obiterobiter obiter
Acknowledgments
acknowledgement of people and country
The UTS LSS acknowledges the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.
publication details
OBITER IS PUBLISHED BY THE UTS LAW STUDENTS' SOCIETY
editor
in chief
ALEC RAMSBOTTOM designer OLIVIA BANFIELD
special thanks
UTS LSS EXECUTIVE TEAM AND REPRESENTATIVES
61 BROADWAY, ULTIMO NSW 2007
UTS CENTRAL, LEVEL 14, ROOM 104
PH (02) 9514 3448
FAX (02) 9514 3427
WWW.UTSLSS.COM
C o p y r i g h t
This publication is copyright. Except where permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this publication may form or by any means (electronic or otherwise) be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any process without specific written consent of the UTS Law Students’ Society Enquiries are to be addressed to the publishers
I m a g e s & I l l u s t r a t i o n s
Unless provided by the designers or commissioned specifically for the purpose of this publication, uncredited photographs have been sourced from royalty-free distributors, licensed under Creative Commons Zero
TABLE OF CONTENTS
President’s Foreword
An introduction to the purpose of this publication from our president Alec Ramsbottom.
Semester One Overview
An insight into statistics and information regarding everything that happened within the UTS LSS in Semester One.
Secretariat Addresses
An address from our President, Secretary, Vice President (Sponsorships), and Treasurer
Executive Addresses
An address from our Vice Presidents of Competitions, Social Justice, Education, Activities, Marketing, and Careers
Representative Addresses
An address from the Representatives of our First Nations community, Queer community, Women community, community of those who have disabilities, and community of first years
Council
A list of our full council.
President's
Foreword
This publication was introduced in 2022 as a mechanism to increase transparency and accountability about the successes and challenges faced by the UTS LSS After a year of strong successes and some difficulties, the 2024 edition of Obiter will aim to update our members on the progress of the UTS LSS since the publication’s last edition!
The aim of the 2024 edition of Obiter is to provide our members with a greater understanding of the internal workings behind the events and initiatives of the UTS LSS. Each of our Executive members, as well as our wonderful seven Representatives, will be exploring their visions for their respective Portfolios in 2024, their achievements, and any areas for improvement they have identified for the rest of the tenure
We hope you enjoy reading about what we have been up to behind the scenes since our last publication!
SemesterOne Overview
As the largest student run organisation at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), the UTS Law Students’ Society (UTS LSS) aims to enrich the UTS Law student experience by catering to their educational, vocational and social needs
So far in 2024, the UTS LSS has: run over 75 events; engaged over 40 sponsors; created and distributed 3 publications; successfully trialed a new election appointment process created 4+ new initiatives
Sent 10 delegates to the ALSA National Conference in Hobart
Speaker Series Semester One
ARIAT SSES
President's Address
ALEC RAMSBOTTOM
My name is Alec Ramsbottom, and I am delighted to welcome you to the UTS LSS Obiter 2024! I am the President of the UTS Law Students’ Society here at UTS for 2024, and am incredibly excited to share with you the third edition of our Half Yearly Report Established originally as a way to update our members and the wider community on the successes and challenges of our year so far, I hope that this publication can serve as a great celebration of all our events and initiatives, as well as reflect with both accountability and transparency
In the following pages, each of our Council Executive, alongside all of our representatives, will detail the achievements of their respective portfolios, and outline the goals envisioned for the remainder of their tenures. The intention here is to make it very clear what our goals are moving forward and overview what we are most passionate about providing to our membership base
At the time of publication, we have 1150 registered LSS members, which is a record number for this time of the year. Our events overall have broken engagement levels from previous tenures, with our highest attendances at Law Cruise, Buddy project signups, and Junior Gauntlet!
The UTS LSS has also continued to thoroughly engage with the Australian Law Students’ Association and has recently sent 10 delegates to Hobart for the annual ALSA Conference This included myself, our Treasurer Lara, a Mooting Team, and Skills Competition Teams. Our Buddy Project Initiative was awarded “Best Student Engagement Initiative”. It is fantastic to be recognised on this national level and we are pleased that we have maintained our close relationship with the ALSA community. My opinion is that it is vitally important for us to continue being so heavily involved due to the benefits not only we receive through our improved national reputation, but also what we can give back in ideas and experience to many smaller universities across Australia
As part of our work as we move towards our season of Special General Meetings. myself and our Secretary, Ariane, are looking at some constitutional amendments that will have a positive effect on the broader society functions One key aspect we are looking at is the Grievance Policy, a document formulated in 2022 that has been in use for nearly two years. Our goal when looking at this policy is critically evaluating its ability to handle problems that come forth to the LSS executive, and whether members and councillors feel as though they have an avenue to share their concerns and thoughts. We are currently discussing its efficiency, productivity, transparency and accessibility during this process and will keep members informed on changes that occur in this respect.
Another key goal for our society overall this tenure has been to increase accountability and transparency of processes across the board. In this way, we have improved our recordkeeping of minutes during meetings and selection panels, updated our Intervarsity Competitor Selection Policy, anonymised the appointment process for council roles, and encouraged members to ask for feedback when left out of an experience, so as to reinforce the idea that those individuals should get involved despite their initial setback.
