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A huge thank-you to the wonderful Publications group! Particular, very special thank-you’s for Torts Illustrated to: Cover photo and most photos in Torts Illustrated: Chisomo Phiri Cover design and general design in Torts Illustrated: Priscilla Dorio Original Photos of Publications Team: Priit Allas
Welcome from President ........................................1 Welcome from Editor .......................................2 Intro to Publications Team .......................................3 Law Society Review .......................................7 Competitions Senior Moot .......................................8 Junior Moot .......................................9 Witness Exam. ......................................10 Client Interview ......................................11 Events Moot Club ......................................12 Meet the Profession ......................................14 Law Ball ......................................17 L-Card Launch ......................................19 Football Review .....................................20 Buddy Program ......................................21 Career Events .....................................22 Social Services Wellness Week .....................................23 QLD Legal Walk .....................................24 Donations to Nepal .....................................25 Dress for Success .....................................27 Top Law Exam Tips .....................................29
Welcome from the President It is not the welcome we deserved, but the welcome that we needed - Nathan Groves gets Presidential with our faithful readers... On behalf of the QUT Law Society Executive and Committee, welcome to the new and improved Torts Illustrated!
quickly approach, what better time to procrastinate with the first edition of Torts Illustrated.
From the outset, I would like to thank McCullough Robertson for their continued support of the Society and helping to revive the formerly known publication ‘In Media Res’ from extinction.
I hope you all enjoy the magazine as much as the publications team enjoyed putting it together. Regards, Nathan Groves
Over the past seven months, QUT Law Society has achieved many milestones, including this very magazine. Some news worthy achievements include: •Hosting the largest law ball in Queensland’s history; •Hosting the largest Indigenous Reconciliation Breakfast in the Society’s history; •Establishing the QUT grassroots mooting program (Moot Club); and •Achieving record attendance in all society events and activities. This is merely a snapshot of what you will find in the 30-odd pages of prime reading material. As exams
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Editor’s Salutations Elliot Dolan-Evans didn’t know what ‘In Media Res’ meant, so he changed the magazine completely. Most Venerable Readers,
as ‘Forty Shades of Gray’, ‘Noonlight’, and ‘Popular Pastimes in Chairs’. So make sure you get your hands (and eyes!) on this newly printed/published edition from all good retailers and wherever fictional masterpieces are sold!
It fills me with no small amount of delight to present to you the new and improved QUT Law Society bisemester publication! Previously, you may remember such publications as ‘In Media Res’..... and that’s it. The fantastic publications team (who you will meet very soon! ... keep reading!) have changed the title to ‘Torts Illustrated’ to reflect the amount of centrefolds that may feature in future editions, as well as heralding a change to a more lighthearted and informative magazine.
This is the Ed. signing off, and I look forward to seeing you, watching you, and possibly following you too close for comfort as you delicately peruse the following pages of this great tome. E.
Through these sacred pages, you will find a comprehensive review of the QUT Law Society’s activities for the first part of 2015, and what the Society has done for its members in this busy time!
Comments about the Issue, any suggestions, or would you like to get involved? Please email Elliot at: director.marketing@qutlawsociety. com
Without any exaggerations, we are expecting Torts Illustrated to soar above the popularity of ‘books’ such
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King & Wood Mallesons Senior Moot Adriana Tate and Ben Pool, Competition Directors, fiercly competed to be named first in this sentence - though still paling in comparison to the ferocity seen in their competitions... The 22nd Annual Senior Moot Finals, sponsored by King & Wood Mallesons, took place on Tuesday 20 May 2015. Due to the mooting prowess of all the competitors, this was a truly ‘Hunger Games-ish’ competition. From preliminary rounds to the pinnacle of the final, tributes competed and died (figuratively, not literally)in trying to claim the title. Imogen Kenny and Lachlan Huggins exchanged blows against Ryan Sheldrake and Liam MacAndrews to address the issues of force majeure clauses, their applicability and scope and notice requirements in the Final. The Honourable Justice David Jackson of the Supreme Court, Natalie Caton, Special Counsel from King & Wood Mallesons, and Paul Telford, Barrister and QUT alumni, judged some of the finest talent the law school has to offer. Tributes engaged in a fierce battle, the arena was filled with
piercing eyes, and a bench eager for questions. Ultimately, Ryan Sheldrake and Liam MacAndrews claimed the title of victors of the 22nd Annual Senior Moot!
