.

Leading a distinctly non-violent and democratic campaign, Nikki and the new publications team have committed treason and toppled me from my diamond-encrusted throne.

A devious plot, a cunning tale of regicide and heart break has laid waste to my once magnificent, pun-filled kingdom.

I am genuinely excited to read what the new team has to show next year – with many of the stars of the publications team in 2015 returning to the limelight in 2016, I can definitely see that the new magazines, Facebook content, and every other piece of marketing material from QUTLS will have a new professionalism and quality that we have never seen!

In fair QUT Law Society, a new mutiny has certainly broken.

Civil hands have been made unclean by my civil blood, and what here I shall miss, my toil in this accursed dungeon shall strive to mend.

Please continue to keep supporting the literacy and creative efforts of your fellow law colleagues, and we can continue to witness the meteoric rise of QUTLS under new and extremely competent leadership.

I wish you all the best, fair readers, and I apologise for all of the threats, taunts, and defamatory remarks that I’ve produced against all of your good names.

I urge you to drop all of the law suits and class actions, as I promise to never again take such vicious control of a publications team.

May the odds be ever in your favour, in a galaxy far, far away….

But in all seriousness, I wish Nikki and her wonderful and energetic team all the best with their endeavours!

I urge you all to lay your weapons down, cease your relentless ‘proElliot’ propaganda, and call off the planned riots – enough blood and poor grammar has been spilt on my behalf.

May the word-thirsty reign of Nikki’s be long, fruitful, and strike fear into the hearts of her enemies.

Yours, E.

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2016 Editor’s Welcome

Most honourable readers.

Perhaps the Christmas carols following my every move have inadvertently induced me with a sense of Christmas cheer and it is with merry pleasure that I bring you this QUTLS tradition - Torts Illustrated, The Summer Edition.

Entering my first year as Vice President of Media Communications for the 2016 QUT Law Society, I hope to deliver a year of great publicaitions.

A high calbire of work has been exemplified in this portfolio, thanks to Elliot and his brilliant team of 2015!

Jokes aside, I do hope this light hearted and informative read brings you many of those ‘You can do that?!’ and ‘Thank god I’m not alone’ filled moments.

I sure have revelled in many articles this magazine has produced during my three years here.

Without any further adieu, sit back, relax and enjoy our Summer Edition.

Merry Christmas & Happy New year!

Nikki.

I am delighted to report my fellow publication and design team of ‘16 are all genius’s.

Not only that, but we are now a full female force. ... Que the resounding ahh as you likely draw inferences from our pastel pink coloured cover.

Magazines in the law faculty saw a dramatic change when Torts Illustrated swooned in and took out the names of E L James and Stephen King.

With a vision to shake things up a bit, I can vouch the initiative has served the people in our Lawbry for the better.

With the responsibility now in my hands, I will personally ensure its legacy is fulflled.

Comments or feedback about the issue? Please email: vp.mediacommunication@ qutlawsociety.com

*No legally binding intentions.

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TORTS ILLUSTRATED | December Christmas editon | 2015

executive handover

The time has come to say good bye to the 2015 executive team of QUT Law Society.

For the final time, the directors take the stand....

Events 2015

Uday Piyaratne – QUTLS Events Director 2015 This year’s events were by far one of the best years the QUT Law Society has ever had!

The first semester kicked off with a great Meet the Profession event as we decided to move away from tradition and hosted the event at the new Room 360 at QUT. This was a brilliant venue change and featured the best views available on campus, this made it memorable for all those who attended and kicked off the events season nicely.

Next, our Law Ball beat all expectations and was officially the largest event ever

hosted by the QUT Law Society.

The event hosted over 1250 people over both top floors of Cloudland.

It included five differently themed rooms and was an indescribable experience for anyone who attended with everything ranging from Brazilian Dancers to our very own Black Light Rave Cave.

In the second semester we had our very first QUTLS Pub Crawl.

This new initiative was created with the intention of gathering law students to bond over a mutual love of alcohol.

The pub-crawlers stumbled their way across Brisbane and had a surprisingly large turnout.

This fun and intoxicating night brought together many students from varying stages of their law degree for a night of classic debauchery.

Many new friends were made, many drinks were had and many memories were made (that is if these memories could be recalled).

As the night was so successful, we plan for the QUTLS Pub Crawl to become an annual event and hope for it to become even bigger and better than it already is.

Another first was our UQLS x QUTLS Battle of the Bands, this event featured four UQ bands and two QUT bands.

All the bands played a mixture of their own original songs and their own cover versions of pop songs.

