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acknowledgements University of South Australia Law Students Association (USALSA) Wilbur Jordan Publications Director/Editor-in-chief Daniella Prinsloo Administration Officer/Editor Cameron Henderson President Sunny Luthra Activities Director Jake Collins Competitions Director Lisa Parker Careers Director Peta Spyrou Membership Officer
UniSA School of Law Leanne Steele School Manager/Editor Alicia Lepka Marketing Officer/Editor Sue Milne Lecturer
Contributors Travis Shueard Laura Crase
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Introduction Whether you’re in love with the idea of justice, keen to satisfy a hunger for knowledge, or you’ve just binge watched every season of Suits and feel like you can take on the world of corporate law while looking Harvey Specter suave, you’ve decided to take the prestigious leap that is becoming a law student. Welcome to the UniSA School of Law. This guide has been assembled much like the Avengers in that it is jam packed full of life saving tips and tricks for studying at law school; maps so that you can navigate your way through complex classrooms and alien invasions, and of course; Chris Hemsworth.* This guide is intended to be your new best friend; use it to answer any questions you may have. Keep track of all USALSA’s social events (read: cider nights), career seminars and competitions, all run for your benefit. Or just tell it your fears. It’ll know what to do. We have advice from students who are fresh from their first year and keen to impart their wisdom (before it disappears). We even included pictures of the whole USALSA team, who serve as your student representative body and are here to help throughout your time at UniSA Law (also, check out that handsome Publications Director). Over the next few weeks, you may feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information or your ever increasing work-load. Don’t cry - you’ll be doing plenty of that over the next 4 years (I’m joking)**. Instead, use your O-Guide to help you along the way.
All the best for your studies.
Wilbur Jordan, Editor-in-chief. Publications Director, USALSA.
*If only **No I’m not
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foreword
Meet your dean of law, Wendy Lacey
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Welcome to your first year of law school and congratulations on making it here in the first place! I hope that your experiences as a student provide you with lifelong friends and memories, as well as the inevitable challenges that come with studying law at university. Reflecting on my own first year experience (way back in 1991), I would encourage you to engage in all the social and extra-curricular activities on offer, just as much as I would implore you to work hard. Whilst graduation day may feel like it is decades away, your years at law school will go extremely fast. So relish this time and embrace university life. There is no denying that law school is hard work. You will read more and study harder than you ever have before. But the rewards are immense and our objective is to support you to become articulate, knowledgeable and highly skilled graduates, ready to enter the legal profession or other professional careers where a law degree is highly regarded. The more effort you put in along the way, the more competitive you will be for positions after graduation. So, here are some tips to assist you to achieve your full potential whilst at law school: Be engaged in your learning from day 1. Don’t wait until final year to get serious about your study, as your GPA (Grade Point Average) is determined on the basis of all your grades and the highest performing students will have more professional opportunities both throughout their degree and after graduation. Ask lots of questions, especially the ones you think are ‘dumb’. If you are asking yourself a basic question, the odds are that half the class is also struggling with the same point. Your teachers are there to support your learning and you should aim to clarify any confusion as early as possible. The trimester system requires you to keep pace with the material – and there will be lots of material! Embrace the opportunities that are offered to you by UniSA; jump into overseas study, become an active member of USALSA, or take part in the Business School Mentor Program. Start working on building your CV from first year, as every extra experience will add something to your skillset or personal knowledge.
foreword
Meet your dean of law, Wendy Lacey
Don’t be distressed if your marks, especially at first, are lower than you were used to receiving in high school. Law has its own language and disciplinespecific quirks. It will take time for you to learn and internalise them and it may also take time for you to find your passion in law. For me, that didn’t come until 3rd year, when I studied constitutional and administrative law. So, be patient with yourself. Work and study in teams. One of the best ways to learn is to talk through problems with other students and to share some of the burden in covering copious amounts of material.
Get to know your lecturers and tutors. One of the great things about UniSA is the small class sizes and the ability for staff to get to know you. And, remember that when you eventually apply for jobs you will invariably need an academic referee, so speak up in class and be engaged. There are many more practical tips in this guide which have been drafted by your peers – students who have already experienced what it’s like to be a new law student. I encourage you to read and keep this guide and follow the suggestions it offers. You will each have a unique journey through law school, but many of the challenges that you face will be shared by all of your fellow students! Wishing you all the very best for a successful and enjoyable first year!
Professor Wendy Lacey Dean of Law University of South Australia
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Contents THE USALSA TEAM Presidents Address 08 Your Current USALSA Representatives
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key dates 13 get involved Social Events 14
Competitions 17 Careers & Education 19 Publications 21 The Obiter Magazine 23
Contents
tips & tricks Advice from some not-so-first year students 24 Advice from somebody not qualified to give advice 29 Some handy tricks 31 Useful Apps 33 #Breaktheinternet - Websites for you to gander 34 Walk the walk, talk the talk - glossary of legal lingo 37 Referencing and Legal Citation 38 Writing case summaries 41 The art of note taking and summarising 42
your guide to... UniSA City West Campus (map) 43 Law Building. 45 Jeffrey Smart Building (Library and Campus Central) 48 myUniSA student portal & Moodle 53 Eating & Beveraging around campus 56 First year subjects (a fifth years perspective) 57
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Contents Contacting the law school 60 The Legal Advice Clinic 63 Develop a study plan 64 Admission to practice 66 Plagiarism 67 Your responsibilities 69 2015 Academic calendar 73
Index TL;DR - A quick guide to your O-Guide
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Contents
school of law
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THEUSALSATEAM
presidents address 2k15
Hello first years and welcome to UniSA Law School. This guide is prepared for you by the good people of USALSA – the University of South Australia Law Students Association, in conjunction with the School of Law. “Welcome to Law School” is going to be your best friend, your Constitution, your vibe, your Mabo (law jks) throughout your first year of law school (besides the great friends you will meet at USALSA events of course). You should keep it as a point of reference to any problems or questions you may have. We’ve done our best to compile a comprehensive collection of the most useful information you might need when studying law at UniSA. Over the next few weeks, you will be receptive to more information than you can possibly keep up with. There will be new words and phrases, mostly in latin, that will be foreign to you. This guide has everything you need to know to make your way through the first year of law school. It has a list of social, competitive and educational events run by USALSA across the year. It explains the ins and outs of law school. It will tell you about everything you need to know in your first year while giving you much needed advice on how to survive a degree in law. So at any stage when you find things are starting to get overwhelming, you don’t know something, or you just want to check your facts, just like the friendly members of USALSA, this guide will be here to help you along the way. I wish you all the best in your time at law school and look forward to meeting all of you.
Cameron Henderson President, USALSA
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Your current usalsa representatives Cameron Henderson | President contact: president@usalsa.org Cameron is in his final year of a law degree. Always a keen participant, Cameron competed in the Negotiation Competition at ALSA in 2014, and held the role of Publications Director for the USALSA 2013/2014 committee, prior to being elected to his current role as President. Outside of his studies, Cameron sells beer to residents of the Adelaide Hills and cops criticism for using puns and hashtags an inappropriate amount of times in everyday conversation. He has a keen interest in politics, an unhealthy obsession with rap music, and is constantly looking for trips to unique destinations.
Andrew Senyard | Treasurer contact: treasury@usalsa.org Andrew is completing his final year of law in 2015 with Honours, and dreams of one day working for the Australian Human Rights Commission. Before becoming Treasurer in 2014, Andrew began his time with USALSA as Activities Director in 2013. Anyone who starts a conversation with “want to grab a pint?” or “how about that cricket game last night?” will immediately become his best friend. Andrew was incredibly disappointed to find out that being Treasurer had absolutely nothing to do with any hidden treasure, and is the person who most frequently criticises Cameron’s overuse of hashtags mentioned above.
Lisa Parker | Careers Director contact: careers@usalsa.org Lisa completed her law degree with Honours at the end of 2014 and is currently studying a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. Lisa has been the Careers Director at USALSA since October 2013 and was the student representative on the Legal Practitioners’ Education and Admission Council (LPEAC) for 2014.
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Your current usalsa representatives Daniella Prinsloo | Administration & IT Officer contact: administration@usalsa.org Daniella is a South African expat, having lived on three continents in the last five years, she speaks several languages and is in her second year of a double Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of International Business, Finance & Trade degree. Law student by day, Woolworths worker by night and Administration & IT Officer 24/7, life is chaotic but our Law School keeps her passionately engaged. She has been involved with USALSA since her first year at UniSA and is responsible for all the organisational aspects of the committee. Contact her for any general queries or concerns you may have.
Sunny Luthra | Activities Director contact: activities@usalsa.org Sunny Luthra, commonly known as the suave beard (editors note: debatable), is known for organising the biggest pub-crawl in the Law School’s history, combining both law and commerce students, yet not completely settling their distaste for one another ;). His obsession with the fine things in life, including; designer suits, watches, Nike gym wear and boat shoes, gives him that special pretentiousness a Bachelor of Laws student needs. He is currently in his penultimate year of law and is keen to hear hip and groovy suggestions for activities in 2015!
Jake Collins | Competitions Director contact: competitions@usalsa.org Jake is in his fifth and final year of a Law and International Relations double. Jake has competed at ALSA three times, and is yet to convince anyone that the only reason he goes is to do anything other than attend after parties.
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Your current usalsa representatives Dusty Grant | Marketing Officer contact: marketing@usalsa.org Dusty Grant is in his 3rd year of his law/business degree. He considers attendance at 21st birthday parties a sport he has to win, and a contest he is definitely winning. It’s this competitive edge that will make him successful in the tough legal world. Just don’t let him start singing. As Marketing Officer, he has all the tools necessary to become an advertising powerhouse (except with Photoshop, he needs all the help he can get there).
Wilbur Jordan | Publications Director contact: publications@usalsa.org Commonly referred to as the Steven Spielberg of Orientation Guide writing, Wilbur Jordan is a fifth year student studying a double degree of law and journalism. About law school, Wilbur credits his greatest achievements so far as winning the Evidence class of 2014’s “best beard” contest for Movember, despite not even being a part of that class. He also sat his Fundamentals of Criminal Law exam in a full Santa suit because somebody told him it would be a good idea over beers. It was.