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Allens Junior Moot The Allens Junior Moot was a huge event on the competitions’ calendar. This moot is targeted towards junior students, many of whom lacked previous mooting experience. It attracted some of the best and brightest junior mooters that the competition has ever seen. Over 3 days, the teams fiercely battled it out in the court room. The problem required teams to respond to a contracts issue in relation to buying an original painting, which subsequently turned out to be a copy, in the Queensland Moot Court of Appeal. The top teams competed in the semi-finals to show off their finest advocacy skills to battle it out for a spot in the finals. The finalists were Helen Driscoll, Ayla Fletcher, Jarrod Boyle and Joshua Morris who competed in the beautiful offices of Allens Linklaters. Students were judged by Fiona Thatcher, Jules Moxon and Bruce Wacker, solicitors at Allens Linklaters who tested the finalist’s adversarial skills to their limit. Serious verbal banter was exchanged, the battle was close, but Helen Driscoll and Ayla Fletcher emerged victorious, and were crowned the winners of the 2015 Allen’s Junior Moot!
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QUT Legal Practice Witness Examination
This year’s competitions kicked off with Witness Examination, sponsored by QUT Legal Practice. This competition attracted a number of students interested in the trial process and fierce competition. The illustrious bench comprised of Mark Thomas (Associate Lecturer at QUT), Trent Jones (Criminal Law Practitioner and QUT Alumni) and Sam Lynch (2014 Winner of Witness Examination). Students appeared for the prosecution or defence and the competition involved opening statements by Counsel (the student), examination-in-chief of the Counsel’s witness, cross-examination of opposing Counsel’s witness, and presentation of summation and closing statements. This competition required the students to be able to think on their feet and is an exceptional competition for developing adversarial skills. Students were able to fulfil their most fantastical courtroom fantasies,
as well as earning some practical experience. After fierce preliminary rounds, only two were able to go through to the finals. Liam Macandrews and Shona Fitzgerald battled it out in the finals and presented great cases. However, there can only be one winner. This year, Liam MacAndrews put in a stunning effort to take the title! Well done, Liam!
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Minter Ellison Client Interview
The third competition for the busy semester was Client Interview, proudly sponsored by Minter Ellison and judged by Nadia Braad and Cassandra Heilbronn. With 28 students entering and 14 teams competing, this year proved to be more exciting than ever. Students were required to conduct a client interview for a prospective client, and they were given 30 minutes to do so. Students were given time to confer between themselves in a consultation following the interview. This year, students competed in 3 rounds to fight it out to be named winners of the Client Interview competition for 2015. On a rainy night at Minter Ellison offices, Joshua Dunn, Harry Black, Lachlan Huggins and Aaron Beale competed to take out the title of Client Interview winners for the 2015 Competition. This proved to be more than challenging. Students were briefed that their client was seeking their advice in relation to a succession matter. However it was not as simple as that; their client proved to be more than difficult,
she was abrupt and was reluctant to give any information. Both teams proved to be excellent and identified all relevant issues and successfully completed the client interview. We are delighted to announce Lachlan Huggins and Aaron Beale as the 2015 Client Interview winners!
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QUTLS Moot Club Shereen Parvez, Mooting Director, gives you Moot Club - where the only rule is to talk heaps about it... The QUTLS Moot Club was launched this semester to facilitate the development of existing and aspiring QUT mooters. For experienced mooters, it provides an opportunity to hone advocacy skills in preparation for competing in external competitions. It enables aspiring mooters to build their confidence and learn from some of QUT’s most accomplished competitors. These goals are achieved through workshops and training sessions that allow for one-on-one contact with legal professionals and former mooters so that students get detailed feedback on their performance.
meet others who share your passion for mooting.
The program runs alongside the internal competitions run by the QUTLS so as to supplement the skills and knowledge students gain through participation in those competitions.