The event brought the two law schools closer together for a night of amazing entertainment and drunk sing-a-longs.

Finally, we had the incredible 2015 QUT Law Dinner and this event was the icing on the cake for the QUTLS events team.

The dinner was held at the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Hotel and had over 300 guests in attendance and included a speech from the prestigious and very entertaining guest speaker the Honourable Justice Jackson.

Despite a few broken glasses, the night ran smoothly and was a great success.

The after party at the Stock Exchange Hotel provided more fun for party-goers up until the early hours of the morning.

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Going into my role as Events Director this year was a very daunting experience, especially given the great work by last year’s Event’s Director.

The year was full of many highs and lows, and took incredible effort and planning behind the scenes. However, everything went remarkably and I wouldn’t trade the amazing experience for anything.

This year’s tremendous success was only made possible with all the behind the scenes effort from this year’s committee and I would like to thank everyone involved for helping out and keeping me sane throughout the year.

I hope to see next year’s Events Team do even a better job, especially since most of this year’s team will be continuing on in next year’s committee.

So make sure you keep an eye out for some unbelievable events in 2016!

I’ll leave you all with a quote that sums up my term as Events Director: “If you have the opportunity to play this game of life you need to appreciate every moment.

A lot of people don’t appreciate the moment until it’s passed.”

– Kanye West.

TORTS ILLUSTRATED | December Christmas editon | 2015

Moot Club 2015

Shereen Parvez Director of QUTLS Moot Club 2015 2015 has been an exciting and action-packed year for the newly formed QUTLS Moot CLUB! After months of planning, we launched the Moot Club and also released a comprehensive mooting guide that will assist students in their preparation for both internal and external mooting competitions at QUT. In this final address, I would like to quickly thank Tim Alexander, Lucy Munt, Dan Roe and Kimberly McCosker for their involvement in the Moot Club this year.

They were instrumental in its success.

I would also like to wish Ethan Hyde and Alastair Page the best of luck for next year as they take over the Moot Club in 2016.

I hope that the experience is equally as enjoyable and rewarding for you guys as it was for me.

Finally, good luck to all the students who will compete in any of our competitions in 2016 and beyond.

It is an incredibly valuable experience so please embrace every opportunity and give it your best go.

Competitions

Ben Pool Director of QUTLS Competitions 2015 With 2015 and my time with QUTLS coming to an end, I’d like to wrap things up with five reasons as to why you should try mooting in 2016.

1) Developing oral advocacy skills is important for any aspiring lawyer.

Adding mooting to your CV will show employers the steps you’ve taken to achieve this.

2) Whilst your first moot may be intimidating, it offers an excellent opportunity to learn the ropes and make mistakes without your grades or job on the line.

3) Receive (free) advice from practising barristers and solicitors on navigating legal argument and court proceedings.

4) Build your network by meeting practitioners, members of QUTLS and fellow mooters.

5) Mooting can offer a great sense of personal achievement. Duking it out with your fellow students in a moot court offers a great taste as to what a career in Law has in store for you.

Thank you all for a great year.

McCullough Robertson sparks hope for Indigenous law students Shekira Cardona, Bachelor of Laws, second year.

I was only 17 years old when I walked into McCullough Robertson’s Eagle Street office, only two months into my law degree.

Initially, I was nervous and unsure what to expect.

However, the relationship I have built with the firm over the last two years since being awarded the McCullough Robertson Scholarship for Indigenous Students has only been positive.

Every time I have entered the office, I have felt welcomed and valued.

The opportunities that McCullough Robertson have opened for me have been incredibly beneficial for my development as a law student and for my future career aspirations. From a single parent family, the financial aid has allowed me to cover uni supplies.

McCullough Robertson has opened doors that I would not have otherwise known existed.

The firm’s dedication to improving Indigenous education and opportunity is so fundamental for the development and advancement of not only myself and other Indigenous law students, but also the Indigenous community as a whole.

I am incredibly thankful for the firm’s dedication in improving the lives of my people.

I look forward to my continuous engagement with the firm throughout my law degree and am excited for the future I have with the firm.

Receiving mentoring from one of the firm’s grads has allowed me to seek out advise from first-hand experience.

Additionally, included in the scholarship is the chance to undertake work experience with the firm in the new year.

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TRENDS AND PHASES OF 2015 Helen Driscoll reviews the bizarre and the unconventional trends that have come to light in the urban age of 2015.

Hearing ‘bae’ used in reference to ones partner brought upon cringes and slight internal retching, that is, of course, until I started using it myself.

Initially ironically, then became natural as I referred to friends, randoms and actual bae alike as ‘bae’. Shudder.