Ashleigh Schofield | Education & Social Justice Officer contact: educationsocialjustice@usalsa.org Ashleigh is in her fourth year of her double degree in law/psychological science. This is Ashleigh’s first year with the Committee and has taken over the position of Education and Social Justice Officer. She is dedicated to exploring different television shows to enrich her education and is convinced that watching ‘Suits’ and ‘Criminal Minds’ definitely counts as study. Approach her anytime caffeine is in her possession if you have questions about getting involved in social justice movements or the Law School in general.
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Your current usalsa representatives Catriona Murdoch | Sponsorship Director contact: sponsorshipdirector@usalsa.org Mature-aged student completed LL.B in December 2014. Currently studying the GDLP with Law Society SA/The University of Adelaide. 12 months legal experience gained with the UniSA Legal Advice Clinic, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and Len King Chambers. There’s a formula to law, working that out quickly for each course makes uni life a whole lot easier!
Jordan Moulds | Sponsorship Officer contact: sponsorship@usalsa.org After a year diligently serving USALSA as Marketing Officer, Jordan ‘Swag’ Moulds just couldn’t resist another stint on the committee. As Sponsorship Officer, Jordan can often be seen chasing Catriona around, carrying her heavy paperwork and coffee. Jordan hopes to encourage students to attend all of USALSA’s events, social and otherwise. Jordan is entering the third year of his straight law degree, relying on Wikipedia case summaries to get him through. Jordan wishes the best of luck to all incoming law students and offers the advice to not rely on Wikipedia to get you through your degrees (or do. I’m a paragraph, not your parents).
Peta Spyrou | Membership Officer contact: membership@usalsa.org Peta has just finished her first year of law at UniSA, after completing two years of a commerce degree at The University of Adelaide. Peta’s passion for UniSA’s Law School encouraged her to become a member of USALSA. In holding this position, Peta aims to raise USALSA’s alumni database in a bid to increase the opportunities current students have to interact with members of the broader law profession. Peta prides herself on her friendly nature and is committed to doing whatever she can to make law school a pleasurable experience for all.
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Key Dates 20 February
Campus Day
26 February
Trimester 1/SP2 USALSA Careers Fair
24 March
Census date 31 March Withdraw without fail date
1 May
Withdraw with fail
15 May
Exams 11–22 May
Trimester 2/SP4 Census date 31 July Withdraw without fail date
14 August
Withdraw with fail
28 August
Exams
24 August – 4 September
key dates
Orientation
Trimester 3/SP6 Census date 24 October Withdraw without fail date
6 November
Withdraw with fail
20 November
Exams 7–18 December
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social events
(for u and your salsa)
get involved
Finally, social events that cater to your life long dreams (if your life long dreams include cider, copious amounts of food, more cider, people in sharp suits and people in sharp suits drinking cider). USALSA offers many different social activities throughout the year, including lunches, quiz nights, and our ever (in)famous pub crawls - with a few more in the pipe line! My advice to you would be to get involved. Come out, have a laugh, start networking straight away. I look forward to seeing most of you at Trimester 1’s Welcome Back Event.
Sunny Luthra Activities Director, USALSA (with Laura Crase)
Welcome Back Events
When: Held in weeks 2 or 3 every Trimester (week 3 - Trimester 1) Where: Law Courtyard What: Trimester 1 - Sliders and slushies Bring: Bellies, gold coin donation (for unlimited food and drink) If you thought kicking back in paddle pools, complaining about the lack of Tay Swizzle on the hottest 100 with a cold one was good, you’re about to be impressed. Prepare your bodies. Get your hashtags ready. We’re about to have an eating contest! This event will gain you much wanted respect amongst your peers, academics and the legal fraternity. Enjoy FREE* sliders, slushies and sun! *gold coin donation for the insurance of a food coma (winning) NB: winner’s podium may or may not be included
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Social events cont...
Pub Crawl
When: Typically held in week 10 of Trimesters 1 and 3 (week before SWOTVAC) Where: TBC What: Crawling to pubs Bring: Karaoke voice, spare liver. Don’t worry about your dignity. Pack your skates! Get (legally) inebriated with your lecturers, and watch your peers guzzle quantities of cider fit for an African elephant. Be impressed. USALSA’s own pub crawl game - Hammer Time and all its associated wigs - may be making a reappearance! Have you got what it takes to challenge the Judge to an all out skulling contest? After all, somebody needs to beat Jake. We’re sick of calling him Justice Collins!
Although he does look good in a wig
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social events
Cont...
Quiz Night (Let’s Get Quizzical)
When: August (end of Trimester 2) Where: TBC What: Prestige of winning, wine, food Bring: Competitive nature, your hands on buzzers
Do you think you can out Kirby the erudite Dr Plater? Out AGLC Sue Milne? Win a raffle? Have the best quiz table name? With some past gems such as: ‘Quiz in my pants’, or ‘Kirb[y] your enthusiasm’, you’re in for a tough run there. Prove us wrong! There will be food. Lots of food. Also, drinks. Lots of drinks. Apologies in advance for the puns (editors note: we never apologise for puns). Bring your friends and get silly with us! Getting to know students and tutors more might even come in handy with study and work tips (but #boring).
Keep your eyes out for dates and even more USALSA social events by joining the Facebook USALSA group. Scan the QR code or search for USALSA Inc.
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Competitions
get involved
There are two variants of comps held at UniSA for law students each year. These are the open competitions at the start of the year and the first year moot competition - for first years only (obviously). Winners of the open comps win their way to the ALSA conference. The Australian Law Students Association (ALSA) Conference is the biggest event on the calendar for law students from across Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. It is a week of non-stop comps, after parties and sore heads. Comps are a great way to boost confidence in public speaking and advocacy, and offer an unparalleled experience. Give it a go -
Jake Collins Competitions Director, USALSA
First Year Moot
The primary competition held for first years at UniSA Law is the First Year Moot. A moot court is an extracurricular activity in which participants take part in simulated court proceedings, which usually involves drafting briefs (or memorials) and participating in oral argument. This is similar to the open moot competition, however, it is reserved for first year students only and is held in the third trimester of each year. This competition allows first year students the opportunity to have a go at mooting in a relaxed situation before their mooting assessments in Constitutional Law and Administrative Law. There is training provided for this, usually by a guest legal practitioner.
The Open Competitions
These competitions are held in the first trimester. In 2015, for the first time, there will be four competitions. These are: the Open Moot, Negotiation, Witness-Examination and Client Interview competitions. These competitions will be held in weeks 3-6 of trimester one 2015. The winners of each of these competitions will go on to represent UniSA at the Australian Law Students Association Conference. This conference is held each year in a different city at the beginning of July. In 2015 it will be held in Sydney.
Open Moot: The Open Moot competition is a mock appeal to a superior court. The two parties will make submissions for either side of the appeal, to a judge who will determine the outcome based on legal argument and the manner of presenting the submissions. This competition allows students to work on their advocacy skills.
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Competitions Cont...
Negotiation: In this competition, two teams (two solicitors) meet to discuss a dispute between their clients. Each team is provided with a set of facts. They are then given instructions from their client detailing exactly what outcome they are seeking – and what should be avoided at all costs. This competition focuses on student’s negotiation skills.
Witness-Examination: The Witness-Examination competition is held within a simulated civil or criminal trial and is comprised of one barrister and one non-competitive witness for each side. The trial includes opening statements, the examination of witnesses and closing addresses. This competition fosters the skills required in a trial.
Client Interview: The Client Interview competition is comprised of teams of two. Teams have a set amount of time to ascertain the information necessary to allow them to represent their client. Competitors must cover all the formalities of an interview, take note of the personal details of the client and the intricacies of the problem and suggest possible courses of action. This competition allows students to practice their client interview skills. Each of the above competitions has a training session prior to the competition.
Jessup Moot Court Competition: The Jessup International Law Moot (LAWS 3069) is an advanced international law elective that combines specialist international legal research and writing activities with a significant oral component (by way of mooting). Five students are selected for this Competition, from the top 10% of the course Public International Law. The aim of this course is to provide students with the opportunity to develop advanced legal skills (both written and oral) through participation in the Philip C Jessup International Moot Court Competition. The winner of the Australian round of the Competition, is then entered into the International round of the Competition, which is held in Washington DC, USA.
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Careers & education
get involved
Hello first years, and welcome to the UniSA School of Law. My role on the USALSA committee is to help guide you through the frightening depths of first year law by providing careers and educational advice and events arguably one of the most important portfolios.
USALSA offers a variety of events and services throughout the year to ensure all UniSA graduates have the best possible start in securing their dream jobs. Come down to any of our career events, regardless of whether you’re in your first year - it’s never too early to start.
Lisa Parker Careers Director, USALSA
Law Careers Fair - March 24th
Our flagship careers event, the USALSA Law Careers Fair is aimed at students of all year levels and is designed to bring law firms, organisations and students together under the one roof where they will be able to discuss graduate career opportunities, intern positions, clerkships, volunteer work, alternative legal career paths, practical legal training, life in the legal profession and much more. A must attend!
Clerkship Information Session
The Clerkship Information Session is designed to give students the best possible chance of securing a legal clerkship. Students will hear from past and current students who will talk about their clerkship experiences. You will also be given practical advice on all aspects of the clerkship application process, such as important dates, CVs, cover letters and interviews.
Careers Speed Dating Night
The Careers Speed Dating Night is a parody of the formalised matchmaking process of speed-dating (sitting in a row, with a time limit on your conversation before having to move on to the next), which provides a unique networking opportunity for students and practitioners within a fun and relaxed environment, without that dirty feeling you get using Tinder.
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Careers & Education Alternative Careers Seminar
Cont...
With legal jobs increasingly harder to come by, the Alternative Careers Seminar is designed to showcase the wide range of alternative career paths available to our students upon graduating with a law degree. Alternative career paths include politics, the not-for-profit sector, government departments, in-house legal counsel and academia.
Practical Legal Training (PLT) Fair A one-stop-shop for students to talk with GDLP (Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice) providers about their PLT options, receive course information and ask questions about their individual circumstances to identify which program is most likely to suit their needs.
Cider Night Arguably one of the most popular events on the USALSA calendar; the Cider Night is held in a relaxed social setting where students can sit down and have a chat with academics, prosecutors and defence lawyers from both Adelaide and overseas, over a pint of cider.