The QUTLS Moot Club Facebook page contains information regarding all mooting competitions at QUT. The page will also be used to advertise any QUTLS Moot Club events. So to keep up to date with anything moot related visit:
The initiative has received considerable interest from students so it is also a great opportunity to
https://www.facebook.com/ qutlsmootclub
An informal evening was held at Jade Buddha. ‘Meet the Mooters’ gave new comers to the mooting game an opportunity to mix, mingle and pick the brains of QUT’s finest mooting talent. A considerable amount of ‘Moot Lords’ floated around to help answer questions and tell tales of their courtroom domination. The Moot Club will continue to run regular ‘fight club’ sessions focusing on advocacy.
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The best lawyers know that to provide premium legal advice means knowing more than the law. Real world solutions come from experiencing the real world challenges our clients face. That’s why McCullough Robertson lawyers go where our clients work, whether it be a cattle station, communications centre, resources export facility or just their offices.
Because at McCullough Robertson, we want our lawyers to be more than lawyers, fostering a culture that is genuinely interested in our clients and the realities they operate in – a culture that is unapologetically ‘out of office’.
Brisbane | Sydney | Newcastle
www.mccullough.com.au/careers
WILLS BRAND DESIGN
Of course, as one of Australia‘s largest independent law firms we have our slick corporate offices too. But if you want to work for a law firm who will let you look beyond your workstation, then join us.
Meet the Profession
Each year, QUT Law Society holds the ‘Meet the Profession’ evening, where students have exclusive access to legal practitioners from a variety of firms, all in the one room! The event took place this year in the stunning Room 360 overlooking the campus and city lights. Meet the Profession provides a rare opportunity for students to network and mingle with current industry practitioners in a relaxed environment. Over 20 firms with at least two representatives from each attended, and the light canapés and refreshments were reportedly on point. Special thanks must be given to our sponsors for the evening: Ashurst, Clayton Utz, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Herbert Smith Freehills, King & Wood Mallesons and Barry Nillson Lawyers. The success of the evening would not have been possible without them.
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Q&A with Liam Davis, who moved from QUT Graduate to McCullough Robertson Senior What do you think was the best thing about university? I have fond memories of my uni days. As for the best thing – for my part, when you bring together a cohort of independent thinkers of all ages and all walks of life, inevitably, you gain new perspective. Oh, and the social life. That was hard to beat.
Tell us about the Grad program at McCullough Robertson? The McCullough Robertson Grad Program is eighteen months long with two nine month rotations. Each rotation offers the opportunity to be exposed to a different area of law and work with specialists in the field. At McCullough Robertson we are renowned for challenging our graduates early in their career to ensure that they have as many occasions as possible to develop not only their technical legal skills but also important soft skills relating to client networking; public speaking and commercial awareness. Furthermore, there are plenty of alternative activities to get involved in including the sporting committee; social club; pro bono work or involvement with our community partnership program. At McCullough’s you do not just become a graduate on our program but rather a member of our community.
Do you have any tips on getting through the Vacation clerk / grad process? The best tips in relation to getting through Vacation clerk/graduate process is being yourself. If you are lucky enough to jag an interview see this as an opportunity to demonstrate what you think you offer the firm as an individual. The purpose of an interview is to provide you with an opportunity to put your best foot forward, so try not to be nervous!! Once you secure a role as a vacation clerk ensure that you make the most of the opportunity. Get involved in as much as possible, meet as many different employees as you can and use this chance to establish if private practice is for you!
What do you think makes McCullough Robertson different? We are one of Queensland’s largest firms with far and away the largest
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Liam Davis Associate, meets with QUT Law Society and answers your questions! resources practice in the State, while also serving our Hunter Valley clients out of our Newcastle and Sydney offices - rivalling the nationals across the eastern seaboard. We know what it takes to get a project up and running, and we deliver that with our on the ground experience. We don’t just throw an army of lawyers at every issue, our approach is to match the expert to the problem and deliver value in a cost constrained environment. I’ve been lucky enough to have opportunities to work on secondment in both gas and mining companies, which has given me a unique handle on what it takes to deliver a project. I’m often out of the office – whether it be visiting sites across Queensland and New South Wales, or negotiating agreements with Traditional Owners on country.