I think this one will be sticking around for 2016.

Ridiculous Doughnut Phenomena Doughnuts have taken the food scene by storm.

Donut Boyz, Doughnut Time, Doughnut Bar, Dick’s Donuts, have completely overshadowed the humble Krispy Kreme, Donut King or the woolies cinnamon yumminess with their average one flavor and one colour.

Doughnuts now need to be GINORMOUS and BURSTING with NUTELLA or glazed with PRETZELS and CARAMEL and even BACON. Jam doesn’t cut it anymore.

Diabetes is in.

‘Bae’ For the most part of the year, I was under the impression ‘bae’ was just a lamer and more mushy and bogan like way of saying ‘babe’.

A thoughtful individual thankfully corrected me quite promptly.

‘Bae’ actually stands for ‘before anyone else’. Ugh.

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The Man Bun The controversial do has been around and about this year, sported amongst the younger gentleman in a variety of different ways.

Done well and on the right individual, it could ooze style and confidence... But that only applies for about 5% of the male population.

Unfortunately, the knot looks completely and utterly wrong on the other 95 per cent.

There are those who’se locks were never long enough, to those whose mop was long enough but had not yet understood the difference between bed bun and pubicly-acceptable bun; something women have masterd.

Even Leonardo Dicaprio himself could not wear it well.

Fifty Shades of Erotica Not much to elaborate on here. Just that women of all ages are reading saucy novels openly on public transport, the content of which is easily readable by the person in the accompanying seat is now completely the norm. There is no need to hide under the covers in the dead of the night.

In fact, Fifty Shades and that alike seems to now be a popular topic of controversial dinner conversation. The phenomena, has created mass debate (probs not appropriate haha) / much discussion provoking very different views from feminists and women all over. Bringing it out of the dungeon and into the light? Pun intended.

‘Netflix and Chill’ Coming over to ‘watch a movie’ has been replaced, ‘netflix and chill’ is now the new code word for not watching that Netflix episode and chilling.

Apparently, according to @m4tt on engadget.com (much credible, such reliable), Netflix has actually developed a prototype for a ‘chill’ function called ‘The Switch’.

Activating this dims the lights and triggers the ‘do not disturb’ feature on your smart phone, allowing Netflix to stream ahead without interruption.

Netflix and Chill has created many a new social media connotations, with insta shots now captioned [insert relevant activity] and chill, attracting much virtual applause and giggles from fellow scrollers.

I feel this one will be hanging around for a while.

The Dress The item of clothing that drove everyone bonkers. What colour is it? Is it gold or is it blue? Am I colour blind?

Selfie Stick Is it the angle of the screen? Why is it To be honest, probably the best thing when I open it in this tab it’s blue and ever invented. when I open it in this one it’s gold?

No more crammed awkward group Such questions plagued much of the shots where one unfortunate person’s beginning of 2015, #dressgate was a chin is oversized and another has only viral phenomenon. half their face featured.

To blame for this overwhelming online Struggling to get the perfect angle for drama we have a Scottish couple who that snap story in order to feature your posted a picture of the dress which entire outfit? was planned to be worn to a wedding.

The selfie stick will also fix this According to science, it’s all to do problem. with the way the light enters the eye Yay selfie stick. through the lens. The company and manufacturer, Roman Originals has Helen Driscoll, Bachelor of Law/ Journalism, confirmed the actual colour scheme is Publication officer, fourth year. black and blue. So there we go.

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elective evaluation reviewing

regulation of business

Regulation of Business was definitely a great elective, one that I am glad to have undertaken.

I couldn’t encourage future students enough to take full advantage of the Discussion Forum; not only can you ask (almost) anything on the forum and have it answered, I also found it helpful to read the questions other students had posted and their respective answers and feedback.

This is where the teaching staff really shine as they are so welcome to questions and often give clues (more like answers) to specific assignment content.

First years and fourth years alike should enrol – the teachers offer first year students a friendly and attentive introduction to the Law Faculty and the content offers more advanced students an opportunity to boost their GPA. The content is admittedly quite dry if you aren’t interested in the commercial and corporate law sectors, but it is also easy enough to grasp for those uninterested students.

The unit content is structured into three hour workshops, which was so great.

This meant that there was no conventional tutorial and for internal students who are working and often miss tutorials due to impending assessment due dates or work commitments, this means that you will have full access to all the content an external student would have access to.

I found the most memorable part of this unit was the teaching staff. Felicity and Danielle were fantastic, very attentive and did not hold back on giving feedback on assessment.

I found their exceptional teaching styles especially evident through the Blackboard Discussion Forum.