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Publications
get involved
Arguably the most important, interesting, and down-right good looking portfolio USALSA has to offer, the Publications Director oversees USALSA’s main four publications, being: a Careers Guide, student run magazine The Obiter, (as of this year) co-editing a Competitions Guide, and of course, this beautiful masterpiece you hold in your hands; The O-Guide. My advice to first year students would be to get involved in as much as possible; go to social events (like I should even need to persuade you), moot to your hearts content. Come write for The Obiter - see if I’m just as full of myself in real life (plot twist: I am). Run for USALSA and help act as the voice of all UniSA Law Students. It’s never too early. Also, grow a beard.
Wilbur Jordan Publications Director, USALSA/General Alright Guy
Careers Guide
USALSA’s Careers Guide is a highly informative and professional publication providing information to students about clerkships, graduate opportunities and how to convert a degree into a career by taking advantage of the many opportunities available while studying. The Careers Guide is released annually, in conjunction with the Uniform Clerkship Scheme, around late June/early July. If you’re interested in editing or contributing to the 2015 Careers Guide, contact publications@usalsa.org and find out how.
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Publications Cont...
Competitions Guide One of two new editions to the Publications portfolio in 2015, the USALSA Comps Guide will be written by professionals in the areas of, pertaining to tips relating to; mooting, negotiations, client interviews and witness examination. The Comps Guide is written and edited in conjunction with the Competitions Director. If you plan on competing, don’t go in alone! Let the USALSA Competitions Guide help fight your battles for you*. *individual results may vary
USALSA and the School of Law’s Orientation Guide “Welcome to Law School” The second of two new editions to the Publications portfolio in 2015, we prepared this guide to ease your transition in to law student life. Back in my day, all we got at Orientation were condoms in the guise of hot sauce packets courtesy of a giant Nando’s chicken outfit. Sorry to disappoint you.
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Publications
Established in 2011 by a group of like-minded students, The Obiter is USALSA’s own law student publication, overseen by the Publications Director and run by a volunteer editorial team. It acts as the voice of USALSA while providing an open space for law students to have their say about their experiences at law school. It aims to be both as light hearted and humorous as it is serious and informative. The magazine features articles focusing on a broad range of topics, including; political and legal issues, student achievements, information on study and career opportunities as well as law student culture.
get involved
The Obiter Magazine
The Obiter is always on the look out for fresh content and even fresher team members (nothing has been the same since Meredith shaved her mullet). The end of 2014, culminating with The Obiter’s 10th edition, saw the editorial team double. But alas, while the hipster trend may live on forever (we hope), there are some of us who cannot. If you’re a budding writer, editor, or just have something to say about anything, get in contact. For those studying a double degree in law and journalism and professional writing, The Obiter is an excellent way to win bragging rights while building your portfolio and possibly accumulating credits for subjects. Anybody is welcome to contribute. Strong pun game essential.
If you’d like to write for, or possibly help edit future editions of The Obiter, contact current editor-in-chief Meredith Hennessy at theobiter@usalsa. org, or Publications Director Wilbur ‘shamelessly self-promoting’ Jordan at publications@usalsa.org.
To read all 10 glorious editions of The Obiter online, head to our ISSUU site, or check us out on Facebook:
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Surviving law school
Advice from some not-so-first year students Having successfully thwarted the menace that is first-year-woes in 2014, some of our ex-pat-newbies have opted to share with you a few nuggets of wisdom.
tips & tricks
Travis Shueard Bachelor of Laws student, UniSA Law Review Travis’ Top Tips (oh the alliteration) for your First Year:
1. Read Everything; this may be a no-brainer. But you’ll quickly find that the temptation of Wikipedia is strong, as reading two paragraphs is much easier than 200 pages of Mabo. Don’t fall for it, no matter how much your fellow collegiate brags about how they ‘understand’ a case from reading summaries. They don’t. But you will, if you read everything. It’s critical to truly understanding how a court reaches a certain conclusion, how principles are developed and applied, and why that precedent is the precedent it is. Remember; hard work always wins out over talent, when talent doesn’t work hard. 2. Develop an ‘intellectual interest’; it’s my opinion to actually be successful at your law degree you need to have a passion for the law and its theory. Don’t be afraid to read additional material to what is prescribed if it actually interests you. It’ll keep you enthusiastic about your course and give you that extra layer of knowledge over what you know, which leads to better grades and a better understanding of the profession you’re studying for. It’s all about developing your thinking! 3. Appreciate where you are; you’re at law school and it’s not easy to get there. Whether you entered by ATAR or are mature-aged, it’s not a simple process to just walk in the door. You’re also studying for a prestigious profession. Appreciate it and work hard for it. Leave the self-entitlement, laziness or apathy at the door. Somewhere out there is a person who missed out so you could take that position; appreciate the opportunity you were given. 4. Be courteous, be kind, and help out; don’t be that guy who hides a textbook in the library so someone else can’t find it. Do be that guy who’ll take two minutes to explain something that a friend or stranger is finding difficult to grasp. Don’t be that guy who books an entire study room solely to himself, when a group may need to use it for an upcoming moot. Do be that guy who wants everyone to succeed at the goals they set.
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surviving law school cont...
5. Own it; own your fate. Keep yourself motivated and determined, and the pieces will fall into place. Take it for granted, be lazy, or self-entitled, and watch as your grades and respect falls away. You’re in charge of your own education and fate, so do what you can to be the best professional you can be. “Viewed from the outside, law schools are intimidating places. Viewed from the inside, legal education is often a confusing and sometimes seemingly pointless process. Neither is necessarily true… The goal is to walk through the door each day feeling that you understand, if not each night’s reading for each class, at least that you are fully involved in your legal education.” Gary Clinton, University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Peta Spyrou Bachelor of Laws/Commerce, Membership Officer USALSA 1.
Be responsible for your own learning/
University is the start of your professional career. Your lecturers and tutors will not spoon-feed you; therefore you need to take responsibility for your own learning. Taking responsibility does not mean that you need to know all the answers to your tutorial questions or even read every single word of the case you have been prescribed, but it means that you need to display effort – attempt your tutorial questions, read (and re-read) the judgment of cases and conduct your own research if you find a concept completely foreign (trust me, I Google EVERYTHING). Law is a degree that needs to be talked about - you can learn so much by verbalizing and talking through concepts with others. Therefore, the effort you put in not only aids your understanding, but your perspective can help someone else’s knowledge. Furthermore, there is nothing more frustrating than being in a tutorial and having the same couple of people interact with the tutor. Participate and try answering questions – you’ll be surprised at how much you can learn.
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Surviving law school
cont...
2.
Start off every trimester planning for the final assessment.
As all subjects have heavily weighted final assessment pieces, I recommend studying for the final exam or commencing research on the final assignment in week one. For example, I attend each lecture with a Microsoft Word document, which outlines the topics and concepts that will be discussed. This document is usually derived from a combination of the textbook and study guide. I later amalgamate the notes I’ve taken in the lecture with my document, and use this to create a summary for the week. Doing this process on a weekly basis means I can concentrate on answering practice questions when SWOT Vac comes around.
3.
Work smarter.
There are only so many hours in a day, therefore I believe the key to success in law school is to work smarter, not longer. For me, organisation is fundamental in achieving this. I create a weekly schedule that indicates when I’m at uni, have work and include designated ‘study blocks’ for each of my subjects. Furthermore, be time efficient; think about forming a study group and sharing your reading lists with a friend. Another great time-saving tip is to always carry a case, textbook or journal article that you can read while waiting for the bus or to read on your lunch break at work.
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suriving law school cont...
Daniella Prinsloo Bachelor of Laws/International Business, Administrations & IT Officer USALSA 1) Keep up with the reading/don’t fall behind. Do your reading before class and at a time that you are most alert so that during class you can actively engage in and understand the material rather than worrying about being called out on something that you have not prepared for. Also, reading cases is one of the smartest things you can do as you are learning by osmosis. You are learning to appreciate and identify the beauty of legal rationale, the value and weight placed on precedent and how it can be distinguished as well as how an argument is structured, which will come in handy when you have to structure a legal argument yourself in an exam or assignment.
2) Take good notes. Get organised. Colour code, highlight, use tabs and labels, find what works for you and stick to a method. Prepare your notes on your assigned readings before class and then add anything that you may have missed to it after. Do not get caught up in writing down every word that your Professor says and miss out on valuable class participation and intellectual discussion. Write your own outlines; commercial outlines or those that have been given to you by friends may seem like a godsend but keep in mind that much of the learning and remembering occurs during the creation process.
3) Go to class. This is a valuable part of law school, more often than not you are given the opportunity to learn through critical thinking and intelligent conversation as well as being given certain information or insight that may not have been shared online. At UniSA we are fortunate to have a talented group of lecturers who take a keen interest in the students and know us by name, so go and meet and network with your fellow law students and Professor. Also, don’t be afraid to go and ask your lecturer questions about things you may not fully grasp or comprehend, you will be surprised at how welcoming and enthusiastic they can be about a law student who is showing a genuine desire to learn and understand.
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Surviving law school
cont...
4) Network/ make friends. When it comes time to find a job or a clerkship what is often a valuable asset is the connections you have made and fostered throughout law school. Your fellow law students are going to become some of your closest friends and confidants and you will soon realise that they are the only people who really know what you are going through.
5) Get involved. We have an active student body who take part in a variety of interests. Find something that suits your personal traits and get involved. As a starting point, make sure that you sign up for regular updates from USALSA, who are there to represent your interests as a law student and make sure that you are getting the most out of your law degree. Remember that the more student participation we have in events that we organise with law firms and other professional organisations, the more valuable experiences we can offer you throughout your time with us.
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surviving law school
advice from somebody not qualified to give advice
tips & tricks
Just to break the monotony in the same way Kim Kardashian once tried to break the internet (but with less booty), here are some of the things I learnt in my first four years of studying law (and definitely didn’t re-hash from a previous article I published in The Obiter).
Surviving law school with Wilbur J:
If you’re choosing to sport a spiffy nickname, like Wilbur, or even The Big Cheese (it’s a work in progress), you may want to make sure your friends actually know it’s not your real name. And that, come Contracts Negotiation time, they don’t then put you in a group under your nickname, so that you then have to explain to your lecturer as to why he’s put you in two separate groups under two different names, to which he will then berate you for in front of your entire peer group. This is all hypothetical of course. To add to that, don’t let yourself wear obscene headwear, such as propeller hats. You will become the lecturer’s new whipping boy. Also, they aren’t cool. Just joking. Propeller hats will always be cool.