What does a ‘normal day’ look like for you? Assuming I’m in Brisbane and not out on site, a morning coffee from our in-house caterer – Nosh – is a must. With coffee in hand, I’ll then check in with my team for a debrief – a quick chat about what work we have on for the day and what’s coming up. Following that, it’s into the day’s work, which could be anything from drafting agreements and advices, to negotiating with Indigenous groups, to advising Government on various policies and legislation.
By working closely with our clients on the ground, we understand the commercial realities that are facing the industry. And that sets McR apart.
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The QUTLS Law Ball 2015 Students donned their finest suits and extravagant gowns, smoothed their bow ties and applied the last touches of rouge before swanning off to the most anticipated night of year – the QUTLS Law Ball 2015.
The festivities continued until some indeterminate hour. QUTLS affirms no responsibility can be taken for law students who discovered the next day they partied way too hard.
Hosted at the newly renovated Cloudland, ball attendees enjoyed the entire top floor and mid levels, including the Rainbow Room, Champagne Room, The Smokers Lounge as well as a snazzy Rave Cave. Liquid gold flowed in a variety of forms and the night went off without a hitch. The evening allowed a reprieve from studying, an opportunity to temporarily forget about looming exams. Succulent beef sliders and quinoa sushi notably received much praise for their canapé-deliciousness. After much deliberation, it was decided that dance floor was dominated by third year student Ethan Hyde (damn fine undercover reporting (Ed.)), who revealed an unknown talent to shake it like a polaroid picture. “I’ve got a few moves, some would say I’m pretty fly for a white guy”, he said modestly, when asked for comment.
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L-Card Party The party dedicated to the fabulous little pink piece of cardboard you should have in your purse/wallet once again did not disappoint. Held in conjunction with UQ Law Society and the Griffith University Law Society, the L-Card Launch party kick-started the semester with a bang. Student attendance was solid, and the party heated up at Friday’s as various QUT clubs and societies came to join the party. If you haven’t got your hands on this hot little piece of cardboard, hop to it ASAP. One card provides you with over 80 deals at food, retail and nightlife locations. Stop by the Law Society office in C Block to pick one up and get lucky.
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QUT v UQ Football Grudge Match When you think of famous football matches, you might recall Argentina v England in the 1986 World Cup that featured ‘The Hand of God’, West Germany v Hungary in the 1954 World Cup Final, or Liverpool overcoming AC Milan to win the 2005 Champions League. But there is one match to rule them all, one to bind them, and in the darkness of the rivalry between UQ and QUT, bite them.
uncompromising glory! QUT goal scorers: Alex Nicolaidis (3), Alex Other-Gee (C) (2), Dan Rosenthal (1), Elliot Thomas (1). QUT Assists: Alex Other-Gee (C) (2), Katie Archibald (1), Lachlan Menhinnit (1), Alex Nicolaidis (1), Nick Whitehouse (1), Zac Stephen (1).
Amid a torrent of banter from the stands, a rain of flares pouring from the ‘ultra’ supporters of both sides, and the constant battles played out on the field, the mighty QUT slayed their enemy in the most emphatic of fashions – 7-0. It was a schooling lesson from the QUT champions to our humble brethren who slum it out at St Lucia. Each goal was as magnificent as the last (yours truly getting in on the act with what is now known as the ‘Foot of God’ (Ed.)) , and the result stretches QUT’s winning streak on the football field to two years in a row! Thank you to Captain Fantastic and Law Society Sports Director, Alex Other-Gee, for leading his side to
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HopgoodGanim Buddy Program Being the best buddy anyone could ever have herself, Rosie Kirby, Director of Member Services, likes to help other law students skill up in this area too... The HopgoodGanim ‘Buddy Program’ has been massive in 2015 – linking up bright-eyed, first year law students with senior student mentors! It has been a unique opportunity for those starting their legal studies to learn the ropes, and get acquainted with tough demands of first-year, with some useful advice and guidance from the Law School’s most mature heads!
time! •The Art of the Mid-Sem: Senior students provided handy hints to first-years in their first exams! •What’s in a Year: Mentors were instructed to talk to their mentees about their future career •Exams looming: And now, mentors and mentees are both reassuring each other about upcoming finals! With the program going strong, and great friendships being formed, we look forward to another incarnation of this great opportunity!