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Claudia Baldwin, Bachelor of Laws/ Business, fourth year.

The assessment was by no means “hard�, but the two assignments were quite time consuming.

The second assignment, the problem solving task, is only difficult in that it takes a lot of time at a hefty 3,000 words.

The text book was invaluable to all assessment and is a must to rent or buy for this unit!

The final exam is open book and multiple choice, however, Felicity and Danielle somehow managed to make it quite challenging.

The first assignment, the critical essay, was by far the most challenging in that the teaching staff gave students free rein on how to approach the set topic.

With that said, I think it was a personal preference as to whether a student enjoyed this and, for me, I found it perplexing but rewarding.

Overall, the unit was well-structured, the assessment was challenging but easy enough to get good marks in, and the teaching staff were fantastic.

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FIRST YEAR LAW. I never thought I wanted to do law and was even studying behind enemy lines before I saw the light late last year.

exam was going to be the most difficult thing I would ever do in my law degree.

However, once I finally figured out what an authority was and overcame my immense confusion about the differences between a highway and non-highway offence (which was really quite obvious), I did as much ISAAC-ing as one can possibly do, I felt more than ready for the exam.

I wasn’t overly sure where a Bachelor of Journalism and Science was going to lead me and toyed with the idea of throwing law into the mix.

However, it wasn’t until my Law and Order: SVU loving mother dragged me along to the Baden-Clay trial that I thought law could be for me.

Throughout the year, QUT Law Society offered us lowly-first-years many opportunities to get involved and improve our legal skills.

One of which was the Ashurst First Year Moot, which after the information session, sounded like an excellent idea.

However, it wasn’t until we received our topic that we realised we were in big trouble, having never heard of the words conversion or detinue before in our lives.

And so I started the tedious process of lodging another QTAC application and the slightly less confusing process of enrolling into a Bachelor of Law and Journalism at QUT. Conquering the infamous first year subject of torts was my first goal, and with all the hype and horror stories passed down through generations of law students, this seemed like a nearly impossible feat.

This combined with the fact that in week two we were told that time was ticking and asked why we hadn’t memorised all of the authorities yet, it sure seemed like this closed book

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We soldiered on and with help from a very wise fourth year student, we crafted some sort of argument as to why a sloth should be classified as a domestic and not feral creature.

Then much to our shock, we realised we would have to discuss that submission for a whole seven minutesbrilliant!

To say we were very worried when the preliminary rounds rolled around would be a dramatic understatement.

However, pre-mooting chats with our opposition helped to calm our nerves somewhat before we entered what we thought was going to be an absolute whitewash (most definitely not in our favour).

We were bombarded with questions, which while we weren’t overly sure how to answer, we put on our most convincing lawyer-like voices and offered some kind of an answer to the Judges.

Although their Honours later informed us that they were actually agreeing with us the majority of the time, we were acting in the heat of the moment and there was no time for our passion to cool and thus didn’t realise that a simple “yes Your Honour” would have sufficed. Overall, mooting was a very good experience and I would strongly recommend anyone give it a go at least once!

Another initiative I got involved in during the year was the Dive In Day at Allens and Linklaters. This only came about due to my procrastination, which led me to actually read one of the numerous emails from the QUT Law Society.

While they may seem like spam and only serve the purpose of clogging up your inbox, these emails have lots of hidden gems offering opportunities for work experience or information sessions and are good to have a scroll through once in a while.

The Dive In Day was another good experience and gave me a taste of what an application process involves and more importantly, what corporate law is all about.

I would encourage everyone to apply for these opportunities, because why not? You’ve got nothing to lose and a lot to gain!

Overall, the first year has been a whirlwind! I’ve met some great people and have tried my hand a few daunting, yet rewarding programs the law school has to offer.

While I still can’t answer the question that is guaranteed to follow after telling someone you’re a law student, “so what area are you specialising in?” because, well I’ve only done two substantive subjects, I know at least it probably won’t be torts because I certainly do not want to have to deal with pure economic loss ever again!

I’m beginning to taste the real world and while I’m hesitant to say that I’m looking forward to the rest of my degree, at least now I can say I’m one-fifth a lawyer!

Oh no there’s that PLT thing (whatever that is), make that 1/6th.

Bridgette Vanderwolf, Bachelor of Law/Journalism.

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Banking and finance Law Scott Vanderwolf, Bachelor of Laws/ Business, sixth year.

As a relatively new subject to the QUT law degree, Banking and Finance Law is aimed at students nearing the end of their study.