Before you start any criminal subjects with Dr David Plater, make sure you understand the concept of Morris Dancing. It’ll save you quite a lot of confusion later on. You’ll never get a better description of the tort of assault than seeing Julia Davis threaten the class with a pretend bazooka.
I file this under: reasons why I chose law and not an arts degree
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surviving law school
advice from somebody not qualified to give advice
The Worldsend is not an appropriate place to study for a Torts test.
test.
It IS an appropriate place to drink your woes away after a Torts
It’s also probably not appropriate to encourage your mate to share three whole jugs of cider with you right before his Law Society & Justice presentation. But it sure is funny. You’ll be told throughout your studies that starting assignments the night before they are due is never truly ideal, but hell, you think, challenge accepted! (Presumably followed by a #yolo). It is now 6am, you have a 4,000 word research assignment due at 9am, you and a friend started it at midnight, you’ve been working all night and then all of a sudden your friend’s grandad is knocking on the door, because it’s time to wake up. You now notice the sun is shining through the window. A rooster is crowing, tormenting you, while you struggle to keep your eye lids dropping faster than a Kanye album. With over a thousand words still to go you now start to realise, deep down, that you probably should have listened to your lecturers. Also, what is life? In the excitement of your first law pub crawl, don’t give the only key to your hotel room to the drunkest member of your party. Before you know it they’ll be kicked out of Sugar for almost vomiting in the corner, pass out in the hotel room while you’re still in Sugar (and definitely not at Strats), refuse to answer their phone, and you’ll have to wait for management to come let you in while you stand in the freezing cold and dream of snuggly bed time. Do promptly slap their face when you finally get inside. You will forget that the desks in the HH Building lecture theatres aren’t stable, and you will lose your books behind the person in front of you. Several times. And some jerk sitting behind you will notice, and he will laugh obnoxiously loud.
9 times out of 10 that jerk will be me.
If the first lecture for Torts for the trimester happens to fall on your birthday, to which you decide cider is a much more appropriate way to spend your day, you’ve probably got no hope of ever going back. But probably the greatest piece of advice I can give you is this: Never take advice from me.
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surviving law school some handy tricks
tips & tricks
Text books
All courses contain a list of recommended or essential text books. Consider waiting until after the first few weeks before buying your books (because money), your lecturer may recommend different books, or you may find you may not need to buy them at all. Some textbooks can also be borrowed from the library, but considering you’re one of a large group of poor uni students, I wouldn’t bank on that one. Some handy books to consider:*
1. Richard Krever’s, “Mastering Law Studies and Law Exam Techniques”
2. Tom Gray, Martin Hinton and David Caruso (eds), “Essays in Advocacy” *personal opinion of the author, do not take my word as gospel (unless we’re talking beards).
Form a study group
Get some mates together and start a private Facebook group where you can share notes, discuss issues, give each other advice, and most importantly, plan which pubs you’re going to when you finally give up on your hopes and dreams. You can try splitting summaries up, to make compiling a set of notes for each subject less work come exam time.
But where is floor 1??? You’ll find most elevators around Uni start from floor 2, even though you are on the ground floor. There is no floor 1. This is worth mentioning because it’s been 5 years and I still don’t understand why. Conspiracy??
Reading your timetable (room locations) Your timetable follows the following format: building, level, room number. For example, LB1-30 is in the law building, floor 1, room 30.
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surviving law school
some handy tricks cont...
‘V’ in case citations When pronouncing case names, the ‘v’ is pronounced as “against” in Criminal cases, and “and” in Civil cases, never just “v”. So Kanye v Kanye in a Criminal court of law (just go with it) is Kanye against Kanye (just joking. Kanye loves Kanye).
Free stuff If you’re a uni student, chances are you’re a poor one. Being poor and going to uni go hand in hand, like bacon and eggs, or like Tony Abbott and his budgie smugglers. Go to as many events as you can and try to get as many free things as possible. Most stalls at O day events or USALSA-run gaffs have highlighters, pens, pads and sometimes even USBs up for nabs. If you play your cards right you’ll be sitting on an Iron Throne (made of pens), commanding the Seven Kingdoms and hopefully not chopping off Ned Stark’s head (please... I can’t go through that twice).
UniSA Anywhere (Free Microsoft Office) Being a UniSA student has its perks. UniSA Anywhere offers free Microsoft Office (the whole shebanga) - Office365 ProPlus. Just download, install, and sign in using your university email and credentials. Scan:
Set your uni email up on your phone Scan:
For Android phones
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For Apple phones
useful apps QR Reader If you haven’t downloaded already, use to access all the good stuff this guide has to offer.
Lost on Campus Contains maps to all UniSA campuses, info about particular buildings, eateries, ammenities, etc.
Dropbox Free cloud storage service, never leave your USB, only to find it returned full of a strangers (my) seflies, again.
UniSA Students Program information, maps, find computers on campus, QR scanner, apps, USASA Diary, much more!
Constitution The Australian Constitution, useful for Constitutional Law.
Law Society of SA Directory of SA law firms, court proceedings, contact details for Law Society of SA.
Austlii Mobile platform for Austlii, a database for case law and legislation.
SafeZone App for FM Assist (campus security), for emergency, general help and first aid calls.
PokitPal Cheap stuff. $10 jugs cider at the Austral, for one. Let’s be honest, it’s the only one you’ll need.
PrinterOn Connect to UniSA printers for wireless printing from phones, tablets and computers.
Office365 FREE! Office apps, for when you need to make last minute edits on the go.
Vine You know why.
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#breaktheinternet
websites for you to gander USALSA Facebook Page & Private Group
tips & tricks
USALSA runs both a public Facebook page (anybody can like) and a private group (only UniSA Law students can join membership requests are moderated). While the USALSA page acts as a public front, the group itself is a hub of information and opportunity for members. USALSA uses the group to share events, job opportunities and general information, as well as announcements. The group can also be used as an open forum for students to express any questions or concerns they may have.
Scan:
USALSA Facebook Page
USALSA Facebook Group or search USALSA Inc (group).
UniSA Law Book Exchange - Facebook Group If you want an easy way of buying or selling law text books without the hassle of leaving that great Facebook fight between a couple of twelvies you were unashamedly reading, look no further than the Law Book Exchange. A private group providing an open space for people to freely advertise their unwanted textbooks, or to look for cheaper second hand alternatives. Chuck us a request and earn back some $$$.
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#breaktheinternet
websites for you to gander
or search UniSA Law Book Exchange (S. Australia)
Survive Law
tips & tricks
Scan:
Survive Law is a website staffed by more than 25 Australian law students and graduates. Self described as a site where ‘you’ll find plenty of tips and tricks to survive those never-ending readings, obfuscating essay questions, killer exams and assessments, plus discussions of mental health and well-being, unorthodox and straight-shooting careers in law, and those all important ongoing odes to highlighters, coloured tabs, textbook burning and coffee to flow black through your veins.’ Survive Law is not affliated with USALSA or the UniSA School of Law - but they do post a lot of interesting law related articles and things relevant to every day law students.
Go to: www.survivelaw.com
UniSA Library Database
The UniSA Library contains a collection of databases of cases and law journals, and is where you’ll spend 75% of your time doing research for your assignments (or whatever time you’re not on Facey anyway). A quick link on the right of the Library homepage labelled ‘databases and journals’ will take you to a page where you can search according to the title of the database itself, or by your subject of study. Select L under subject, scroll down until you find Law. Using these sites via the UniSA Library also means that you get access to features which you generally need a paid subscription for. This means more money for the coffee which, if you’re doing research, is probably the only thing keeping you sane.
Scan:
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#breaktheinternet
websites for you to gander USALSA Website
The official USALSA website has recently been refurbished for an easier, more enjoyable experience for our law students. The website can be used for staying up to date on all official USALSA events (subscribe to our monthly newsletter, visit our blog or view our handy timeline to keep in the know) find helpful tips and links, career opportunities, provide feedback or have your queries answered. Scan:
or go to www.usalsa.org.au
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walk the walk, talk the talk glossary of legal lingo
Defendant A person against who relief is sought by any form of proceedings in a court.
Ratio Decidendi A reason for deciding. A factor in the process leading to a judicial decision.
Equity A seperate body of law which supplements, corrects, and controls the law. A right based on ethical conceptions. Your worst nightmare.
Obiter Dictum Judicial observations that do not form part of the reasoning of a case. Waffle. Not binding on lower courts, but can be persuasive. Precedent A judgment that is authority for a case on similar facts. The doctrine of precedent means that the decision of a court on a matter of law is binding - the judges must follow that particular rule. Cider A fruity alcoholic beverage similiar to beer, but not as nasty, and commonly referred to by Dr David Plater as the ‘spice of life’. Tort Wrong doing. A civil wrong. A breach of duty. Not to be confused with a torte - a delicious dessert. Throwing this at somebodies face will usually result in a tort.
Accused A person formally accused of criminal conduct. Doctrine A belief or set of beliefs. Bona Fide In good faith. Mens Rae A guilty mind. Material Facts A relevant fact. Advocacy The art of conducting proceedings before a court. Dissent Opposition to an idea.
tips & tricks
Judicial of, by, or appropriate to a law court or judge; relating to the administration of justice.
Plaintiff A person who seeks relief against any other person by any form of proceedings in a court.
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referencing and legal citation courtesy of sue milne, lecturer, school of law The Law School requires that when writing law assignments, you properly acknowledge the source of any non-original material (that is, any source you use that is not YOUR original thought or expression). This incudes referencing the textbook you use, any academic articles, etc, and more particularly for Law - the act or case that is the authority for each principle of law to which you refer.
tips & tricks
Legal citation is different from standard forms of referencing (such as Harvard referencing). Your references need to comply with the Australian Guide to Legal Citation, 3rd ed. This is a style guide that directs you how to set out a whole range of matters to do with writing, including when to footnote (you do this a lot in Law School!), heading styles, quotation styles, and of course how to cite an Act and a case.
Legislation Acts and Regulations citation should contain the Short Title, Year and (Abbreviation of the Jurisdiction) Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 (SA)
If you are frequently referring to the same Act in your writing you may give it a shortened title or abbreviation in parenthesis and single quotation marks after the full citation. Subsequent citations may use the shortened form of the name. The Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) (‘FLA’) is the principal Commonwealth statute concerned with property law matters between married and de facto partners. The FLA also regulates the … Footnoting an Act Do not footnote an Act if you provide the full citation of the Act in the body of the text. In the example below you do not need to footnote the Act, as all the information to locate the Act is already provided in the text. Capital punishment was abolished in South Australia in 1976 by the Statutes Amendment (Capital Punishment Abolition) Act 1976 (SA).
