Perception 2022 by UNSW Law Society

Table of Contents

UNSW Law Society Presidents' Welcome Message Messages from the International Portfolio Arriving as an International Student About UNSW Law Life in Australia Interview with a graduated UNSW Student Tips from Current International Students

3 4 8 9 16 22 25

Presidents’ Welcome Welcome to UNSW Law and congratulations for all your efforts that got you here! As the 2022 Presidents of Law Society, we warmly welcome you to both Australia and the UNSW Law Society. This marks the beginning of what is hoped to be an enriching journey in your completion of your UNSW Law degree. The UNSW Law Society is the representative student body here for UNSW Law Students. The society offers a range of initiatives and programs to its members to enhance their education, develop long-lasting friendships and explore career opportunities. Proudly, the range of the events of UNSW Law Society is truly diverse, as are the students, with a multiplicity of aims, backgrounds and passions. We strongly encourage you to embrace the opportunities and experiences the society has to offer you as a valued member of our community. To become part of this community, make sure you sign-up to become a UNSW Law Society member. To stay up to date with the events offered, visit our website to follow UNSW Law Society on our social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. We also encourage you to join our student-run UNSW Law Discussion Forum on Facebook. Interested to get involved? You can start by signing up to our LawPLUS peer mentoring program, where you will be assigned to a group led by older students to support you through your first term at UNSW Law. Also, don't forget to check out our 2022 Law Camp Facebook Page to purchase tickets to law camp, catered for first year students. We wish you all the best in your UNSW Law School journey, and we hope that UNSW Law Society will play an important role in your time here. We look forward to seeing you around campus, feel free to come say hi to us! Christina Ienco and Harrison Zheng 2022 UNSW Law Society Co-Presidents

Messages from the International Por tfolio International Vice-President

Hello! I'm Jessica, the 2022 Vice-President (International). On behalf of UNSW Law Society's International Portfolio, I warmly welcome you to another academic year! We have planned an exciting year ahead, with a diverse range of initiatives for both international students and the wider UNSW Law student community. As we gear up for the year ahead, Perception aims to give you more information on what studying in UNSW Law is like as an international student, provide you with some friendly advice, and most importantly- to give you an idea of what events and programmes are available in 2022! The team and I have planned various activities, ranging from social events, careers events, and other initiatives to help you develop both academically and holistically. For more details on what will be available this year, do read ahead to the welcome messages from the portfolio directors. Once again, a very warm welcome to the 2022 academic year and I look forward to seeing you at our future events! Jessica Lim Vice-President (International) 4

International Media Directors

Hi there, we are You Qi and Ting. As international media directors this year, we would like to welcome you to the UNSW law school! The past few years have no doubt been a difficult time and the pandemic has impacted not only our university experience, but transformed our ways of living almost entirely. However, with the borders opening and international students returning to Australia, we have begun to see a slow but gradual attempt to return to normalcy. In producing Perception this year, we aim to help all incoming and returning international students in this process of familiarising themselves with life at UNSW law for the first time or once again. We hope to bring back a sense of normality, belonging, and connection through continuing initiatives such as Connect, an UNSW Law Society Newsletter for International Students and the use of social media platforms which directly engage the international cohort. In our newsletter, Connect, we will be providing various kinds of information which will cover topics from academics and student life to leisure and entertainment, every three weeks. We hope to genuinely connect international students by informing all subscribers of upcoming events and offering opportunities to engage and actively participate in producing content. In addition, we wish to help all international students stay up to date with all key information through using various social media platforms as a means of communicating more directly and effectively. These social media platforms also serve as bonding opportunities to connect with fellow international students and would further establish a sense of community and belonging. No matter how tough the year may become, we will always aim to support you in this journey and would like to once again, extend our sincerest welcomes to all incoming international students. Please keep an eye out for any updates on our social media and don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events and helping you make the most of your time at UNSW!