The assignment for the subject focused on the application and relevance of the Code of Banking Practice, and as a research piece, provided an opportunity for in-depth analysis of recent banking transactions, particularly in regards to guarantees and mortgages.

Structure-wise, the course is delivered as weekly two hour lectures, with the assessment made up of a 40% assignment, and 60% examination.

As this was the first semester to feature a closed book exam, I found the exam challenging in regards to other units, however the marking rewarded effort, and from the feedback provided, most students did well on the paper.

Leveraging the law school’s relationship with King and Wood Mallesons, the first eight weeks of content are delivered by the firm, with the remainder of the course delivered by Bill Dixon and Nicola Howell.

As a dual degree finance and law student, studying Banking and Finance Law helped my understanding of commercial banking practice, while also furthering my knowledge of financial system regulation.

The access to Aaron Bourke and the team at Mallesons allows for a completeness in content and teaching, as the commercial experience of the staff gives a real-world perspective on the content.

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The content is designed to inform students of best practice techniques in financial transactions, particularly in acting for banks and financiers.

Touching on loan facility agreements, lending in relation to the PPSA, and consumer protection, I would recommend this subject particularly to students who enjoyed Corporate and Property Law, as it gives a good counterparty angle to the personal and commercial transactions taught in these subjects.

For students studying Business, this subject is invaluable in getting an edge in applying your legal knowledge to financial transactions, and is a good segue towards Practical Legal Training for graduating students.

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Helen Driscoll sets out once again to find the latest misdeamenours within the Lawbry....

Lawbry dwellers are few and far between during the summer months.

Pat on the back for those brave enough to endure the wonders of the law whilst their friends consume mocktails around swimming pools.

“One month of travel goes way to quickly when you have a Summer semester waiting for you at home. Never thought I’d say I miss the constant rush of the big city or the copious amount of cheese, bagels and bacon that seemed to pop up on every menu”.

Jorgia White – On exchange in NY.

“I’m here doing a summer semester so I can finish my degree within my visa time limits, then I have to go back home. Studying law has always been my ambition since childhood. I chose Australia because of the high quality of education, and the welcoming environment and its friendly people!”

Petar Damnjanovic – International Student Serbia

Vidyalakshmi Vivekanandan - International student from Sri Lanka

“I am graduating from my second law degree in February after two and a half years – obviously I didn’t like my self enough the first time not to do it to again. Back home, I was a Senior Associate in one of the top five firms in Serbia. So it was very weird coming from that to being a student once again to say the very least. Learning English and Australian contract law at the same was very difficult. It was frustrating at times and has taken great patience and a lot of effort, but it’s been an amazing experience”.

After successfully applying for the King & Wood Mallesons annual internship opportunity through the Real World Placement Program, I spent two weeks of my winter break at the top tier firm.

5. The view from the office is amazing. Especially when they are practicing for Riverfire.

I had a blast working in the Intellectual Property and Technology team and applying my studies in practice, and thought to share with you all the 19 non law things I learned.

7.

1. The grad students are the kids of the office. They are heaps of fun and have not yet been worn down by the weight of the world.

2. There is a chef?!?!?!

Let’s just soak that up for a second...

3. Observe another person using the coffee machine before pushing any buttons.

4. If you want to come out of the stairwell alive, bring your access card to get out the other side.

The stairwell is a lonely place.

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6. On that note, don’t look down when standing close to the window.

People here are very smart.

8. Most people keep up with the Bachelorette drama.

9. In the waiting rooms and meeting rooms there are jars of almonds, lollies and MnMs. There are little dishes for the snacks.

Side note: there will be a jug of water with glasses.

If you’re feeling particularly bold and hungry, use the water glasses for the snacks. (Thanks grad students for this pro tip).

10. Ask lots of questions when someone gives you a task. You want to make a good impression with the work you do.

11. If you don’t find anything on a research after five hours, report back.

Sometimes people ask you to do research for things they couldn’t figure out themselves. Not finding anything doesn’t mean you have failed.

My team’s partner had his birthday while I was there and was gifted a bobble head of himself by the team. He was very pleased.

12. There are epic stationary cupboards. Obviously, you will need every highlighter colour.

17. Friday is always the best day.

13. The secretaries know everything.

14. The floating secretaries especially.

16. Billing day is the worst day.

18. You can bet there will be lunches to attend.

19. There will also be work to finish before then.

15. Believe it or not, there is such a thing as a cool boss.

Some partners were very young and called everyone “lad.”

Yanery Ventura-Rodriguez, Bachelor of Law/ Fine Arts, third year.

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They say the eyes are the window to the soul, but it’s the body that leaves the front door open.

Think back to the last time you met someone new.