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referencing and legal citation courtesy of sue milne, lecturer, school of law Case law The standard format for the citation of a reported (published) case comprises:
Party names (Year of decision) Volume of report series Abbreviation of report series where decision is published Page on which decision begins
So: K-Generation Pty Ltd v Liquor Licensing Court (2009) 237 CLR 501. Pinpoint references are always to the page number and it is optional to include the paragraph number of the relevant text. Paragraph numbers are indicated by [square brackets]. K-Generation Pty Ltd v Liquor Licensing Court (2009) 237 CLR 501, 530 [90]. The standard format for an unreported case comprises:
Party names (Italicised) [Year of decision in square brackets] Abbreviation of name of Court Number of the decision (Full date of decision)
Hird v Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority [2015] FCAFC 7 (30 January 2015)
Pinpoint references are to a paragraph/s of the judgment (pinpoint citation). Hird v Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority [2015] FCAFC 7 (30 January 2015) [150].
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referencing and legal citation courtesy of sue milne, lecturer, school of law Footnoting a case. The case name should be omitted from the footnote if the case name appears in full in the body of your text. In this case you merely provide the citation to the case in the footnote. In South Australia v Totani the High Court held that s 14(1) of the Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Act 2008 (SA) was invalid on constitutional grounds1. Footnote a case in full, where you briefly refer to a case, or to a particular passage of the decision, in which instance you may want to also provide details of the judge. The appellants in K-Generation were seeking access to the criminal intelligence that had been presented by the Police to the Liquor Licensing Court, and withheld from them2.
For a free copy of the AGLC, scan:
(Footnotes)
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1
(2010) 242 CLR 1.
2
K-Generation Pty Ltd v Liquor Licensing Court (2009) 237 CLR 501.
Writing case summaries
tips & tricks
Arguably one of the most important skills you’ll develop while at law school, beyond just how much cider you can consume in one sitting, is the ability to read and summarise cases. Looking at the length of a case can be daunting enough, but sometimes a case can be enough to make you question what you’re doing with your life, and sometimes they’re about as interesting as any Snapchat story that exceeds 50 seconds (example: Carter v Egg and Egg Pulp Marketing Board, 45 pages of your life you’ll never get back). And then of course, if you’re like me, you’ll get a good paragraph in before you start rewarding your efforts with about seven hours of cat videos on youtube. So here’s a guide to help set you on track, courtesy of Sydney Law School (source: sydney.edu.au/lec/subjects/contracts/200405/Casenote.doc); Skim read the case without writing or highlighting. Now read it again, highlighting key points. Write down formal particulars, including: The name and citation of the case (ie Mabo v Queensland (No.2) (1992) 175 CLR 1), Name of the court and judge(s), Name and status of each party, and Date of the judgment; The material facts of the case;
The prior history of the case in lower courts, such as appeals (if mentioned in the judgment);
The cause of action or claim involved in the case (for example, the issue on appeal); A summary of the judgments, including any dissenting judgments, which should include: The facts that were considered material or relevant, The ratio decidendi (rule), The arguments considered by the court in support of, or against, the principle, and Any obiter dicta or significant observations by the court; Comment on the impact of the decision on the law.
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the art of note taking and summarising My year 12 History teacher often used to talk ridiculously fast and would constantly wipe off her notes on the whiteboard, whilst I was still busy writing the date. She then presumably laughed at her own cruelty. When I asked her to calm her farm (cool face emoji), her response was always “if you go to Uni, you can’t ask your lecturers to slow down,” usually followed by something like, “that being said, you are the greatest student in the history of students.”
tips & tricks
Sadly, she was mostly right (especially about the last part). There’s no right method in taking notes. Everybody has a preference, the art is in finding which way works for you. Some possible methods include: Taking a computer (if you’re using a Macbook, don’t forget your free trade latte and boat shoes without socks). Grants you the speed to keep up with the lecturer and is easy to keep your notes formated - but also gives you an excuse to surf Facebook for three hours straight (more of an excuse, anyway). The ol’ pen and paper. Much slower than a computer, you’ll probably spend a lot of time trying to keep up and may miss some important parts. Try jotting down anything you think is important, such as case names, citations and dates (highlighted), or anything your lecturer emphasises. You could try to devise your own shorthand system (if you actually know shorthand, please allow me to bask in your excellence). Print the lecture slides. By selecting the ‘notes’ printing feature (three slides per page with lines adjacent each slide), you can spend your time jotting down only the extra bits your lecturer may bring up that aren’t already on the slides, as well as highlighting important parts as you go. You could also try making notes with friends, and spending a set time each week (or during swot vac) swapping notes and building your own super-notes. Pick a time, either post lecture, at the end of the week, where you take the time to read over your notes and understand what you’ve written. If you’ve hand written your notes, take this time to type them up - you can reformat and retain more information as you go. Break things down in to individual topics (i.e. for torts: negligence, battery, assault, etc). Highlight the important bits, cases and principles, and consider making a seperate document for case summaries. A lot of tutors supply questions for discussion for each tutorial. Use these questions in conjunction with your notes to further your understanding. When it comes to exam time, have each topic start on a new page (if using typed notes), and tab each section so they’re easy to get to. Also consider numbering your pages and creating a table of contents - it’ll save you a lot of time while you’re busy panicking over everything else.
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unisa city west campus
your guide to... 43
unisa city west campus HH4-08 and 5-08
your guide to...
While a lot of your classes will be in the Law Building, a lot of the larger lectures will be in either HH4-08 or 5-08. To get to these rooms, you can either take the stairs (lol), found in the HH Building across from the Caf (Hindley Street side - refer to map page 43), and climb four/ five levels. Otherwise, there is an elevator - go through the Caf to the landing overlooking West Bar (towards North Terrace), head to the right. Take the lift to desired floor, get out, turn right until you come to a set of automatic doors. Go through these doors, straight through another set of automatic doors, on to a landing outside which connects the buildings, and you’ll end up in the HH Building.
ATM & Metrocard Recharge Located in the BH Building (same building as the Caf, but on the opposite side of the lounge), or next to UniBooks.
Uni Books Located in the BH Building (same building as the Caf, but on the opposite side of the lounge). Sells text books, stationary, note books, as well as some UniSA apparel.
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Unisa City west campus law building
your guide to...
A.k.a. your new home, the Law Building will be where a lot of your tutorials are held, and some of your smaller lectures (usually further on down the track, once we’ve weedled out the weak). Stylized on your timetable as LB. Contains the offices of your lecturers and tutors.
The Law Courtyard
Enter by going right from the Hawke Building lecture theatre exit/North Terrace entrance, or via George Street, the Law Courtyard is usually home to USALSA’s welcome back events, lunches for O-Day (these may have been held in West Bar, I’m not sure, I’m not a mind reader), as well as your fellow dreary eye-d law students trying to catch some of that beautiful and under-appreciated Vitamin D in between tutes.
Law Reception
Staffed during office hours (closed from 1pm-2pm everyday), Law Reception can handle most enquiries. The Law Reception is also where you go to pick up returned and marked assignments. To the left (around the corner) there is a water fountain. Down the corridor to the right of the desk are the ladies and gents toilets.
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Unisa City west campus
law building cont...
The Ivan Shearer Moot Court (LB1-29) LB1-29 is the first room on the left past the Law Reception desk. It contains the Ivan Shearer Moot Court and subsequently will be the feature setting in your nightmares for the next 4-5 years. It has windows which people on their way to or from LB1-30 will use to try to unsettle you, with their “Ha I’m not currently mooting” attitudes. Contains one long desk, usually uninhabited except for students with an unnatural fondness for swivel chairs (read: me). Has chairs with tiny side tables. If you’re brining your laptop, try for the desk - there are powerpoints at the top of the desk (hidden under a plastic lid). This will be one of your main tutorial rooms.
FYI Professor Ivan Shearer, for whom LB1-29 is named after, works as an Adjunct Professor for the School of Law, as well as serving on the United Nations Human Rights Committee. He has appeared in cases before the higher Australian courts including the High Court of Australia. He served as a Senior Member of the Australian Administrative Appeals Tribunal from 2004 to 2008. He is a member of the Panel of Arbitrators of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, The Hague. He has served in two recent international arbitrations and in two cases before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, Hamburg. In 1995 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia. Check out his portrait on the main staircase!
LB1-30 Left from the reception desk, past LB1-29. One of the main lecture rooms (for smaller lectures, generally, first year lectures with higher student numbers are held in the HH Building) and some tutorials. Powerpoints are scarce (a couple on each side wall, near the front/centre).
Main Staircase, Foyer Head right from reception desk, down the corridor (past the toilets and a small staircase on your left). Keep going until the room opens up to a foyer with tables and chairs, and the Hindley Street entrance (the big fancy wooden doors). The main staircase is to the right of the foyer, as is an elevator.
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Unisa City west campus law building cont... Boardroom From the foyer, head to the end and take a corridor to the right. The boardroom is at the end of the corridor (the building is a u-shape. You can walk from one end to the other).
USALSA Offices (LB2-02A) Head up the main staircase. Chuck a right. The USALSA Office is straight ahead (through the alcove). Law Students are encouraged to come to the USALSA offices with any problems they may need help with, or just to tell Dusty he looks beautiful in his female size small pub crawl shirt. Food and coffee donations are also welcome.
Legal Advice Clinic Left from the USALSA Office is UniSA’s Legal Advice Clinic (see page 63), which offers free legal advice to members of the community as well as clinical legal education to law students. You’ll learn more about this as your degree progresses.
LB2-10 Go to the foyer, and head up the main staircase. Head right (towards USALSA offices), and take a right down a long corridor. LB2-10 is the room at the end of this corridor. LB2-10 is a main tute room, and can also be used as a moot court.
LB2-17 Go right from reception desk, past toilets until you come to a small staircase on your left (opposite the office of Carol Brewitt & Kelly Ladyman). From this staircase, head right. LB2-17 is a larger room, usually used for lectures for smaller classes.
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Unisa City west campus
your guide to...
Jeffrey Smart Building (Library)
A recent addition to the City West Campus, the Jeffrey Smart Building is a hub of innovative technologies, plus houses the library, plenty of study, computer and printing space, as well as containing Campus Central (where you go to get your ID’s, solve any inquiries), and on-campus security. Stylized on your timetable as JS. Level 6 of the JS Building contains the Law Library.