You Qi Xue and Ting-Hsuan Hsu (International Media Directors)

International Activities & Student Developmennt Directors Hi everyone! We are Angie, Rebecca and Alex - the Activities and Student Development Directors for UNSW Law Society's International Portfolio. We warmly welcome you entering the UNSW Law School, and wish you all the best for the new academic year! As Activities and Student Development Directors, we focus on improving international students' wellbeing and facilitating a smooth transition to university life in Australia through providing social, cultural and professional events. In each term, we will host events such as on-campus barbeques, coastal walk and other social activities for you to meet other international students, like-minded individuals within your cohort. We will be starting off the year with Welcome Drinks to have a first look into the Law Faculty and peers within a friendly and relaxed environment. Later on, we have an Amazing Race planned, where we will group you with other students to solve challenges and quests around Sydney to familiarise you with your new home. Keep an eye out for our events as we will have prizes up for grabs! Throughout the year we will be introducing and holding our Practical Legal Writing Seminars as well as our CV and Resume workshops. Both initiatives aim to develop and enrich students academically and professionally. Our speakers will be experienced alumni who will be able to illuminate any uncertainties you have, and provide you with the empirical tips they have collated during their time at university. We hope to see you there! Last but not least is our Connect Buddy Program, an expansion of the iconic Buddy Programs that the Law Society runs every year. Through this program, you will get to know local Aussie students and have a taste of authentic Aussie uni life and culture. You will also get to participate in our (fun!) organised events together! Keep an eye out as signups open soon. Have a fantastic year, and we hope to see you at one of our events this year! Angie Quan, Rebecca Du and Alex Park (International Activities and Student Development Directors)

International Career Directors First and foremost, the international portfolio and the international careers director would like to welcome each and every one of you on entering the UNSW Law School! My name is Mathew Shuman and this year, I have the privilege of being an international careers’ director with my co-director Jamie Chew. As international careers’ directors, our events will always have two focuses. We either want to provide domestic students with international opportunities or to help international students with domestic opportunities. A particular event of interest would be the international firm information sessions we will be hosting throughout the year. These presentations allow domestic and international students alike to have an insight into what it is like to work for an international firm (or even a domestic firm on a secondment!), as well as gaining an understanding into each firm’s culture. Whether it be the application process, key dates, clerkship information or secondments, these sessions seek to allow students to access information regarding opportunities that they normally wouldn’t have heard about, and in doing so, they can pursue careers outside of the domestic sphere as well as developing sponsorships and relationships internationally. Held in both face-to-face and online, there are opportunities for both onshore and offshore students to participate in these highly informational sessions. Keep an eye out for these events via the UNSW Law Society Facebook page. We hope to see you there! Another event to jot down in the calendar is the International Online Academics Keynote. The Keynotes provides law students the opportunity to engage with leading academics from across the globe and provide their experiences of their career in academia. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity for international students to develop an understanding of legal pathways outside of corporate. These keynote presentations will hopefully provide helpful insight to international students on future career prospects outside of practising law. On the other hand, the Alumni talks increase student interest in overseas career opportunities by providing fresh insight from alumni who have had experience internationally, particularly regarding secondments. This will help clear up the application process for those who are interested in applying in the future. Both the academics keynote and the alumni talks will be run on a termly basis and are catered towards international and domestic students respectively, giving students plenty of opportunity to engage in UNSW Law Society. Make sure to keep up to date on the events and I can’t wait to meet everyone at the numerous events we’ll be hosting!

Mathew Shuman and Jamie Chew (International Career Directors)

Arriving as an International Student When I first received the offer from UNSW Law, I was very excited and looked forward to the future journey that I will be embarking upon. However, I was also worried about the upcoming challenges. For me, who had no previous legal background knowledge, it was a huge challenge initially when I was faced with various legal jargon in the readings. The first semester was the toughest because I was not only unfamiliar with legal terminology but the whole legal system in Australia. I took a lot of time to understand them thoroughly and sought out much help from fellow peers. Nevertheless, as new students, you should not be too concerned since you will feel much better after the first semester. You will realise that the knowledge and theories you have learned in law subjects are interrelated. The logic of each subject is very similar, and different only in content. With more time spent on your law degree, you will gradually acquire different study and critical thinking skills. Being out of your comfort zone is a stage that all international students must go through, leaving a familiar environment to enter a new one we know nothing about. Furthermore, COVID is making this process worse than it should have been. Our distance from home feels further and further away, and the only thing we can do is to see our beloved family and friends through the screen, making us even more homesick, negatively impacting our mental health. Accordingly, it is crucial to find a hobby and make new friends. Participating in university societies is one way to deal with homesickness; it would not only establish interpersonal relationships and build a sense of community but cultivate our organisational and communication skills, enriching our university lives. Personally, watching Netflix is one of my major hobbies, along with reading web novels and cooking. Not only do they help me relax after a day of study, they also allow me to live a more balanced lifestyle, increasing my productivity. Being alone in an unfamiliar country can inevitably make people feel timid. However, the experience of the past year has taught me not to be afraid of making mistakes - whether that be from the language barrier or cultural differences. When you bravely take the first step out of your comfort zone, you will find that everyone is genuinely supportive and kind towards you. Ultimately, I believe that studying abroad is a chance to broaden your horizon and really get to know yourself. When you encounter difficulties, you should not escape or doubt yourself easily. Please cherish such a good opportunity and enjoy life at UNSW Law!