The Buddy Program began with mandatory training for its eager mentors, where they learnt the skills to become an effective guide for their fledgling buddies. Enthusiastic first-years and mentors were able to meet for the first time at the Faculty of Law’s First Year Lunch, where much pizza was consumed and plenty of friends made! The Program has run very successfully throughout the semester, with a structured program for buddies to interact, with the following components: •Getting to Know You: Where buddies got to meet for the first
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Career Events QUT Law Society held a series of workshops in early March in order to best equip students with skills and techniques to score themselves a golden ticket: a clerkship, that is. The Clerkship Symposium was delivered by representatives from Clayton Utz, Minter Ellison and McCullough Robertson, and focused on networking skills as well as how best to write and structure your resume and CV. Following the event, attendees were able to put their newly acquired networking skills to the test with an opportunity to mingle with lawyers and representatives from McCullough Robertson, made all the merrier by accompanying fairy floss and popcorn.
Lucy Munt and Dan Roe, and everyone’s favourite academic duo, Rachel Field and James Duffy. The host moderator for the night was our CEO, Sam Lynch, who skilfully guided the proceedings and ensured that all our questions were answered. Students learnt that less than 30 of the approximately 1500 law firms in Queensland offer clerkships. Yes, it does mean that obtaining a job in one of those 30 firms will be more difficult, but one thing everyone took away from the night is that you can find a career in the law, regardless. All you need to do is be creative when looking for opportunities. By the time the event concluded, everyone felt an immense sense of relief. While our search for clerkships was over, our careers were out there waiting to be found.
Careers without Clerkships For many of us, failing to secure a clerkship seemed like the end of the road. We felt as if the door to our future career had been slammed shut, never to be opened again. It was precisely this despair which the QUT Law Society sought to alleviate by assembling a stellar panel to allay our fears and calm our nerves. The panel consisted of legal-blogger and Senior Associate at McInnes Wilson Lawyers, Chris Hargreaves, QUT mooting prodigies
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Law Wellness Week QUT Law Faculty’s Health and Wellness Week aimed to raise awareness on emotional, physical and mental well-being and the impact stress can have on law students. There was much commotion in the Law Library where popcorn machines and fairy floss makers spouted happy deliciousness to lingering students. The lawn behind P Block featured more fun, with the much anticipated animal farm attracting animalcuddling students from all around campus. Adorable and unbelievably placid alpacas, goats, lambs, guinea pigs snuggled contently with students on a warm sunny day. Yoga classes were also taking place. Caring for animals has been scientifically proven to reduce stress levels, and from all reports, it was certainly a success at QUT! All assurances were made that the animals were treated with utmost respect and looked after.
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QLD Legal Walk If you happened to be around the city early Tuesday morning (12/5/15), you would have seen hundreds of lawyers in slightly different attire to their usual business wear. Chief Justice Carmody set the pace ahead of the pack for the stroll down George Street and through South Bank for the 2015 charity Queensland Legal Walk. This year QUT Law had a fantastic turnout with around 30 students rising to the occasion. The Queensland Legal Walk (formerly known as the Walk For Justice) aims to raise awareness surrounding access to justice issues. The funds raised help QPLICH to continue to provide free legal assistance for vulnerabe and disadvantaged members of the community.