Ground Floor Lifts straight in front of the entrance, stairs to the left. Beyond the stairs, on the ground level, is a giant screen where the UniSA Student Experience team often hold movie and popcorn nights.
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Unisa City west campus
Jeffrey Smart Building (Library) cont... West End Kitchen Cafe. To the right of the main entrance, but with an entrance on Hindley Street as well. Make a ginger sausage roll which tastes about as good as Morgan Freemans voice if that too were edible (what even are similes).
Campus Central From the entrance, climb the big staircase to your left (or take the lift up a level). Campus Central provides student services, information, enrolment help, are where you make payments and where you go to get your ID cards.
Level 6 (Law Books) Level 6 contains various computer pools (as does every other level), study rooms, a silent study zone, law text books as well as legislation and law reports, and a practice moot court. Toilets to the right of the elevators, around a corner on the right. It is also a designated Quiet Zone, meaning if somebody next to you is jabbering obnoxiously loud on their mobular telephone, scream “loud noises” at them Brick Tamland style until they either shut up, or just start quoting Anchorman with you (which would probably mean you’ve failed, but hey, it’s a classic).
Keep your second Brick Tamland option (hand grendades) for emergency situations only image source: http://imgarcade.com/1/brick-anchorman/
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Unisa City west campus
Jeffrey Smart Building (Library) cont... Printing On the other side of the desks directly adjacent the elevators is the printing pool for Level 6. Printers also act as photocopiers and scanners (image sent to your student email). Can do colour. Printing is accessed by scanning your ID card on the side of the printer (printing won’t start until you login). Your computer will automatically find the nearest printer.
Computer Pools One large computer pool located adjacent elevators, with a smaller one to your right. There are several computer rooms, although most are classrooms, situated along the back wall (housing the elevators), to the right of the elevators. Head right past the small computer pool and orange boothes, you’ll find a room with glass doors (JS6-12). This area houses the kitchen area, lounge chairs, and a row of computers with ridiculously large stools, which you’ll spend most of your time trying to actually get on to than actually studying (reminiscent of those seedy Saturday nights trying to ride the bull at the Woolshed).
Study Rooms Study rooms can be booked for a maximum of two hours at a time, via the Library website (see page 35) - to the left of the homepage is a quick link to “study room/laptop bookings”. You need to be quick though, as they go pretty fast (one advantage to trimester study is that at the start of SP2 and end of SP6, everybody else is on holidays and study rooms are usually free. The disadvantage of course is that everybody else is on holidays and you aren’t). It is library ettiquette that you vacate a study room which you’ve walked in to but haven’t booked, for the person who booked it, or leave as soon as your time is up. If nobody claims a booked room within 15 minutes - go to town on that study room. Claim your spoils.
Silent study area JS6-12C is designated a silent study area. Go through JS6-12, and through the doors on the right hand wall in between study rooms.
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Unisa City west campus
Jeffrey Smart Building (Library) cont... Borrowing Books Can be done using one of these bad boys:
It’s best to learn as you go.
Kitchen Facilities Located on most floors, on Level 6 the kitchen facilities can be found in JS6-12. There’s a fridge, microwave and sink all for student use. Keep it tidy, be considerate. For your reference:
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Unisa City west campus
Jeffrey Smart Building (Library) cont... Moot Practice Room (JS6-03) Located to the left of the elevators, the moot practice room can be booked just as any study room. It’s a great place for you to practice your advocacy either on your own or with a group of mates. While not technically solely for law students, it is obviously more centric to your needs than somebody who just wants a room to watch YouTube (that’s what approaching deadlines are for). If you find that certain people are misusing the room with your Admin moot fastly approaching, contact the School of Law or USALSA and let us sort it out. Course co-ordinators for advocacy subjects such as Evidence tend to override bookings for law student use beforehand.
Plenty of study space If you’re a bring-your-own-computer kinda person, there are plenty of free desks, usually located on the walls around each floor, as well as some hipster looking boothes, all with power points and a table to bury your face in.
General library etiquette Take phone calls either outside or in stair ways. Don’t be ridiculously loud. Gathering around a screen with your mates and yelling over cat videos can be saved for the pub (or nowhere). If you’re using a laptop, you don’t need to sit in front of a computer to use it. I mean, really?
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Myunisa student portal
your guide to...
Go to www.unisa.edu.au/myunisa and login using your student details (following the format: username = first 3 letters of last name, first letter of first name, first letter of middle name, 3 digit number). For example, David Morris-Dancing Plater (the only one at UniSA) would have the username pladm001. The myUniSA student portal is your online hub for accessing all your course homepages (moodle pages), your timetable, enrolment, submitting assignments, emails, recharging your printing and internet allowances etc.
Quick Links
At the top of the page you’ll find links to the Library homepage, askIT (where you can contact somebody for IT assistance), your student emails, as well as your academic record (course grades and GPA).
Unofficial Academic Transcript
Go to ‘my Academic Record’, click the ‘my record of study’ link on the right. A record of all your completed subjects and grades will be sent to your email after a couple of hours.
Latest Assessment Items
A box in the centre of the page with links to all your upcoming assessments through gradebook (where you upload assignments). Will tell you when the assignment is due and provide a link to submission.
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Myunisa student portal myEnrolment Link on the left hand side of page (under portal links) will take you to the myEnrolment page. This is where you enrol in courses. Go to ‘manage my enrolment’, select the appropriate study period, select add course. This will take you to a course search page. Ironic because you can’t use it to search for specific courses (classic). The easiest way to go about your business, is to go to each individual course information page (did I say easy) - by Googling your specific degree, clicking ‘structure’, and then clicking each subject. On the course pages, click the study period on the right hand side, highlight the five digit class number for the lecture, copy paste this back in your myEnrolment course search page in the class number box, click search. This will highlight the lecture for you, and you can pick your tutorial (you’ll need to plan your timetable in advance to avoid clashing classes).
Full class overrides If a class you really need to be in is full, you can apply for a full class override. Go to enrolment help and select the big green overrides button. This will prompt you to enter details about which class you want to enrol in, the tute that is full, and will ask for a reason as to why you need to be in that class. So you’ll need to actually have a reason other than, ‘I don’t want to attend the Friday 5-7pm tute because that’s scotch time’, a ridiculous sentiment because scotch time is all the time. (Originally from the country, I found crying about hour long trips on public transport, which took me a half hour to drive to, usually did the trick. But then again, I also mentioned the Gawler train line - nobody is cruel enough to make you have to take the Gawler train line after dark.)
Course Homepages (Moodle) At the bottom of myUniSA, you will find a section with all of your enrolled courses. Dead links (black) are courses not active yet (your courses won’t be available online until the start of the appropriate study period). Blue means you’re good to go. Your moodle page contains all your course information, your course outline and study guide, as well as the topics you’ll be covering in that course, usually split in to appropriate sections. Depending on the lecturer, this is where your weekly lecture slides and lecture recordings will be uploaded.
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Myunisa student portal
Lecture Recordings Link on the left of the course moodle page. You can download various formats of the recording. Not all lectures are recorded - your lecturer will usually indicate at the beginning of the course whether they record or not.
Gradebook Link on the left of the course moodle page, or else on the myUniSA home page, this is where you submit all of your assignments. Gradebook records the time you submit your assignment, and will send you a confirmation email when an assignment is successfully uploaded. You will usually be notified by email of any returned assignments (and grades), unless your lecturer hands a physical copy back through the Law Reception. Gradebook contains a feature called Turnitin, which scans your assignment and checks for plagiarism. Your assignment will be given a % rating depending on how much of your assignment Turnitin can find replicated elsewhere. High percentages can usually be a result of students using similiar references, or submitting an assignment with a cover sheet. Sometime after you’ve uploaded, you can usually click on the percentage rating from Turnitin, to receive a link to your assignment showing all the highlighted bits which Turnitin believes may be plagiarised - usually providing the source.
Printing Allowance Go to myResources on myUniSA homepage, and click Printer Allowance Information on the right hand side for general information about the allowance system. You can recharge your printing by clicking ‘top up my printer allowance’ (scroll down a bit).
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law student connoisseur
Eating and beveraging around campus
your guide to...
The Caf Located in the Barbara Hanrahan Building (left of the Hawke building from the North Terrace enterance), The Caf is your mini cafe, with a variety of sandwhiches and wraps, coffee, cakes, chips and confec, redbull for those seedy Monday mornings, and a range of hot foods including curries and schnitzels. Price range is about standard to high, can get a decent feed for under $10.
Aroma Smack in the centre of City West, Aroma houses the outdoor tables on your way to Jeffrey Smart (towards Hindley). They do hot drinks and cafe foods, fancy sandwiches, croissants, foccacias, other French sounding breads. On the pricey side of things, but coffee is on point.
Espresso Room At the front of the Uni, on North Terrace (opposite the Hawke building). Cosy place, with outdoor and indoor dining, boutique coffee and gourmet foods. A hipsters paradise. Coffee is cheap and is exactly what you need to get you through back-to-back-lectures without causing grevious bodily harm. A law student favourite.
Worldsend Hotel Located on Hindley Street, go past Aroma (on the end at your left), or left from the Law Building. Outside and inside dining - beer garden out back has a pretty chill vibe. Hipsters often frequent (that’s usually how I judge if a place is good or not). Drinks are standard town prices. $20 for a jug of cider and bowl of wedges. The wedges are actually amazing. I often dream about them.
West Bar City West’s on campus Unibar. Located on North Terrace, next to Espresso Room, in front of BH building (from NT side). Enter through a cool little outdoor area. Looks compact, but tables continue as you go upstairs. Drinks are cheap. Sometimes do $5 pints. I’m not sure I really need to say more. Coffee, tacos, bar foods. West Bar often does deals through handouts received on Orientation Day. All round good vibes.
West End Kitchen I just want to reiterate the sausage rolls from page 49. Also a lot of other good food and coffee. Nothing over $10.
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first year subjects
a fifth years perspective Lecturer(s): Sue Milne and Tracey Coleman Lecture: Wednesday 2.10pm-4pm
your guide to...