Part of our aim to increase accessibility has included offering many hybrid opportunities within all our portfolios Despite the significant distance between the end of the COVID era and where we stand today, many students are craving the ease and convenience that online opportunities bring to their uni life, and we have made many of our events take this leap this year. These include but are not limited to, our Careers Skills Workshops, Clerkship Seminar Series, Intervarsity Legal Tech Moot, and a few of our Brennan Justice Talks
Moving forward into the second Semester of 2024, it is my hope that we can continue to deliver high quality and engaging events that achieve the goals of our council but also meet the needs and desires of our student body. With Executive elections coming up in October, and general Council Director appointment coming up soon after that, I would highly encourage anyone interested in joining the team to speak to one of our many fantastic councillors about their experience to learn more about what it is like to be a part of this incredible group.
I hope you enjoy the rest of this publication and I’m keen to meet even more of you in Semester 2!
Secretary's Address
ARIANE SHARPE
In the area of governance and administration, the UTS LSS had made some productive steps in adjusting the outputs of the society to ensure members can gain as much value from our initiatives and events as possible. Last year we saw the creation of the appointment process for director and representative positions as well as the amalgamation of the skills and mooting portfolio’s. Following on from this, we are now in a position to understand the success of these changes and, going into next semester, seek to make additional adjustments which complement these new processes. Ideas for potential changes have to an extent been informed by valuable discussions held in attending the 2024 Australian Law Students’ Association (ALSA) April Council held in Queensland. The UTS LSS see immense value in its involvement with ALSA and are looking forward to sending a team of ten delegates to the annual conference being held in Tasmania over the semester break.
In regards to the support side of the role of Secretary, the UTS LSS Grievance Policy is currently in its second year of operation. This policy seeks to clarify the responsibilities and expectations of council members, and the wider UTS LSS membership base, as well as provides a set pathway for accessing support. The US LSS council this year has amazed me this year in its collaborative nature. Each council member has proven to be supportive of their fellow directors or executives and this has resulted in the betterment of many of the events and initiatives we have seen take place this year. The opportunity of being on the UTS LSS council is very unique and incredibly beneficial for developing professional and personable skills which will be utilised for many years to come by each member that serves on the council
As secretary, I assist the Postgraduate and First Year Representatives in successfully carrying out the duties within their roles.
Postgraduate Representative
Anna van Woerkom has been doing a great job liaising with the faculty, UTS:LAW, to being our postgraduate members value. The speaker panel, which ran in April, cultivates some very engaging discussions which were incredibly beneficial to not only the JD students in attendance but even the undergraduate students in attendance. This well attended event proved very successful, as will Anna’s continued work into Semester Two.
First Year Representatives
The 2024 First Year Representatives, Isadora Lianos and Matthew Ham, have made a wonderfully strong addition to the LSS council. Their presence in semester one saw the first year cohort band together to form a supportive community for one another. Matt and Izzy successfully planned and conducted the First Year Scavenger Hunt which received incredible levels of engagement and was a fantastic event for everyone involved. I am sure they will continue to add immense value to the UTS LSS into semester two, and encourage any First Years to reach out to them with any questions or concerns, or just for a chat!
POSTGRADUATE NETWORKING EVENING
DEAN’S WELCOME EVENING
FIRST YEAR SCAV HUNT
Treasurer's Address
Despite initial challenges, the Treasury is happy to report an extremely successful semester 1 for the UTS LSS. Although the LSS suffered a decrease in sponsorships this year, the LSS has been able to maintain its financial health through the expansion of other income sources Notably, the LSS was able to secure a Activate UTS Grant for the First Year Law Camp which was highly effective in lowering the costs for this initiative. This grant, which the LSS has been unsuccessful in obtaining previously, heavily subsidised the camp, offsetting the initial decrease in sponsorship money
The budget was designed to be mindful of the current financial environment, noting the rising costs but also recognising the decreased sponsorship as a result of the cost of living crisis. Therefore, the LSS has been able to create a budget which is flexible to initiative demands and the expansion of portfolios, whilst also minimising unnecessary costs The Treasury also regularly maintains and reviews the budget to ensure all allocated funds are being used efficiently This also allows for the reworking of the budget throughout the tenure if there is an over or under spend in certain areas.
LARA O’SHEA
The flexibility of the budget has allowed us to fund new initiatives as they arise and also rebalance the budget throughout the semester to allocate unused funds to other areas. Notably, due to circumstances beyond the LSS’ control, we were required to fund the Sir Harry Gibbs Moot which is hosted in Melbourne later this year, which has previously been subsidised by the Law Faculty This flexibility as well as continual tracking of expenses has allowed UTS to maintain their representation at this prestigious moot.
Further, for the first time, the UTS LSS collaborated with UTS BSoc for the annual cruise Through this collaboration, the LSS was able to substantially reduce the expenses associated with the high cost event without compromising the event itself.