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Nepal Earthquake QUT Law Relief Samuel Lynch discusses the recent disaster in Nepal, and what QUT Law students are doing to help out. On 25 April 2015 a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the Himalayan nation of Nepal. The earthquake has devastated much of Kathmandu with more than 9,000 people reportedly killed (including one Australian). Having recently returned from Nepal in February 2015 and knowing people who were affected the news of the earthquake resonated personally with me. The infrastructure in Nepal are already significantly compromised and the earthquake made short work of destroying many homes and government buildings. The international response was overwhelming and it was great to see the Australian government providing financial assistance in support of the relief effort. It was also encouraging to see the immediate response of many of the international aid organisations, who in many cases are the first on the ground to provide relief.
of $2276.75 which included a $2000 donation from the proceeds of the Annual Law Ball and $276.75 from personal contributions collected on the night to the Save the Children Emergency Relief fund. This was a great effort and whilst it may only be small contribution the society is incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Law Ball guest. We hope that the people of Nepal are able to rebuild from the earthquake and our thoughts are with the many families whose loved ones were taken by this terrible disaster. If you would like to donate to the Save the Children Emergency Relief fund please visit: https://www.savethechildren.org.au/ donate/nepal-earthquake-appeal
To assist in the relief efforts, the QUT Law Society made a donation
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Dress for Success 101
Jess Fenech and Cabal & Co Directors, Vinny Bassi (QUT Law Student) & Aidan Chappell (QUT Business Student), help you dress like the Upper-East Side to turn heads at your firm job! Spotted - Serena van der Woodsen strolling to her interview in a killer pair of grey pointed heels, black pencil skirt, and matching structured blazer. Sporting a striped button-up blouse with her hair effortlessly tied up in a high pony-tail, she looks down at her watch to check that she’s right on time. Her makeup is flawless, with a nude lipstick and soft pink cheeks, she perfects the understated natural look, while still looking glamorous. Sophisticated and classy, this Upper East Side ‘It’ girl always looks amazing. She finds her key pieces in affordable stores and always remains thrifty. After all, it’s not about how much you spend, but how well you can pull it off. Unlike Serena, Blair Waldorf has been working at her dream firm for a couple of months and word on the text line is that she’s quickly turning heads. She always looking prim and polished from head to toe in her belted midi dresses, ruffled blouses, pearl bracelets, and of course, that signature bow headband. Like the penthouse apartment she lives in, this queen bee enjoys the finer things in life, like diamonds, pearls and anything designer. Blair’s style is inspired by chic, feminine pieces, but she can also dress down in cigarette pants and a short sleeve chiffon blouse. As the preppiest girl on the Upper East Side, you will never find her wearing more than one item of jewellery, a chip in her manicured nails, or her polish in any other colours expect pinks and browns. Over on the other side of Eagle Street, gazing down the escalator to the marbled lobby below him, sources spotted Chuck
Bass looking as dapper as ever. Sporting a custom-made suit jacket from Cabal & Co and woven silk tie, he always knows how to subtly accentuate his muscular physique. Careful ladies, he’s had Blair doting under his arm for the last few weeks. With his bespoke slim fit trousers falling perfectly down to a pair of polished leather tan shoes, he lifts his watch-encrusted arm to run his fingers through a mane of neatly gelled hair. Just like his father, this heart breaker has always had a penchant for the finer things in life, and will never be caught without his brown leather briefcase full of important legal documents, and a few notes from his female admirers. When it comes to looking the part, these Upper East Siders have got just what it takes. If you want to be as successful as they are - it’s easy. Follow these style tips and you will be well on your way to landing your dream job and climbing the corporate ladder, or who knows, maybe one day opening your very own law firm. XOXO PG Rules to live by 1. Heels no higher than 3.5 inches 2. Grey, blue and black suiting only 3. Natural coloured nail polish with nails no longer than 1cm from than the tip of your finger 4. Lipstick colours in nudes, browns, soft pinks, and red. 5. Natural hair colour tones 6. Keep skin exposure to a minimum 7. Gents - Long sleeved shirts – no short sleeves or T-shirts
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you keep a repertoire of different coloured plains, stripes and checks which can each be paired with a multitude of your suits. Finally, it really is ‘all in the details’. Creating a harmonious ensemble is where most will meet their corporate fashion downfall - the correct choice of tie, and in some instances pocket square, will either make or break your entire outfit. Simple details such as showing between one to two centimeters of your shirt cuff, tying your tie in such a fashion that your top shirt button is no longer visible and having the base of your tie touching your belt will elevate you from amateur school boy, to the well rounded quintessential gentleman you’ve always aspired to be!