Ting-Hsuan Hsu (Juris Doctor, Second Year)

A bout UNSW Law w The Law Building The Law Building, located in the lower campus, is where you will be having most of your law classes. It is very close to the light rail and lower campus entrance. A common route taken to get to the building is a train to central, then the L3 (Kingsford line) light rail, stopping at UNSW Anzac Parade. The law building consists of 4 levels, with seating spaces spread across each level, useful for studying as well as resting. There are two entrances to the law building, one from the main walkway and one from Union Road leading straight to the law library.

The Law Library

Also located within the law building is the Law Library, accessible from the ground level. It is a great place for studying, researching, and reading especially when you have breaks between classes or are waiting for a class to start. You may sometimes have classes here in the tutorial rooms including the legal research and writing tutorials as part of LAWS1052, your first law subject. Although it may get busy during exam season, study spaces can be booked beforehand online. Don't forget to bring your student ID required upon entrance and used to access printing services.

Scan me to book a study space

The Main Library

Another popular option for studying is at the Main Library situated in the upper campus. It provides similar services as the Law Library but is larger and more spacious with 8 levels compared to 2 levels in the Law Library. The Nucleus, which is the student hub at UNSW is also situated in the main library on level 2. To get to the main library from the law building, you will need to walk up the main walkway to the upper campus, including a few sets of stairs which may be beneficial to your daily exercise. Otherwise, if you only plan to go to the university to study at the main library, you could take the L2 (Randwick Line) light rail, stopping at UNSW High Street, to get to the upper campus.

Scan me for a building map 11

Student ID A student ID card is essential on campus. It needs to be presented when accessing any of the buildings and study spaces at UNSW, especially the main library and the law library. Importantly, you need it to be eligible for all the student discounts offered by UNSW and other stores. Application Process Before requesting a student ID: Prepare an identification document. This could be a passport or a valid Australian visa. Making an ID Card Appointment online • On appointment day: Show up on time at The Nucleus: Student Hub to have your photo taken Receive your student ID card immediately For more information, please visit: https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/id/new

Scan me to make an ID card appointment 12

Textbooks Textbooks for all of your courses are available for purchase at the UNSW Bookshop, accessible on the lower campus, western end of the Quadrangle Building, and online. A few copies of your textbooks may also be available for borrowing at the library, with their availability visible online. However, to reduce the cost of attaining physical copies of your textbooks, buying second hand textbooks is a great way to save and reutilise resources. You can purchase second hand textbooks on the UNSW Textbook Exchange (Law Facebook group), Ebay, and other websites such as StudentVIP. When buying secondhand textbooks, don't forget to check that is it the correct edition which you will be using for class.

Scan me to join the textbook exchange facebook group 13

UNSW Enrolment Guidance for International Students To help you plan your law degree, a study planner is available to all students, showing all suggested courses each term. It is extremely useful and allows you to enrol into courses early to save you the stress of last minute registrations. To access the planner on mylaw, click on 'My academic life', and 'Enrolment', then 'Enrolment Guidelines' 'New undergraduate students' or 'New Juris Doctor students'.

Scan me for the study planner 14

Practical Legal Training Did you know that it is necessary to complete PLT to be eligible for admission to practice law in Australia? Practical Legal Training is a structured program that assists you to develop the practical skills and proficiency you will need as an entry-level legal practitioner. PLT is a requirement to be admitted as a lawyer in Australia, which is usually undertaken after completing a law degree. Successful completion of a PLT program will result in a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, which makes you eligible to apply for admission as a legal practitioner in your jurisdiction. In New South Wales, PLT consists of two components: structured and supervised training and workplace experience. The training takes approximately three months full-time or eight months part-time. Workplace experience requires around 75 working days of supervised experience in delivering legal services. There are many organisations that provide PLT programs, including UNSW. . The university provides one-on-one consultation with UNSW PLT. If you would like to know more information about PLT, please scan the QR code below. For more information, please also visit: https://www.lawsociety.com.au/practical-legal-training.