Lastly, the LSS worked in significant collaboration with our accountants this year to ensure our books were up to date and to help progress the regaining of our charity status We have been able to successfully bring all of our books and taxes up to date and are confident in our ability to have charity status before the end of tenure
Vice-President
(Sponsorship) Address
VUONG
In 2024, our Sponsorships division achieved remarkable success, generating $90,604 80 in sponsorship funds by May 31st. The initial months were dedicated to meticulously preparing our Prospectus, which was subsequently shared with sponsors in early January Recognizing the evolving needs of our student body, we revamped our sponsorship packages to better cater to their vocational, social, and educational requirements
This year, we proudly introduced several traditionally unsponsored initiatives into our Prospectus, including the Women's Mentoring Program, the LinkedIn Photoshoot, the Bail Competition, the Intervarsity Legal Technology Moot, the Intervarsity Pride Moot, and the Diverse-abilities Blog These initiatives were met with enthusiastic support from sponsors who appreciated their dynamic nature.
Our Prospectus featured over 70 initiatives, with an impressive sponsorship rate of over 75% This achievement underscores the effectiveness of our sponsorship strategy in securing support for a wide array of activities
Throughout the year, we received glowing feedback from sponsors regarding the caliber, quality, and engagement of our events. This reflects the meticulous planning and organization demonstrated by all Councillors involved in executing these initiatives
January marked a pivotal period for securing resources for the highly anticipated Autumn Orientation Week. As the largest student-run organization on campus, we ensured a memorable experience for prospective students by securing the donation of 500 tote bags filled with exciting merchandise and samples from sponsors such as Side Bar, KX Pilates, Dinnerly, and the Law Society of NSW.
Notable successes of our sponsorship endeavors in 2024 include:
Securing sponsorship for all but one Socials/Activities event.
Partnering with over 20 different sponsors to fill 38 pages of content in the UTS LSS Clerkship Guide
Demonstrating flexibility by collaboratively planning and executing new events at the request of industry sponsors, in addition to our existing UTS LSS Events Calendar
Achieving sponsorship for over 75% of offerings in the Prospectus.
These achievements highlight the strength of our partnerships and the dedication of our team in delivering exceptional value to sponsors and students alike The focus for the remainder of 2024 will be strengthening UTS LSS’s relationships with industry and non-industry sponsors, and working closely with them to determine how we can best maximise sponsorship value for both parties.
SELENE
EXECUT ADDRESS
Activities Address
One of our main priorities within the UTS LSS is to ensure that law students have the opportunity to meet and connect with as many other people as possible beyond the classroom, and as such, allow for meaningful and lasting friendships and connections to grow. Our social events are always a highlight of the calendar year, with 2024 setting records across the board for interest and engagement, with so much left to come in Semester 2.
FIRST YEAR LAW CAMP
Our First Year Law Camp 2024: Woodstock astonishingly sold out in under a minute, with over 75 people joining our waitlist! The camp overall was a resounding success with over 85 law students enjoying a packed weekend at the trusty Broken Bay Sports and Recreation Centre This immersive experience fostered new friendships and deepened existing connections, proving invaluable for our First Year cohort, and we believe overall ensured this group continued to be extensively engaged in other LSS initiatives throughout the Semester
ACTIVITIES TEAM
Our team of 20 camp leaders were extremely dedicated and proactive throughout the weekend, whose efforts were pivotal in ensuring a successful weekend All our leaders had received Respect Now Always training to equip them with the proper tools to assist with the group ’ s safety and wellbeing, and providing the weekend with effective supervision and support We hope that in future tenures, the LSS can continue to hold this brilliant event and expand the initiative to include as many eager first years as possible!
LAW CRUISE
This year we were delighted to hold our annual Law Cruise in conjunction with the incredible UTS Business Society! For many years the UTS LSS has attempted to work alongside other Law Schools to create this event, however the decision to instead seek the collaboration of another UTS Faculty club lead to a record breaking event with over 500 attendees! The theme of Mission Impossible was extremely exciting and provided endless opportunities for guests to deck themselves out in suits, leather jackets, boots, ties and so much more
Bringing back an old favourite with the large Bella Vista cruise boat, everyone was able to enjoy the sights of Sydney Harbour for three spectacular hours before enjoying an incredible after party at Scary Canary Bar! It’s going to be hard to top this event in future years and we would encourage future organisers to also consider collaborating with other likeminded organisations for the same successes.
START OF SEM + FIRST YEAR LAW DRINKS
Held at the Agincourt Hotel just around the corner from campus, our First Year Law Drinks were a raging success, with increased capacity from last year meaning we could expand our reach and expose more first years to one another early on in the semester. The night then moved to Scary Canary Bar, where our Start of Semester Party continued all the way through the night With over 300 people at this annual event, it was so exciting to see the year kicked off with a bang and watch so many of our UTS Law students connect Holding both these events on a Thursday night has been a great idea for us, as we are able to get great venues for fantastic prices, however in future years, considering moving these events to a Friday or Saturday might allow for more accessibility overall
SOCIAL SPORTS
Throughout Semester One, many of our members had the opportunity to keep fit and active during the week, with our netball and futsal social sport teams having so much fun for many weeks The program is held on campus in the Ross Milbourne Hall, and allowed for students to get a mental break from class during the middle of the day Massive congratulations to all the teams and definitely keep an eye out for our hilarious weekly recaps posted on the Get Active Facebook Group by our Sports Director, Harrison O’Brien.