Foundations of Law
What it is: The Foundations of Law course is grounded in Public law and the institutional framework of our legal system, with a particular focus upon the courts and other quasi-judicial bodies. It seeks to develop skills in legal method and research, case law analysis and legal writing; and introduces students to concepts such as the rule of law, justice and the nature of judicial power, through the study of cases concerning judicial detention, mandatory detention and refugees. Sue Milne is a pillar of legal researching knowledge, and Tracey Coleman’s lecturing is as on-point as her obsession with Benedict Cumberbatch (very on-point). This is a new course as of 2015 (course info courtesy of Sue Milne).
Torts A & Torts B Lecturer: Patrick Lim (A), Associate Professor Julia Davis (B) Co-ordinator: Associate Professor Julia Davis Lecture: Tuesday 9.10am-12pm (A), Monday 4.10pm-6pm (B).
What it is: Torts A aims to convey knowledge and comprehension of the basic principles of negligence and trespass (to the body, person and personal property) and introduce students to the basic aspects of oral communication in law, including: small group presentations, oral legal argument, and client interviewing. Torts B focuses more in depth on negligence, defamation, public nuisance, breach of statutory duty as well as vicarious liability. A tort is an action where somebody has wronged you, and you want to make them pay by shaking them until dollar bills fall out of them (except that would then itself be a tort), so you take them to court instead. Torts concerns civil liabilities. What to expect: You’re lucky to have AssPr Julia Davis co-ordinating these courses. She has written several publications on the area of torts and her study guides are always on point. A very (in this humble law students opinion anyway) engaging lecturer. Watch out for her rendition of the tort of assault (by pretending to fire a bazooka at you), and for a particular medical battery case where a Doctor was sued for stitching or carving his initials in to a patient having a caesarean. Great stuff.
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first year subjects
a fifth years perspective
your guide to...
Public Law & Statutory Interpretation Lecturer: Victoria Danambasis Lecture: Friday, 4.10pm-7pm (what is life?) What it is: The aims of PLSI are: to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the three arms of government and the separation of powers, and the special role of the Crown; To develop students’ understanding of the basic skills involved in statutory interpretation, in particular examining text in context and in light of legislative intent; To enhance students’ ability to perform problem solving in the area of determining statutory meaning; To ensure that students learn proper legal citation methods and how to reference law reports, and basic legal terminology. This is not a course in advanced statutory interpretation. The first six weeks address fundamentals about English and Australian Constitutional history and the principles that flow from having a Constitution. The last four weeks address basis rules around statutory interpretation This is a new course as of 2015 (course info courtesy of Victoria Danambasis).
Contracts A & Contracts B Lecturer(s): Dr Clare Sullivan (A), Jane Knowler (B), Dr Michelle Fernando (both A and B) Lecture: Thursday 9.10am-12pm (A), Tuesday 9.10am-12pm (B) What it is: The aim of this course is to provide knowledge and understanding in a foundation area of law which will be sufficient to resolve contract law issues. Concerning fomation, enforcement, contents of, discharging from and rememdies for contracts. Contracts exist everywhere, from employment contracts to the contract you make when doing your shopping. What to expect: Watch out for estoppel. Please enjoy Leonard v. Pepsico, in which a man trades in thousands of dollars worth of points from Pepsi drinks believing he will win a Fighter Jet, because Pepsi thought it would be fun to include one in their ads for the promotion. Hilarity ensues.
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first year subjects
a fifth years perspective Criminal Law & Procedure Lecturer: Dr David Plater Lecture: Tuesday 5.10pm-7pm What it is: This course is to provide students with a sound understanding to both the substantive Australian criminal law and criminal procedure to gain an overview of the scope of the criminal law and the way in which certain conduct is criminalised. The course will also look at pre-trial and trial processes to gain an understanding of the way in which substantive criminal law is put into practice by the police, practitioners and judiciary. What to expect: Led by the erudite (take a shot for every time you hear that word over your time in Crim - probably search for new liver) Dr David Plater himself. Plater always brings a horde of guest lecturers, including judges and legal practitioners, and will usually provide good networking experiences. He constantly claims cider to be the spice of life, has an unhealthy obsession with cougars, and you’ll need to research the concept of Morris Dancing before you begin any of his subjects.
Property Law A Lecturer: Patrick Lim, Jane Knowler Lecture: Thursday, 12.10pm-3pm What it is: The aim of this course is develop an understanding of the fundamental concepts of the law of property in Australia. The course examines the interplay of common law, equity and statute law, introduces students to the philosophy and changing conceptions of property, explains the classification and nature of different proprietary interests, outlines the concepts of possession, ownership and title in relation to personal and real property law and considers how property interests are acquired, transferred and given priority over other interests. What to expect: This course will make you question life. Prepare yourself. Both Patrick and Jane are academic pros; pick their brains at any given opportunity. Prop will introduce you to a world of people who believe they own just about everything.
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Contacting the law school Location
school of law
Law Building City West Campus George Street Adelaide, South Australia
Postal Address School of Law University of South Australia GPO Box 2471 Adelaide SA 5001 Australia
Telephone +61 8 8302 7244
or Fax
+61 8 8302 7128
Email law.enquiries@unisa.edu.au
Website UniSABusinessSchool.edu.au
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Contacting the law school There are a variety of ways to contact your tutors and lecturers: 1.
In person
2.
Via email
3.
By telephone
The contact details for all professional and academic staff within the university can be found by searching on the directory at unisa.edu.au/ directory, or will be supplied to you in class.
WHO SHOULD I CONTACT? Program Director (currently Associate Professor Peter MacFarlane Peter.MacFarlane@unisa.edu.au, office LB2-15b) Please note that the Program Director may change for later study periods and years.
Advice on program structure Best ways to progress through the program Approval to take special pathways through the program Applications for credit
Contact by appointments only Tuesdays 10.00am – 1.00pm Wednesdays 1.00pm – 4.00pm Appointments can be made by emailing the Program Director or via the Law Reception. Course Coordinator Details are available by searching for the course homepage at unisa.edu. au, or via myUniSA (click the i icon next to the name of the subject under mycourses)
Information about a particular course Unable to attend a tutorial Extensions for assignments Feedback on assignments and results
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contacting the law school Tutor Please make note of your tutor’s details in your first tutorial and their preferred method of contact.
Questions about assignments or course work
Student Administrators: Carol Brewitt and Kelly Ladyman Answer queries and provide information to prospective and current students with regards to enrolling in Law courses Advice on course requirements Advise on University policy and procedure Appointments can be made at the School of Law reception or by phoning 08 8302 7244.
Campus Central, JS level 2, campuscentral.citywest@unisa.edu.au Student ID cards Student administration forms Enrolment assistance, overrides and timetables Graduation IT Helpdesk myUniSA and MyEnrolment – access issues LearnOnline Gradebook and Assessment Wireless setup Campus Security (FM Assist), JS level 1 (left of main entrance), 8302 0555 Download FM Assist’s phone app, SAFE ZONE, for emergency, general help and first aid calls. Search SafeZone on the appropriate app store, or scan:
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the legal advice clinic
school of law
The Legal Advice Clinic provides confidential, free legal advice to members of the community. The Clinic is staffed entirely by University of South Australia Law students, who offer legal advice to clients under the supervision of a managing solicitor who is employed as a full time staff member of the UniSA School of Law.
Students can apply to be assigned to the Clinic as part of their placement for the elective course, Legal Professional and Community Service Experience (LAWS 4007). Students will spend one day per week in the Clinic for a term. The core subject Lawyers, Ethics & Society (LAWS4006) is a pre-requisite course. Students will interview real clients and manage a number of files during their Clinic placement. Reflection on practice (including written reflection) is also an important component of the clinical placement. Students will be responsible for providing legal advice and assistance to clients, all of which will be managed and reviewed by the supervising solicitor. Students will also obtain experience in letter writing, drafting court documents, assisting clients to negotiate with other litigants, and the general day-today happenings of a busy legal practice. Students will also be introduced to the concept of pro bono work and actively participate in providing access to justice for members of the community who might otherwise be denied such access.
Students involved in the Clinic will be highly prepared for legal practice; they will develop a sense of commitment to community service and professionalism. The course enables students to acquire first-rate professional skills and an appreciation of ethical standards and professional responsibility which will greatly benefit them in legal practice. If you are interested in participating in the Legal Advice Clinic, please contact Rachel Spencer, Director of Professional Programs, at rachel. spencer@unisa.edu.au or on +61 8 8302 7946.
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develop a study plan The Law degree programs at the University of South Australia offer you the chance to tailor your study to suit your personal needs. To take advantage of these flexible study options, you need to take some time to assess:
school of law
your goals and needs, your personal risk factors, and any constraints on your time.
Here is a checklist of factors that may affect your study plans: 1. Study Skills How long is it since you studied full-time? How disciplined are you in your study?
2. Relationships How much time do you need to / want to spend on your relationships? How supportive of your study program are these people: Partners / ex-partners? Parents? Children? Friends?
3. Employment, study and recreation How many hours per week do you work / play sport / pursue other interests? Will you be studying any other courses this year?
4. Health Are you fully healthy and fit?
5. Self-generated pressure Are you a high achiever / perfectionist? How well do you want to do in your study – how good is good enough? What are your goals for the future?
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develop a study plan How soon do you want to reach them? Have you given up anything important to study law?
6. Language skills How good are your writing, reading and oral communication skills?
7. Computer skills Are you fully computer literate?
8. Time constraints How much time per week can you devote to study?
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admission to practice
school of law
Upon completion of your undergraduate Law degree at the University of South Australia (UniSA) School of Law, if you wish to practice as a lawyer, you must complete a Practical Legal Training (PLT) program that is recognised and certified by the South Australian Legal Practitioners Education and Admissions Council (LPEAC). In South Australia the only provider of a stand-alone PLT program (not part of a law degree) is the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (GDLP) offered by the Law Society of South Australia. It is possible to complete a GDLP offered by an interstate PLT provider. However, students must be mindful that the South Australian Supreme Court may not admit applicants who complete a GDLP interstate. Each application will be assessed individually. If you complete your GDLP interstate and then decide to seek admission interstate, you will have to satisfy the relevant admitting authority (in whichever jurisdiction you choose to be admitted) that you have completed the academic requirements of that particular jurisdiction. The important thing to remember is that once you have been admitted in one jurisdiction, you can then apply for admission in any other jurisdiction under the Uniform Admission procedures. The important choice is where you will seek your first admission. It is also important to be aware that when you apply for admission as a legal practitioner (in any state or territory) you will be required to swear (or affirm) that you are a fit and proper person to hold that position. You are required to disclose to the Court if you have ever been convicted or found guilty by a court of any offences, or, if there are any charges or proceedings outstanding against you in relation to any offence or offences alleged to have been committed by you. You are also required to disclose if you have done or suffered anything likely to affect adversely your “good fame and character�, and any circumstances which might affect your fitness to be admitted as a practitioner. These include whether or not you are or have been bankrupt, and if so the circumstances of bankruptcy. You are also required to disclose whether or not you have ever been found to have engaged in academic dishonesty.