Was their handshake strong?

Did their blink rate increase?

How would you rate their posture?

Chances are, you can’t remember, and that’s fair enough.

We’re bombarded daily with so much information that we simply don’t have time to care about the little things.

But here’s a question - how did that person make you *feel*?

You’re more likely to remember how you were emotionally positioned, because it’s a summary of all the tiny little details.

Like the things your subconscious mind sorted.

Maybe the person you met came across as very sure of themselves.

Perhaps you got the vibe that they

weren’t really interested in what you were saying.

Maybe, you don’t have any particular feeling towards that person - that’s also a conclusion that you reached, whether consciously or otherwise.

The truth is, no matter how much you’ve practised your handshake or learned to cross your arms, you’re still ‘leaking’ clues to others about how you feel.

Most of the time, it doesn’t matter.

However it certainly does start to mean something when you’re sitting opposite a prospective employer.

Employers are trained - often through both life experience and the nature of their job - to sense what kind of person you are the moment they see you.

So if you walk into an interview with your head high and shoulders back, you’re onto a good start.

The important thing is to ensue you’re confident *throughout* the interview.

This can be done through conditioning your body language and making sure it *just stays put* during your highly stressful situation.

This means a constant battle between answering the interview questions flawlessly, and fighting the urge to bounce your foot up and down. It’s a struggle.

The best interviewees come across with just that right amount of confidence, balanced with an eager enthusiasm and finished off with an eagerness to learn.

The truth is, this is something you can’t fake without hours of training.

Really though, it’s easier to take a moment to prepare really well.

Sure, everyone will get nerves.

But if you put yourself in the mindset which will make you leak the *right* type of clues, you’re already standing out from the crowd.

P.S. It never hurt to have a quality handshake.

Nina Vvos, Bachelor of Laws, Design Officer fourth year.

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Nicholas Jackman, Bachelor of Laws, third year.

The study of LLB445 International Commercial Litigation & Arbitration ‘ICLA’ involves learning principles of private international law, as relevant to issues of a commercial nature.

Private international law is dealt with in the first 6 weeks, representing a cut down version of the old PIL unit with much less detail on choice of law across different areas of substantive law.

This involves an international element, and quite extensive engagement with international arbitration systems, rules, and laws.

International arbitration is dealt with thereafter, with the vast majority of content being delivered online through a series of videos and readings.

My choice to study LLB445 was born out of a general interest in commercial issues alongside an awareness that, generally speaking, more and more disputes involve a foreign element and therefore require the work of practitioners who are familiar with international litigation and arbitration laws and procedures.

The personal nature of lectures may be preferred by some, but given the significant amount of reading and detailed nature of arbitration material, this layout is preferable in my mind.

Anne Mathews guides students through learning the arbitration content in a methodical and logical way which most will find helpful.

This being the case, students intending to practice or enter mediation/arbitration institutions will stand to benefit from engaging with this unit.

Unsurprisingly, the assessment is a 40% assignment and 60% exam with 3 mandatory questions.

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The assignment covered private international law issues and was one I found challenging but not insurmountable.

PIL featured in only one question of the exam, the other two assessing international arbitration content with one requiring drafting of an arbitration clause personalised to the commercial situation as provided by the facts.

I found the prospect of this somewhat daunting, however Anne provides good guidance on how to draft these and what to include, and guidance on what to expect in the exam.

The world is becoming a smaller place, and disputes with a foreign element will continue to appear more frequently in practice.

LLB445 is an excellent unit for students keen to develop practical skills relevant to this emerging and developing business and legal reality.

It is no laughing matter though, this is a serious commercial unit and those looking for an easy pass ought to consider their options.

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Elliot Dolan-Evans, Bachelor of laws, third year.

Summer is here, and that means a whole host of new tunes to get you all through your holidays and/or summer semester!

vocals. I would highly recommend taking a look at Beirut, and especially at their class ‘Elephant Gun’, if you enjoy ‘No No No’.

Get ready to prick up your ears at these wonderful and ‘happening’ tracks.

Look out for some of these as we move into Triple J Hottest 100 month (January), as I’m hoping many will grace the chart! And please, don’t vote Bieber.

Julia – by Jungle: Although not a 2015 release, Jungle’s self-titled album was a huge hit in 2014. ‘Julia’ is an exceptionally catchy and energetic love song, and has an amazing video clip associated with it that you must take a look at! Jungle is a very fun band and practically all of their tracks you can really shake your hips to.

Ooo – by !!! (Chk, Chk, Chk): Though the band (!!!) has both an exceptionally odd name and difficult to search by, their music has a distinct originality and playfulness that will be a perfect accompaniment for partying or chilling out.