Vice-President
(Careers) Address
Howdy! During the Autumn semester, the UTS LSS Careers Team sought to organise and deliver initiatives that were highquality while also being accessible The principal goal of each initiative is to equip UTS Law students with an arsenal of skills within the metaphorical legal jungle. The Team and I, from the outset, approached all initiatives with a purposive approach to ensure students found real value in our initiatives.
LINKEDIN PHOTOSHOOT
After an extraordinary turnout in previous sessions, the Careers team was excited to offer the LinkedIn Photoshoot for the second year This event allows students, no matter where they are in their degree, to come and receive a free professional headshot that can be used in a plethora of different ways The event was a success on the day, with over 50 students showing up in their best corporate attire. Similarly to last year, all faculty members were allowed to come and get their headshots taken on the day. Due to the widespread success of the event, the Careers team plans on holding another photo shoot in the spring semester
DILLAN GORO
BEYOND CORPORATE MENTORING PROGRAM
The Careers team is excited to continue the Beyond Corporate Mentoring Program. The program offers students the opportunity to be paired with an industry professional outside the realm of corporate law, which aligns with their career goals, interests and aspirations. The program has maintained widespread interest and is generally desirable to apply for This year, the Careers team paired 15 professionals with 15 students, and they were welcomed to a highly successful opening breakfast event
CLERKSHIP EVENTS
For semester 1, the Clerkship events are the most prevalent and marketed events, considering the Clerkship process kicks into gear at the end of the semester. Engagement with the Clerkship events has reached an all-time high, expressed through the general interest within all year groups. The team started the semester strong with the Clerkship Panel, which saw more well-known faces in the Clerkship process
The Portfolio then held 13 seminars hosted by different firm representatives presenting on their respective firms. Furthermore, the team maintained this strong form through the facilitation of 4 skills workshops, which focused on a plethora of areas The highlight of the semester was the annual Clerkship Networking Evening. Historically, CNE has always been held at Aerial UTS, and this year was no different There was record-breaking attendance with 18 firms, 120 students in attendance, and a waitlist in excess of 80+ students The goal to provide events that inform students about the Clerkship process in an accessible way was definitely exceeded by the Careers Portfolio, and I have unequivocal faith that the events facilitated will benefit students in the process this year and in years to come.
CLERKSHIP GUIDE
The Clerkship Guide is the magnum opus for the Careers Publication team for semester 1 The examines the Clerkship process in a way that is thorough and accessible The guide consists of practical tips and tricks and a suite of other tools to help students through the Clerkship Process From the initial planning phase, the Careers Publication team understood that the guide would be unique through the content and aesthetically; this translated into the final product as the guide is the highest-quality Careers publication to date
LEGAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE OPPORTUNITIES
FACEBOOK PAGE
The Careers team has committed to the UTS LSS Legal and Social Justice Opportunities page The Facebook page is a hub for employers to post opportunities and other careerrelated initiatives in an accessible forum. The page has never been more active, with a spectrum of employment and volunteering opportunities being posted regularly.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN SPRING?
The Careers Portfolio has some very exciting initiatives coming up in the Spring session to keep your eyes open for:
Spring LinkedIn photoshoot Careers Guide Careers Blog Beyond Corporate Careers Fair
Vice-President
(Comps) Address
The Competitions portfolio is responsible for a range of competitions, including Skills Competitions such as Client Interview, Negotiation, Witness Examination and Written Skills, as well as Mooting We offer a wide selection of competitions at internal, intervarsity, national and international levels, allowing students of all levels to compete and increase their skill set The Competitions portfolio is also responsible for running other ad hoc competitions, including the Bail Competition. During this tenure, we aimed to increase our engagement with competitions and reassess how competitions have been previously structured to maximise success and effectiveness
MOOTING
The mooting side of the Portfolio has seen a wide variety of success across the autumn semester.
First, the Subject Mooting Directors successfully ran three Opens Moot namely, the UTS LSS Clyde & Co Opens Torts Law Moot, the UTS LSS Clyde & Co Opens Commercial Law Moot, and the UTS LSS Opens Criminal Law Moot
BLAKE SANCHEZ-CRUZ
The Opens Torts Law Moot set a record for UTS LSS Moots with the highest number of registrations in history, and with the Grand Final being held before an esteemed bench consisting of his Honour Justice John Basten, Sue Chrysanthou SC, and Dr Brandon Stewart. Further, the remaining two Opens Moots also highlighted the quality of competitors at UTS with both finals allowing students to compete before her Honour Judge Harris, Lecturer Ken Wu, Dr Collin Hawes, Jayfer Joy, Sebastian Hanscomb and Philip Boulten SC The Subject Mooting Directors have already commenced preparation for what will be an exciting second semester including the Opens Constitutional Law Moot and the Opens Contracts Law Moot. Overall, ourselves and the Directors are looking to continue to improve the quality of moots by maintaining effective administration, ensuring a high standard of judges and ensuring all problems questions are at a challenging level
ANASTASIA ZIMONOPOULOS
Second, the Mooting Development Director has been relatively quiet for the majority of the autumn semester. However, the spring semester will prove to be a lot busier as the LSS looks to run three key events for first and second year law students interested in mooting and advocacy This includes the UTS LSS Junior Championship Moot, the UTS LSS Junior Criminal Law Moot, and the Mooting Mentoring Program. We have been in discussions with members of the profession and Faculty to ensure these three events are effective in attracting members to the wide world of mooting.