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plagiarism
school of law
Plagiarism is a specific form of Academic Misconduct. Deliberate Plagiarism is regarded as a serious act of Academic Misconduct. A finding of Academic Misconduct in the form of Plagiarism will have significant consequences for Law students specifically, as it may impact on the ability of the School of Law to certify that the student is ‘of good fame and character’ in regard to an application to be admitted to practise law.
Plagiarism can refer to a number of different actions. In paragraph 9.2.2 of the Assessment Policies and Procedures Manual 2015, Plagiarism is defined to include: a. direct copying of the work of other persons, from one or more sources, without clearly indicating the origin. This includes both paper-based and electronic sources (including, but not limited to, the following examples: material from websites, books, articles, theses, working papers, seminar and conference papers, internal reports, lecture notes or tapes), and also visual materials (including, but not limited to, the following examples: photographs, drawings and designs b. using very close paraphrasing of sentences or whole passages without referencing the original work c. submitting another student’s work in whole or in part, where such assistance is not expressly permitted in the course outline d. use of another person’s ideas, work or research data without acknowledgment
e. submitting work that has been written by someone else on the student’s behalf f. copying computer files, algorithms or computer code without clearly indicating their origin
g. submitting work that has been derived, in whole or in part, from another student’s work by a process of mechanical transformation (eg changing variable names in computer programs) h. in any way appropriating or imitating another’s ideas and manner of expressing them where such assistance is not expressly permitted in the course outline. It is important to note that Plagiarism is treated very seriously at the University of South Australia (UniSA). Paragraph 9.3.1 of the Assessment Policies and Procedures Manual 2015 makes reference to the fact that the University employs various procedures for identifying instances of Academic Misconduct. Any work that is submitted by a student may, for example, be subject to testing using text comparison software. It is a condition of enrolment that students give their consent to this process.
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plagiarism When assignments are submitted you will be required to agree to the Plagiarism statement prior to submission. A student’s username and password is equivalent to their signature when used to submit assessment tasks electronically.
school of law
Helpful information on avoiding Plagiarism is provided by the Learning and Teaching Unit on their website unisa.edu.au/ltu For more details regarding procedures and penalties, refer to the Assessment Policies and Procedures Manual 2015 available at unisa.edu. au/policies/manual
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your responsibilities There may be occasions when you are unhappy with some aspect of the University of South Australia (UniSA) School of Law’s activities or the behaviour of someone at the School. At the School of Law we are open to feedback and encourage open and professional communication between staff and students. If you have a complaint we want to hear about it and we want you to feel comfortable that your complaint will be dealt with fairly. Please note that any complaint about illegal behaviour such as racial or sexual discrimination will be dealt with very seriously. Information about the procedure for making complaints and about assistance available to students making complaints can be found at unisa.edu.au/ltu
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT UniSA has a duty of care to staff and students and is responsible for providing a safe teaching and learning environment for the University community. As members of the UniSA community, students enter into a partnership with the University to enhance their experience as a student and that of all members of the University. It is therefore every student’s responsibility to understand and adopt the principles contained in the Code of Conduct for Students. Students must behave responsibly to reflect well on themselves and the University. The University’s Code of Conduct for Students can be found at unisa. edu.au/policies/codes/students. The Policy: • summarises the existing obligations and responsibilities of students under the University’s statutes, by-laws, policies and procedures • outlines the consequences of inappropriate behaviour and refers students and staff to the relevant University statutes, by-laws, policies and procedures to address situations described in the Code • assists students to understand the community of which they have chosen to be a member
school of law
STUDENT GRIEVANCES
• aims to facilitate a cooperative and productive relationship between staff and students, as well as among students. It explains the obligation to observe standards of equity and respect in dealing with all members of the University community.
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your responsibilities CODE OF GOOD PRACTICE The Code of Good Practice: Relationships between staff and students can be found at unisa.edu.au/policies/codes/goodprac/rltnshp.asp The Policy states: The University, in its Codes of Good Practice: University Teaching and Research Degree Supervision, recognises a special responsibility to foster and preserve the scholarly values of curiosity, experimentation, critical appraisal and integrity and to foster these values in its students. A central component of this responsibility involves creating and managing quality teaching and learning environments for all students. Vital to the achievement of these goals is the work of University teaching staff. The Code of Good Practice: University Teaching maintains that: “As professionals, university teachers should exhibit, and help students to develop a commitment to, scholarly values, life-long learning, professional and personal growth through critical reflection and self-evaluation, and responsible and ethical practices in their profession�.
ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS You are expected to attend all lectures and tutorials. Should you be unable to attend a particular tutorial, whether by reason of illness or for other good cause, please advise the Course Coordinator. The most important aspect of law school is to come to class prepared, having done the required reading, and where called for, to make a contribution to the classroom discussion.
TEACHING AND LEARNING Most courses will be delivered using a standard lecture and tutorial format. Lectures will generally be 3 hours in length and tutorials 1 hour in length. You will attend one lecture and tutorial each week, where you will be exposed to a variety of activities. Some courses will adopt a seminar format, using two x 2 hour classes per week. During seminars students are expected to present material and engage in discussion of that material. Students are expected to be active participants in class, and whilst listening will be a key requirement, there will be lots of opportunity for participation. The School of Law is strongly committed to the development of a variety of skills, especially confidence in public speaking, and you will have the opportunity to develop this skill in both lectures and tutorials. Students are strongly encouraged to prepare well before a class.
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your responsibilities In nearly all cases, the reading material will be made available in advance, and as always, those students who have read ahead will have a considerable advantage. Please feel free to bring laptops or recorders to lectures. Some lectures will be streamed and available for later download; however students are advised not to rely solely on the availability of streaming.
STUDENT WORKLOAD Students generally have 4 hours of teaching contact time per 4.5 unit course. In addition to teaching contact time, students are expected to spend time reading, engaging in research, preparing for classes, undertaking assignments, engaging in online activities and engaging in reflection. Under UniSA guidelines it is expected that you will spend 157.5 hours studying in each course. If you are studying a full load of four courses over 10 weeks that means that you will spend about 63 hours per week studying. Clearly that means that students studying a full load should keep non-study work to a minimum. Others with significant work or family responsibilities should consider enrolling in less than four courses per trimester. If you drop to three courses you should allow for a 47 hour week of studying.
PLANNING YOUR TIME Time management is a crucial skill for a lawyer – some might even say the most important management tool. Students will need to develop effective time management skills, including an effective and realistic study timetable. You are encouraged to do this from week one of your studies. The School of Law places a high premium on effective time management. You are encouraged to think ahead and plan your life around the various assessment tasks required for the particular combination of courses you are studying.
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your responsibilities ASSESSMENT EXPECTATIONS Undertaking assessment is an integral part of your learning at the School of Law. Assessment provides you with feedback about your level of understanding of course material and the development of your academic and professional skills. Assessment also determines whether you have achieved the learning outcomes of the courses you have studied. Some assessment is conducted in class (e.g. in class tests, moots and presentations) and some is conducted outside of class (e.g. essay writing and examinations). Alternatively, you may be asked to submit assessments that relate specifically to class room activities (e.g. reflections on your experience during an in-class negotiation or moot). Generally, all students enrolled in a course are expected to make themselves available to undertake all prescribed assessments from the date of course commencement to the final date of the scheduled examination period. It is your responsibility to plan your outside activities so that they fit into the assessment timetable for each course that you are enrolled in. These timetables are contained in your Course Information Booklets. If you miss any scheduled assessment during term, you may lose marks for that assessment item unless you have established that unexpected or exceptional circumstances prevented your submission. Deferred assessment is only available on the grounds specified in Section 7.6 of the Assessment Policies and Procedures Manual 2015. These grounds include: • unexpected and exceptional circumstances outside of the control of the student; •
medical circumstances;
•
compassionate circumstances; and
• the special circumstances set out in Section 7.8 of the Assessment Policies and Procedures Manual 2015. Changed employment circumstances within a student’s control or holiday arrangements are not regarded as grounds for deferred assessment. Where the final assessment is not an examination, applications for deferred assessment must be made in writing to the relevant Course Coordinator and, should wherever possible, be accompanied by supporting evidence. The University’s policies and procedures can be found at unisa.edu.au/ policies
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2015 academic calendar
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Tl;dr
A quick guide to your o-guide Where is HH something-0-something? Page 43-44
How do I submit assignments? Page 55
I’ve heard The Obiter is the best law school magazine out. How do I get involved? Page 23
I’m really struggling with law school life. What do I do? Drown sorrows.
The class I want to enrol in is full. Can I somehow weedle my way in to it? Page 54
How do I book study rooms? Page 50
Contact any friendly USALSA member, or seek counselling from the Learning and Teaching Unit. If you’re doing it rough, we want to help!
I came to Uni for the Pub Crawls. When are they? Page 15
Is the author of this guide really this full of himself, and why does he keep referencing beards?
index
Yes for both.
Is there any way I can keep up to date with social events, general information, or just look at the beautiful people of USALSA? Join our group, page 34
What are these funny squares and how do I use them? QR codes. With a QR reader, page 33
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How do I find my way around the law building? Page 45-47
How do I check my grades? Page 53
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insert timetables here! MON
TUE
WED
THUR
TRIMESTER 1/STUDY PERIOD 2 LESSON: LECTURE TUTORIAL LESSON: LECTURE TUTORIAL LESSON: LECTURE TUTORIAL TRIMESTER 2/STUDY PERIOD 4 LESSON: LECTURE: TUTORIAL: LESSON: LECTURE: TUTORIAL: LESSON: LECTURE: TUTORIAL: TRIMESTER 3/STUDY PERIOD 6 LESSON: LECTURE: TUTORIAL: LESSON: LECTURE: TUTORIAL: LESSON: LECTURE: TUTORIAL: WRITE TUTORS CONTACT DETAILS HERE:
CRICOS Provider Number 00121B
FRI