Gents We’ve all been privy to outfits worn by the wonder boys of corporate fashion in Harvey Specter, Ari Gold and Don Draper, yet so many of us still manage to succumb to the inevitability of poor dress sense in the workplace. Cabal & Co offer high quality tailored men’s garments and accessories at a price that undercuts the entire market. Step 1: Quality product. You want quality in raw materials, construction and fit. Combining these three facets into the one garment is an integral part of achieving fashion success.. At Cabal & Co we are firm believers in the integrity of natural materials - specifically 100% wool suits (cut from super 120’s to super 140’s cloth) lined with a superfine horsehair half canvas - ensuring longevity in the garment’s structure. Similarly, 100% cotton blend shirts ensure both comfort and durability. Step 2: A focus on raw materials, specifically to the actual colour and pattern of the fabric. In terms of suits, plains and pinstripes are the most appropriate fabrics for business attire. Whilst we tend to agree, subtle checkered patterns can bring appropriate, inherent diversity to a corporate environment, and be applied beautifully in a casual context. For shirts, we recommend
http://www.cabalandco.com/
*5% off products for QUT Law Students and discounts on large purchases available!!
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Top 10 Exam Tips A leading investigative reporter at night, and by day Ethan Hyde investigates exams - he gives you the DL on these beasts... 1. Don’t panic! You are not alone. Feeling nervous before an exam is completely normal, and almost all of your fellow students feel exactly the same way. Try to manage your expectations as well. If you think that anything less than a 7 means you’ve failed, you are creating mountains of unnecessary stress for yourself.
4. Try to explain what you have learned to others One of the best ways to test and improve your understanding of the material is to explain it to others. One way you could do this is to “moot” a previous exam question with a friend. You each take an opposing interpretation of the question and take turns trying to convince the other that yours is the correct view. Not only will this help your retention, it will also improve your ability to apply the law.
2. Attend your week 13 tutorials and lectures These classes are often dedicated to revision and your lecturers and tutors may give you hints as to what might be on the exam. 3. Write effective and concise notes Summarise your lecture notes and then summarise your summaries. If you do this, not only will you consolidate your knowledge, but your writing will become much more succinct.
5. If you are sitting an open book exam, prepare for it as if it were closed book Don’t be fooled into thinking you will be able to heavily rely upon your notes during the exam. In the exam you will not have time to be constantly referring to your notes. So prepare for an open book exam as though it were closed book and use your notes as a fall-back if you go blank during the exam.
If you rely upon someone else’s notes, make them your own. Make sure the law they contain is upto-date and reformat them into a layout you are comfortable with.
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with your writing hand. Grab the pen and twist it between your fingers. Open and close your hand. Gently stretch your fingers and wrists (um, what Ethan? (Ed.)).
6. Once you have prepared your notes, do some practice exams or tutorial questions under exam conditions Answering previous questions will give you a better understanding of what to expect from an exam. It will also help to identify any gaps in your knowledge. Once you have identified those gaps, use them to direct any subsequent revision.
10. In the exam manage your time effectively During perusal time, select which questions you are going to answer and allocate an amount of time to spend answering them based on the number of marks apportioned. Once writing time begins, start with the question you feel most comfortable with. This may give you more confidence and help to calm your nerves.
7. Take care of yourself Eat healthy, drink plenty of water and make sure to sleep well. The last thing you want on the day of the exam is to run out of energy or be so tired that you are unable to function properly.
Once the time you have allocated to a question has elapsed, move on to the next question. As tempting as it is to spend extra time writing the perfect answer, doing so will only limit the number of marks you can receive. This is because the first few marks of any question are quite easy to get. On the other hand, once you reach the last few marks of the maximum that can be awarded, it is very difficult to achieve them. Spending too much time on a question is not going to improve your marks. Your time is much better spent getting the first marks of the next question.
8. Plan your route to the exam room ahead of time Allow extra time to account for delays, especially if you are travelling by public transport. You don’t want to make an already stressful day even more stressful by arriving late for your exam. 9. Do some warm-up exercises before you begin the exam Law exams involve a large amount of writing within a relatively short space of time. By writing so much so quickly you run the risk of experiencing pain or cramping. To avoid this do some hand exercises
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