INTERVARSITY MOOTING
In relation to IVC Mooting, we have sought to continue the trend over the last year and a half of providing as many opportunities as possible to members. Given financial and practical constraints, we have ensured to provide students with opportunities that are both of a high quality and worthwhile for their continued development. To name a few, the UTS LSS provided the opportunity to participate in the UNSW Private Law Moot and the Deakin University Arbitration Moot to its members.
Further, the LSS co-hosted the Bilateral Contracts Moot with Macquarie University Law Society in April. Finally, we are also preparing for the grand return of the UTS LSS Herbert Smith Freehills IVC Legal Technology Moot, which will involve teams from across the country and internationally
TORTS MOOT
CRIMINAL LAW MOOT
WRITTEN SKILLS
This year, Written Skills has seen a massive overhaul with the introduction of a designated director. We have held the Advice Writing Competition. This competition was highly competitive and saw a record number of registrations the competition has ever had! Throughout the winter break, we will hold the Affidavit Drafting Competition, where the competition will take a new structure as we aim to create new and engaging competitions for LSS members.
We will further be taking advantage of having a designated director to produce more opportunities for LSS members in this space.
NEGOTIATIONS
The UTS LSS Open N Competition ran semester one, which of both new an competitors. Our ma to introduce a rang questions to the c which saw negotiate new an questions. Next sem will host the UTS Negotiation Competi we hope will give second-year stud opportunity to negotiation skills. Ou this competition is the skills of o competitors through of-semester works detailed judging throughout the semester.
CLIENT INTERVIEW
The vision for the Client Interview Competition this year is to create a fun, engaging and worthwhile competition We hope that this competition will provide students with the opportunity to develop their soft skills of communication and problem-solving skills The UTS LSS Allens Open Client Interview Competition ran in Semester One, which saw new and engaging questions being used, which were highly engaging and enjoyable for all competitors In Semester Two, we will run the UTS LSS Allens Junior Client Interview Competition. We hope to see a range of new competitors learn how to undertake an effective client interview and continue to compete as they progress through their law degree.
WITNESS EXAMINATION
Witness Examination is off to a competitive start, with a range of competitors competing in the UTS LSS Open Witness Examination Competition during Semester One The competitors were highly engaged, which led them to adapt their skills each round, culminating in an impressive Grand Final
In the Spring semester, we will host the UTS LSS Junior Witness Examination Competition, which is open to all first and second-year students who have not previously competed in the competition. We will endeavour to ensure that this competition will be in line with the previous high standards set in past tenures and encourage more juniors to participate and develop their advocacy skills.
INTERVARSITY SKILLS
This year, we intend to increase engagement and participation in intervarsity competitions This semester, we held the UTS LSS Maddocks Intervarsity Negotiation Competition, which was incredibly successful Held over one weekend, we saw a record number of universities compete and take on the challenge. Next semester will be another busy semester with the UTS LSS Margaret Cunneen SC Intervarsity Witness Examination Competition and the UTS LSS Junior Intervarsity Skills Competition, just to name a few!
Vice-President
(Education) Address
The first half of the 2024 tenure has been a wild ride for the Education Portfolio. Beginning with early planning all the way back in October 2023 and coming to a conclusion in the last week of June with the publication of The Full Bench, it has been an exhilarating ride where the team as a whole has been able to deliver their initiatives at a high standard! Moving forward, with the Autumn session ahead the Education team is in a promising position to build on an established foundation to innovate in a range of initiatives.
BUDDY PROJECT
The goal for the 2024 Buddy Project was to achieve a new record for student engagement, which was one of the first boxes ticked in this year ’ s program! The Launch Event was also a huge success, filling out the roof of Building 2 and providing a fun evening with plenty of food for all who attended Following that, the good times continued with the 2024 Sip and Sing event, hosted at the Underground, where the Lights, Camera, Action theme saw some outstanding costumes and some unforgettable performances on stage.
RYAN LITTLE
PEER MENTORING AND SUBJECT TUTORING
The Peer Mentoring program has been a huge success with several workshops have been provided to cover assessments and study methods for first year subjects including Foundations of Law, Ethics Law and Justice and Criminal Law and Procedures Following the selection of a group of talented and accomplished Peer Mentors, the training day was a great experience getting everyone up to speed Moving forward, there remains room to boost engagement with the program and expand the content to other subjects taken by First Years
SPEAKER SERIES I
The first Speaker Series of the year was a huge success, featuring a compelling discussion on legal ethics featuring experienced and accomplished criminal and civil professionals. Hosted at the UTS Aerial Function Centre and after being guided by highly skilled moderating, the night concluded with a more social second half featuring drinks and snacks.