Life in Australia Accommodation Domain and Realestate are the main applications used to find accommodations in Australia. The applications are user friendly and will notify you of new listings. A typical process may look like this:

Making an inspection appointment After finding accommodations you are interested in, you need to book an appointment with a real estate agent to inspect the properties. Open inspections, properties open to everyone at a specific time, would be available weekly or fortnightly. Alternatively, you can contact the agents and make an individual inspection appointment. The tenancy application form After your inspection, the next step is submitting the rental application form that the agents have provided to you. Your application should include various documents, which would be listed in the form (passport, payslip or COE etc.). Each document corresponds with different points. The more documents you provide, the higher your points get (each applicant is required to produce 100 points for identification purposes). Signing a contract The agents will then assess your application and compare with other candidates. You will be notified of the result of the application. If it is a successful application, congratulations, you can sign the contract.

Public Transpor t For access to public transport in NSW, you will need an Opal card, a smartcard ticketing system used to pay for travel fares. To get an Opal card, you can visit any Opal retailer, including almost all convenience stores and newsagents such as 7-Eleven. While there is no charge to an Opal card, the minimum top up value for an adult card is $20. Alternatively, you may use contactless payment, paying directly with your credit or debit card linked to your phone, or buy a single trip ticket for the times that you forget to bring your opal card. Make sure to always tap on and off, as if you do not tap off, you will be automatically charged the maximum default fare (no more than $16.30 for adults however) because the system will assume you travelled the furthest distance provided by the service you were on. Furthermore, since the trip will be classified as incomplete, it will not be counted towards the Weekly Travel Reward on your opal card where your fares will be half price for the rest of the week when you have paid for eight journeys in one week. For more information, please scan the following QR code.

NSW Photo ID Card When you purchase alcohol and tobacco or go to bars or clubs in Australia, you must present your photo identification. Instead of bringing your passport around and bearing the risk of losing it, you can apply for a NSW Photo Card which is accepted as identification in most places with a few simple steps. The process of application: • Download and complete the NSW Photo Card Application Form. • Gather the necessary identity documents, including proof of identity documents and your proof of signature. • Visit a service centre to have your photo taken and submit your application. • Your Photo ID will be delivered to your registered address in 5-10 working days. (Note: A fee will incur when applying a Photo ID) For more information, please scan the following QR code.

Student Visa As an international student, you must ensure you hold a valid and current visa which entitles you to study for the duration of your degree and remain in Australia. This typically is a subclass 500 student visa. The visa is subjected to conditions you must ensure you comply with those all the time. The conditions, including but not limited to: • Working restriction: You can only work up to 40 hours in a fortnight. A fortnight means the period of 14 days starting on a Monday. However, there is an exception, where a work experience/work placement that is a mandatory course requirement or in the period required in the course registration is not included in a student’s work restriction of 40 hours per fortnight. • (NOTE: working limit lifted due to COVID, Student visa holders will now temporarily be permitted to work more than 20 hours across all sectors of the economy. The work hour change will be reviewed in April 2022) • Meet course requirement More information on student visa options and conditions can be found at the Department of Home Affairs website.

Applying for a Tax File Number (TFN) Athough not compulsory for international students, it is highly advisable to apply for a TFN, your personal reference number in the tax and superannuation systems in Australia, especially if you are planning to work.

According to the ATO (Australian Taxation Office), “if you're enrolled to study in Australia in a course that lasts for six months or more, you may be regarded as an Australian resident for tax purposes”, meaning that you pay tax on your earnings at the same rate as other residents but are also entitled to the benefits of the Australian tax system. If you do not have a TFN, the government will withhold more tax (46.5%) from your wages and you may pay more bank interest than necessary. To apply for a TFN, scan the QR code below. After your online application, the ATO will post your TFN notification letter through mail within 28 days (note to not submit again within this timeframe and only contact them after the 28 days).

Australian Public Holidays Some notable Australian public holidays include: New Year’s Day on the 1st of January, Australia Day on the 26th of January, Good Friday on the Friday before Easter (April 15th this year), Easter on the first Sunday following the full Moon that occurs on or just after the spring equinox (Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday on the 16th, 17th, and 18th of April this year), the Queen’s Birthday on the second Monday in June (June 13th this year), Labour Day on the first Monday of October (October 3rd this year), Christmas Day, and Boxing day on the 25th and 26th of December (December 27th is an additional public holiday for Christmas Day this year). Although many holidays should be familiar to you, holidays such as the Queen’s Birthday may not have been celebrated in your home country. In particular, Australia Day is a largely controversial holiday, recognised by many as ‘Invasion Day’, ‘Survival Day’ or ‘Day of Mourning’ as it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet in Port Jackson, and serves to mourn the history of massacres, land theft, stolen children, lost culture, and widespread oppression suffered by Indigenous Australians at the hands of the colonising forces. While it is important to learn about the context of national holidays, as international students, you are more than welcome to actively participate in celebrations in addition to your own home country’s. As Australia is a multicultural country, many popular international holidays are also celebrated, although not recognised as national public holidays, such as the Chinese New Year, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween. If you work part-time or casual, you are most likely entitled to a penalty rate of pay for hours worked on a public holiday (up to 250% for popular awards such as retail and hospitality).