‘Ooo’ is off their 2015 album, ‘As If’, and there are plenty of other tracks on this CD that will have you dancing for hours.

No No No – by Beirut: From their 2015 album ‘No No No’, the title track of this album is heartfelt, melodically depressing, and utilises an interesting and eclectic mix of instruments and

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I Didn’t See it Coming – by Belle & Sebastian: I could seriously review Belle & Sebastian songs for over 50 sets of music review articles, they really just produce extremely high quality songs.

‘I Didn’t See it Coming’ was from their album, ‘Belle & Sebastian Write About Love’, and it is a beautifully melancholic song of love and loss. Extremely underrated, Belle & Sebastian have written some classic albums.

In April this year, I competed in the Minter Ellison Client Interview competition with my interview partner, Lachlan Huggins.

The competition is one of many run by the QUT Law Society and is a fantastic opportunity for students at any stage of their degree to get involved in competitions and moots.

The Client Interview is staged with teams of two “solicitors” who interview a “client” to form a professional relationship with the client, extract the legal issues from the problem about which they have come to you, and provide them with preliminary legal advice.

After a few interesting interviews with some very quirky clients, Lachlan and I progressed to the Finals of the competition.

In addition to being able to present myself infront of partners and recruiters of Minter Ellison, the Client Interview competition also led to another fantastic pay off.

Both Lachlan and I were flown down to Sydney in July by QUT Law Society to compete at the Australian Law Students Association Client Interview Competition.

Lachlan was engaged in another competition (the Championship Moot) so I had a different partner this time.

However we were lucky enough to progress to the Quarter Finals of the national competition!

Competing in the Minter Ellison Client Interview competition was a fantastic experience for which I encourage anyone to try out.

The Client Interview Final was hosted by Minter Ellison in their beautiful office at Waterfront Place, Eagle Street.

The evening was well attended and a great networking event for all who came to enjoy the company of Minter Ellison and fellow law students over a few drinks.

After another interesting interview (this time with a client who was obsessed with cats), Lachlan and I were fortunate enough to win the Minter Ellison Client Interview Final.

Aaron Beale, Bachelor of Laws, third Year.

29 TORTS ILLUSTRATED | December Christmas editon | 2015

By Luke Droney

Immunopathologist at the RBWH. One day he hopes to be a real doctor, and a really good cyclist...

After successfully riding Peaks Challenge Falls Creek in early 2015 and reaching my best ever fitness I entered the Winter doldrums that must be familiar to so many.

I struggled with motivation to ride and several niggling injuries.

I needed something to reinvigorate my cycling and through hours of internet trawling happened across an incredible series of photos of the Californian Sierra Nevada at ‘The Radavist’.

I knew that I had to go.

A work trip to San Francisco in November provided the perfect opportunity and, after warming up in Russian Hill and Marin County, I hired a car and drove South past Yosemite National Park to the small town of Bishop in the Owens Valley.

One could offer many superlatives to describe the riding in this region.

Most striking to me was the sense of exposure; the thin, dry air; the stiff wind in the valley and the stark desert enclosed by snow-capped peaks.

There was the isolation of being the only person 30km up a closed road at 3000m of elevation thinking every roadside rustle was a bear and being alone in the valley with a low-flying F-16.

The riding itself was never flat.

The climbs branch out from the small towns through interminable lower grinding grades to gradually steepen towards the peaks.

The terminal road was often snowcovered at these altitudes.

I based myself out of Bishop for the first four nights and climbed Rock Creek Road, the road to South Lake and Lake Sabrina and White Mountain. The latter was the highlight of the trip and the most demanding of the climbs.

Several kilometres of straight grind at 10 per cent is closely followed by tight, twisting canyons.

The road emerges at Cedar Flat then climbs through switchbacks to 3100m.

Here you’ll find the gnarled ‘Ancient Bristlecones’, said to be among the Earth’s oldest organisms. If only it was warm enough for a closer look.

The descent was 45 minutes of smooth, rolling roads.

I drove south to Lone Pine, the famous setting of many Western films, for the final two days of riding.

The bizarre rock formations of the Alabama Hills just outside of town are an ideal warm-up to the longer climbs of Horseshoe Meadows and Whitney Portal Road.

Horseshoe Meadows Road was closed to traffic and I had the whole mountain to myself.

I just managed to drag myself up Whitney Portal Road to complete the day.

The descent is rated amongst the best in North America and doesn’t disappoint.

These rides aren’t easy, that’s for sure.