ADVOCATES MENTORING PROGRAM
The Advocates Mentoring Program has received positive reviews from its participants; after making the initial pairings and carrying out an initial welcome event, the pairings have made their own arrangements for students to meet with barristers to learn tips and tricks The feedback since then has detailed numerous meetings with Barristers in a range of professional settings, indicating that the program has met its purpose of helping students develop lasting mentoring relationships
EQUITY X WELLBEING PANEL
The Equity x Wellbeing Panel was an enjoyable collaborative effort carried out with the Social Justice Portfolio which amounted to an engaging panel discussion hosted at the Baker McKenzie offices in Barangaroo The discussion was highly compelling, thanks to a well crafted group of contributors who offered frank disclosure about their experiences in the legal industry and provided tips on managing mental health in the process of leaving student life and entering the profession.
SMILE PROJECT
The Smile Project event for 2024 was a smash hit! Moving the event to an indoor venue brought a much more cosy feel with engagement setting a new record. Buoyed by some small arts and crafts activities, and the presence of Bird and Bird and Batyr, the event provided tangible avenues for engagement and an enjoyable time for all. However, the stars of the show, as always, were the therapy dogs! The efforts of the Wellbeing Subcommittee were also a huge positive for the event, providing an incredible effort assisting its organisation
LAW SCHOOL MANUAL
The 2024 publications work began with the Law School Manual when planning began late in the 2023 Autumn session. The final design was inspired by the ‘burn book’ of Mean Girls and brought a more colourful rendition than in previous years. A total of 300 copies were printed this year, three times the 2023 figure, which allowed for the LSM to reach more eager readers Overall, the standard of this publication, particularly its quirky design-language, is a testament to the dedication of the publications team
Vice-President
(Marketing) Address
Upon entering the UTS LSS’ 2024 tenure, the Marketing Portfolio had the overall goal of increasing our exposure on all of our social media platforms to better our society
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The UTS LSS continues to take a unique approach to social media in 2024, focusing on celebrating the successes of our community members. Through features like Humans of UTS Law and sharing student achievements in competitions, we ’ ve fostered a strong sense of connection online. These regular Instagram highlights have effectively diversified the range of students we feature, ensuring their accomplishments reach our broad audience. We’ve also increased community engagement by creating event recaps that reflect on the success of UTS LSS initiatives, consistently earning high levels of interaction and positive feedback.
OLIVIA BANFIELD
Additionally, our engaging TikTok presence continues to thrive, offering informal and casual content that connects with students on a more relaxed level
NEW INITIATIVES
Upon reflecting on the successes and pitfalls of our current marketing models, we proposed a motion to council to remove our fortnightly newsletter from the by-laws, also known as ‘The Buzz’. Whilst, this fortnightly email newsletter was popular in its early years, we have since seen the decline in the clicks that we receive from this form of marketing To be more transparent, only 3% of those who received the newsletter would click on any links contained within We acknowledge that there is significant potential to create similar content to what was contained in ‘The Buzz’ on our other social media platforms.
Our website has undergone a significant edits by the IT Director, with a heavy focus on making information more easily accessible to members through simplicity. The website effectively communicates current opportunities within the Society, showcases past and present publications, and provides access to all governance documents through a clear and organised presentation of information. Catie is excited to update the website with new admissions for the Diverse-abilities blog and careers blog.
OUR SOCIAL MEDIA
LOOKING INTO SPRING
Moving into the next semester, we are looking at conducting a merch drop and releasing new merch.
The Marketing Portfolio encourages all members of the UTS LSS to reach out to vpm@utslss com if they have any ideas for our team. We aim to remain responsive to the interests of our broader community, and hope that our efforts to engage you throughout the Autumn Session has been effective.
Vice-President
(SocialJustic Address
ELIZA LO RUSSO
What a whirlwind it has been for Social Justice this past 6 months - how quickly we have reached the mid-point in tenure! As Vice President of this wonderful portfolio, it is my privilege to reflect on our collective achievements and to share our vision for the months ahead
Firstly, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your unwavering commitment to the principles of justice, equality, and community service. Your passion and dedication have been the driving force behind our successes Whether you ’ ve participated in our Brennan Discussion Groups, raised money in the Walk for WAGEC, or attended one of our panels or conferences this semester, by showing up and getting involved, you make a tangible impact on our vibrant law student community.
Secondly, I’d like to acknowledge the incredible work of our Justice Action Committee (JAC), a team of 12 volunteers who have been a fantastic sounding board for the Social Justice team and putting their hands up to help out in various ways across our many programs. I am super grateful for your enthusiasm this first half of tenure, and am excited to reach even bigger goals in Spring.
I also want to note in the spirit of collaboration and continuous improvement, I highly encourage each of you to stay engaged and share your ideas Our strength lies in our diversity and our collective commitment to justice Whether you are a first-year student or nearing graduation, your voice and your actions matter, regardless of whether you ’ re elected to Council or not! You can always reach out to me chat about getting LSS involvement on an idea, program or initiative. My email is vpsj@utslss.com or feel free to get in touch via socials.