Scan me for more information on public holiday pay

Australian Grocery Stores There are a few major grocery stores in Australia where most people choose to buy all their groceries from, namely, Coles, Woolworths, IGA, Aldi, and Costco (suitable for bulk buying). In particular, Coles and Woolworths are two of the largest supermarket chains in Australia, conveniently located in many neighbourhoods, covering all your daily needs with an extensive range of products. It is worthy noting that both have reward programs that you should sign up toColes’ Flybuys and Woolworths’ Everyday Rewards, rewarding you points for every dollar spent. To learn more about the rewards and sign up, visit the codes below.

Food on Campus There are many food options available on campus. Some popular choices include restaurants in the Mathews Food Court in upper campus, Quad Food Court, and food from the University Terraces in lower campus. From sushi to pita and kebab, there is a variety of food choices at UNSW. There are also a number of cafes on campus, as well as a bar at the Roundhouse, and a milk tea shop situated in the University Terraces. Visit the UNSW website using the QR code below for a comprehensive list of choices.

Places to Visit in Australia There are also many restaurants, cafes, and milk tea and yoghurt drink stores close to the university. Opposite the road to the lower campus entrance is another popular milk tea shop, conveniently located for a drink before, during, and after classes. Walking down Anzac Parade, or alternatively, taking the light rail (L2 line) to the next stop, Kingsford, you will find many more restaurants that are available around the university.

Another popular option is to take the light rail back to Central train station for even more options in the City, namely, in Central, Town Hall, Haymarket, and Darling Square. Other places to visit include Coogee beach and Centennial Park (near UNSW) as well as the many sightseeing places such as Darling Harbour, Circular Quay, and The Rocks. You may also visit museums, and art galleries such as the Powerhouse Museum, the Art Gallery of NSW, and the Museum of Contemporary Art. For more ideas, feel free to visit sydney.com using the QR code below.

Interview with a Graduated UNSW Student Introduction My name is Charlene (Chujing Cai). I am from China. I did my Juris Doctor program at UNSW from July 2016 to March 2019. Now I am a class action lawyer and also have my own firm Affordable Legal Services. In my spare time, I tutor law students, and I also have a blog in Red (@CharleneLawyer) that I post one video each day to help international students who study law in Australia.

Why did you choose to study law at UNSW? I made the decision to study law at UNSW because it has a small class size comparing to USYD. In my first semester (July 2016), there were about 26 students in each class. The class was growing bigger and bigger after that.

Why did you choose to stay in Australia and become a lawyer? What attracted you the most? The visa pathway after graduation attracted me most at the time when I decided to study law in Australia as I do not have a law background in China. However, the visa policy has changed significantly after my graduation.

Did you imagine that you would be in the position that you are at now? No. I thought that visa wouldn’t be an issue, however, it became the biggest issue in my career development. But at the same time, in order to meet the point-based tests, I worked hard to improve my English, have local work experience, and did parttime jobs in other industries. Tutoring law students, running my own blog and establishing my own legal practice is something that I did not imagine. I think that they mean that I have improved my skills overall during my study and work in Australia.

litigation and IP law in law school. I was lucky that at the time when I was looking for a PLT, a class action firm was hiring.

What type of work can someone in your position expect to do? Class action investigation - preparing a class action; Identify lead applicant - making calls to the group members in the class, explain what is a class action and funding agreements to the class; Make statements - “interview” lead applicants, review their documents and draft statements; Drafting - draft letter and affidavits.

What made you want to get into this area of law?

What is a memorable experience in your position?

I mainly work in class actions in my employment. This was one of my interested areas of law when I was in law school. I found that I have a strong interest in civil

My first affidavit. My first affidavit was around 15,000 words. I didn’t expect that, and it was longer than most of my law school assignments!