Though the frosty temperatures kept the masses away and contributed to my sense of isolation, I was often cold while descending.

The Sierras are not a place you can ride and linger through several coffees and lunch along the way.

I hungrily passed several alpine kiosks that were closed for the winter, including a much-anticipated pancake at Whitney Portal General Store.

The only place I managed to find food was at ‘Tom’s Place’, an old diner at the bottom of Rock Creek Road.

I soon learned to stash a Coke by the roadside for later in the day.

Ideally this trip would have occurred earlier in the autumn.

Back in Brisbane and riding through the 99% humidity of a typical Wednesday morning it’s hard to believe that just one week ago I was gasping through 3000m at sub-zero temperatures.

As I roll off the front to sulk with jet lag at the back of the group I’m already planning my next North American ride.

Onion Valley Road is a shorter climb and was a perfect ride on which to end my trip.

Again, there is a meandering, gentle climb before arriving at the climb proper which switches back over and over to a camping ground and trail head.

31 TORTS ILLUSTRATED | December Christmas editon | 2015

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Decoding your coffee order

Helen Driscoll, Bachelor of Law/ Journalism, publication officer fourth year.

Coffee can get a bit of a bad wrap in the health department, but despite this belief one cup of coffee a day is actually good for you.

blackness touches their lips. According to studies by the University of Innsbruck Austria, black coffee drinkers are more likely to possess psychotic personality traits.

This liquid gold churns the mental and physical engine of many a law student.

In fact if you look up the word ‘coffee’ or ‘caffeine’ in the dictionary, alongside it you will find the word ‘law student’ or ‘lifeline’. Really.

The question is, what does your particular custom coffee order say about you?

You order a cappuccino Those who order cappuccino’s aren’t too concerned about individualising their order.

It’s just coffee right, it doesn’t matter how fluffy my milk is, but that extra froth covered in yummy chocolate powder really does hit the spot.

The love of extra froth and flavour indicates you are a fun loving and easy going individual.

You probably have multiple cappuccinos a day.

You order a long black Long black drinkers tend to be serious, business like and see no point in combining the liquid gold with any other substance – it defeats the purpose of the drink, the caffeine.

Long black drinkers are direct, bold and non-nonsense.

This person is all about strength, are fast and always on the go.

They don’t mind the scald as the watery

You order a short black You don’t mess around. Down the esophagus and straight to business.

Short black drinkers don’t suffer fools easily, and possess some moody personality traits.

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Or maybe you just like to gulp it down like a shot and get it over with, and rather fancy the mini takeaway cup, because it’s so cute!

You order a latte In between the flat white and the cappuccino, the latte drinker tends to be indecisive and enjoys the safe pick.

You are laid back, and often spend time pondering the meaning of life.

Aesthetics and visual appearance is important.

You order a flat white A flat white drinker still enjoys a little froth on their morning burst of energy but leans more on the serious side.

Such an individual is straightforward and ambitious, yet uncomplicated.

It also makes you feel like a grown up.

However, in the opinion of some, for example, The Telegraph, drinking a flat white = you’re a hipster.

The beverage is also associated with the creative type and those who think man buns are cool.

You order a decaf For those who have already had multiple doses of liquid gold and don’t need to be shaking too much more. The decaf cawfee is your go to.

Or maybe you are five feet tall and have a very low threshold to meet in order to get the buzz.

You order a macchiato For those who don’t know, a macchiato is an espresso with a stain of foamed milk on top.

The macchiato drinker can be a bit snobby and likes the sound of the word as it rolls of their tongue as they order something pretty much meaningless to the majority of the population.

Studies have indicated the drinker tends to be arrogant and self-absorbed.

Mocha & Hot Chocolate Everyone loves a bit of chocolate, especially combined with liquid gold.

This creamy beverage is for the individual whose inner child is alive and well.

Mocha drinkers tend to be flirtatious and hopeless romantics.

The hot chocolate drinker is one who obviously is not a fan of the liquid gold.

These individuals are apparently unadventurous and like the safeness of their childhood beverage.

The hot chocolate drinker is loving and reliable. It also means you’re a Mormon, like my pal Ayla, who misses coffee lots.

Pumpkin spiced latte Law students shouldn’t drink this. This isn’t even coffee. It’s a sugar infused starbuck’s white girl beverage. Like Chanel from Scream Queens. You are not allowed in the law student club if you consume this.

DISCLAIMER: No liability will result from those who feel personally offended by this stereotypical and generalised content. Please, take with a grain of salt. Except the pumpkin spiced lattes, which should be duly noted.

33 TORTS ILLUSTRATED | December Christmas editon | 2015