For now, here is a wrap-up of what’s been keeping us busy !
In Autumn, we achieved:
An increase of 60% on our funds raised for the Women and Girls Emergency Centre in Redfern, contributing over $8.8k to Sydney women and children in need.
An awesome turn out and great feedback on our annual Wellbeing x Equity Panel, this year held at the gorgeous Baker McKenzie offices in Barangaroo! Shout out Mariam for being a wonderful organiser and moderator of the panel! We loved working with the Education team to bring this event to life.
A fantastic cross-university collaboration with SULS in the Queer Sunset Picnic! Unreal work Eva in making this happen and was greatly enjoyed by all those who attended The launch night and progression of our Women’s Mentoring Program. Thank you to DLA Piper for sponsoring and allowing us to use their gorgeous office space! Shout out Eloise for all her amazing work here. We had the amazing Intervarsity Women in Law Conference held at UTS this year! With two incredible panels, and a wonderful keynote speech from Ramona Vijeyarasa, the day was packed with valuable insights and new connections!
Another great semester of Brennan Discussion Groups and Justice Talks, led by the amazing power duo Chloe and Georgia!
And we elected our Disability Representative, Lachie Lim, who has got so much good stuff coming in this space!
In Spring, we’re looking forward to Our flagship event Social Justice Conference! This is cooking up to be a huge event - bigger and better than ever before! Keep your eyes peeled for more information in the next few months. Giving back to the community! We’re hard at work developing some awesome community activations such as a donation drive led by Huw our First Nations rep and some group volunteering opportunities from the Brennan team!
More in-person events! Fan favourites like the Women's Collective’s Book Club will be back with a twist, as well as a new and exciting Equity Gala concept!
Cross-society collaboration! The Brennan team is busy at work with the Public Speaking Society to bring back the Public Speaking workshops and competition! Practice your oration skills AND claim Brennan hours with some incredible judges! Revitalising the Diversability blog! Watch this space but we can’t wait to bring you more engaging student-led initiatives So, so, SO much more!!
REPRESE ADDR
Women's Representative Address
ELOISE CANDELL
2024 so far has definitely been a successful year for women at UTS Law! With an intervarsity conference and mentoring program under wraps, it is safe to say that our cohort is feeling pretty inspired Also Legally Blonde: The Series?! We are thriving.
The Women’s Collective remains strong, the sharing and collaborating of ideas and opportunities through an online forum has kept us all connected and informed. We even formed a team for a 10km walk at the Women and Girls Emergency Centre in May (Raising over $8000!!) Together, we have curated a supportive and fun environment where women across the UTS LSS can get together and just have fun
This semester has indeed been fun - in March I had the privilege of holding the DLA Piper Women’s Mentoring Program for 2024 We had an unprecedented amount of applicants and mentors who all came together for a lovely networking evening
The mentors were from a diverse range of legal careers - we had criminal lawyers, commercial law firm partners and academics. The relationships built out of this event are essential to our confidence and I am so pleased by the feedback we have received so far from mentors and mentees alike. Next, we hosted the Intervarsity Women in Law Conference which brought together students from UTS, USYD and UNSW for a day learning about the diverse pathways for women in law.
It doesn’t end there though - next semester you can expect a range of new and returning initiatives including Reed and Feeds and a celebration of the International Day of the Girl.
I am constantly looking for new ways to improve existing and introduce new initiatives that cater to your interests - with that said, please do not hesitate to reach out and make suggestions. You can reach me anytime at women@utslss com
Disability Representative Address
As the Disability Representative of the UTS Law Student Society, my journey this year has been both rewarding and challenging. My vision was to create an inclusive environment where students with disabilities feel supported, heard, and empowered.
Coming into this role, my primary objective was to ensure that the needs and rights of students with disabilities are represented and advocated for within the UTS Law community and increase awareness about disability issues among students and staff through educational events and campaigns. This was to be accomplished through the updating of a new accessibility guide in addition to the internal council procedures already in place which aim to provide accessibility arrangements for all online and in person events held by the UTS LSS I hope that the continual improvement of this guide will facilitate the consideration of students with disabilities
LACHLAN LIM
Additionally, the Diverse Ability Blog is expected to make a return in the second semester which will hopefully increase awareness about disability issues among students through shared experiences Planning for a Career and Disability panel is also underway and is expected to take place around the Social Justice week which will invite guest panelists to share their experiences and insights on navigating the legal profession with a disability.
Overall being part of the UTS LSS council has been a learning experience and rewarding. It has allowed me to understand the intricacies of university policies and how they impact students with disabilities has been crucial in our advocacy efforts. Building relationships with other students and creating a support network has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of this role.
FirstNations Representative Address
Entering this role, my goal was to establish a stronger First Nations presence within the UTS LSS, primarily through increasing engagement with UTS LSS events amongst First Nations law students
At the start of this tenure, I worked to establish a First Nations law students’ collective for the purpose of both consolidating a stronger First Nations network, as well as to provide these students with academic, cultural and well-being resources Unfortunately, due to low student engagement, the collective did not come into fruition. I am currently working with First Nations members of faculty to increase engagement for the upcoming semester
On a more positive note, next semester I will be running a charity drive to help provide young athletes in First Nations communities with football boots.