What are the most challenging aspects of your position? To improve my drafting skills, as in class action, things are at a slow pace, which means that I do not have many opportunities to improve my legal skills compared to someone who works in a litigation firm in general.

preparations do you think they need to have? What do you wish you had known about your position before you started?

How do you manage your work life balance?

Be prepared that you are facing a huge competition when you are looking for a job. Focus on your study and get a credit average at the very least, and improve your English, especially in speaking and listening. I think that the content in my Red blog (@CharleneLawyer) would be helpful for law students.

I am lucky that my job is not that busy, so I have time to do other things that I like.

If you had a second chance, would you still choose to become a lawyer?

If international students want to go down the same career path, what kind of

Life is a box of chocolate. I think that it was a right decision at that time.

Charlene (Chujing Cai)

Tips from Current International Students Introduction Hi everybody! I am Zheng and I am a third year JD student. I am currently a JD/PG Impact Mentor and incoming intern at KLC and the Australian Journal of Human Rights. My law school related hobby is to judge moots (also a keen mooter myself). Last year I was fortunate enough to represent UNSW in the first ESL Trilateral Moot and brought home second place. In my spare time I like to play badminton and start a few passion projects with friends. Super excited to have the opportunity to share my experience with you!

What are your tips for a balanced lifestyle? Speed reading is real and it is definitely something that can be acquired through deliberate training (painful process and takes some fun out of reading but achievable). If you value quality reading and don’t want some utilitarian technique to ruin the experience, then I would recommend being selective with the readings. Make friends from law school, but also friends that are non-academic related, be it a friend from a club or society, a fellow volunteer from Arc etc. Have a go-to hobby for times when you simply cannot go through another page of reading. Lastly, drink abundant water and sleep well (when possible).

Do you have any study tips for exam preparation? My personal advice is to always try to get the ‘black-letter law’ correct. A law subject can introduce you to hundreds if

not thousands of cases; however, there are only so many ‘black-letter law’ (e.g. the ARs and MRs for a particular offence) that each subject covers. The first step is always trying to get the fundamentals correct before diving into the details of any cases.

Any advice to incoming international students? Diligence and hardworkingness are good attributes that will help one achieve their potential; however, work hard but also work smart. Please do not let law school consume you entirely. Invest your time in a diverse portfolio of internships, part-time jobs, extra-curriculums and hobbies etc. Contemplate what kind of career path you want to pursue and what kind of person you want to be. Actively develop the skill sets that you will need in the future. Lastly, definitely go to the career workshops and panels that LawSoc hosts (LawSoc did not make me say this).

Zheng Zhou (JD student, 3rd Year)

Do you have any study tips for exam preparation? Having well-organised notes is critical for exam preparation. The majority of the finals are covered across a whole term of readings. It is impractical to review every case in detail again at the end of the term. Accordingly, it is important to have notes that summarise the topics of weekly readings (case facts, case judgment and case ratio etc.), which improves the efficiency and effectiveness of your revision. The notes from past students could also be helpful for exam preparation. However, please do not solely rely on those notes nor copy directly from them as you will constitute plagiarism. Keep in mind that they were made in accordance with the old version of textbooks, which might be incorrect nowadays. Furthermore, without reading the cases yourself, you would not understand the topics in-depth, and be unable to apply them in the exam well. You may also lose the chance of developing case reading skills that are essential for a law practitioner. Also, never miss the last class - the revision class!! Before attending the last class,

you would usually be given past exam questions. Please attempt them before the class starts. It would not only allow you to know which topics you are still unfamiliar with but give a second chance to raise your questions to the tutors. The final exams sometimes are similar to the past exams. Therefore, you might be fine for the final exams if you can answer the past exam questions without any significant issues.

Any advice to incoming international students? You will have to enrol in a Legal Research and Writing tutorial in the first semester. Please pay attention to the classes and attempt the online modules carefully. The tutorial will teach you how to research relevant cases or articles, building your foundation for future studies and career. There are also some Legal Research and Writing workshops available, and you can always sign up to them to develop your skill sets. Last but not least, if English is not your first language, please keep up with weekly readings and start assignments early. Falling behind the readings or starting the assignment one day before the due date will make you rethink your life choices.

Ting-Hsuan Hsu (JD student, 2nd year)

Thank you for reading Perception 2022! Please don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter Connect, and keep an eye out for updates on our social media! We hope you enjoy your time at UNSW Law and see you soon at one of our events!

You Qi Xue and Ting-Hsuan Hsu (International Media Directors) This publication was designed by: Richard Zhou and Musa Musa (Publication Directors)