HUW WIREMU WATSON
I, with the help of other members of the Social Justice portfolio, will be working with various sporting clubs and organisations to broaden the scope of this initiative and ensure its positive impact on these communities. Before I send them off, I will hopefully be hosting a back to semester barbecue to collect donations and raise awareness for the cause - I hope to see you all there!
Furthermore, I am currently working behind the scenes with members of faculty in the hopes of hosting an exciting panel event for NAIDOC Week, relating to this year ' s theme: Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud.
Queer Representative Address EVA OSSOWSKI
As Queer Representative for the 2024 tenure, my focus has been to help UTS Law students access queer legal spaces and professional environments, as well as provide opportunities for intervarsity events with other major universities. The highly successful partnership we formed with the Sydney University Law Society in April was the kick-off of our queer events during this term. The Sunset Picnic experienced some great engagement from students from both UTS and Sydney Universities alike, providing a much-needed social event for LGBTQ+ identifying students and allies to get more involved with the queer community of law students. Pop-culture trivia and some impromptu karaoke made the event a great environment to mark the early stages of establishing an intervarsity queer network between UTS and other significant NSW universities
For the remainder of tenure, the UTS LSS can look forward to the annual Intervarsity Pride Moot between the UTSLSS and the Law Students Societies from Macquarie, Sydney, and New South Wales Universities This year we are excited to welcome some incredibly talented judges and look forward to its continued success. I’m also looking forward to the prospective UTS LSS collaboration with Pride in Law NSW later this year to organise queer focused panels and networking events for students. It would offer a space for students to participate in queer legal discussions and explore related issues.
The opportunities for Queer events within UTS LSS are promising, and I’m eager to see how the rest of the tenure unfolds.
FirstYear Represen Address
MATTHEW HAM
Semester 1 has been an exciting a promising start for our First Years the LSS, many of whom are at the v beginning of their university journ When I first began this role, my vis was to capitalise on everyon enthusiasm and eagerness to g involved in all things LSS This ener has been infectious, setting a posit tone for the rest of the year For t semester, Izzy and I were bu planning our massive scavenger hu the first event of the semester, wh was a huge success! We are extrem proud of how the cohort ca together on such a rainy night, wh I’m sure created lasting memories everyone who attended Beyond t scavenger hunt, it’s been fantastic see so many first years stepping and participating in initiatives such Witness Examination, Speaker Ser and the Buddy Project which ha showcased not only their skills a talents but also their willingness dive into new experiences. The ener and camaraderie among the first ye have been truly inspiring and we ho it continues throughout the rest their time in the LSS. As I look ahe to Semester 2, we have some excit plans in store for all First Years Fro more competitions to several engag social events, there's plenty to lo forward to Stay tuned for mo opportunities to get involved, gro and make the most of this amaz first year together!
UTSLSS Council
SECRETARIAT
President - Alec Ramsbottom
Secretary - Ariane Sharpe
Treasurer - Lara O’shea
Vice-President (Sponsorship) - Selene Vuong
ACTIVITIES
Vice-President (Activities) - Ruby Stewart
Socials Director - Natasha Abdulghani
Socials Director - Otylia Pilat
Sports Director - Harrison O’brien
CAREEERS
Vice-President (Careers) - Dillan Gorro
Careers (Activities) Director - Chloe Ferreira
Careers (Activities) Director - Samara T
Careers (Publications) Director - Clairessa Ng
COMPETITIONS
Vice-President (Competitions) - Blake Sanchez-Cruz
Vice-President (Competitions) - Anastasia Zimonopoulos
Subject Mooting Director - Aaditya Chawla
Subject Mooting Director - Nikolai Shchekochikhin
Intervarsity Mooting Director - Bilvika Abburi
Mooting Development Director - Aryenish Kavarana
Client Interview Director - Wafa Rahman
Negotiation Director - Yaoyi Li
Intervarsity Skills Director - Youngone Oh
Written Skills Director - Jackson Radnedge
EDUCATION
Vice-President (Education) - Ryan Little
Education Engagement Director - Olivia Alexander
Education Engagement Director - Nipun Karr
Education (Publications) Director - Rosalia Bautista
Education (Publications) Director - Zachary Boswell
Wellbeing Director - Anna Lucas
MARKETING
Vice-President (Marketing) - Olivia Banfield
Marketing Director - Jazz Mierisch
Marketing Director - Siya Khatri
Marketing Director - Alissa Ibrahim
Marketing Director - Zachary Sullivan
Information Technology Director - Caitlin Graham
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Vice-President (Social Justice) - Eliza Lo Russo
Equity Director - Mariam Yassine
Brennan Director - Georgia Mitchell
Brennan Director - Chloe Mackay
REPRESENTATIVES
Women's Representative - Eloise Candell
First Nations Representative - Huw Watson
Queer Representative - Eva Ossowski
Disability Representative - Lachlan Lim
Postgraduate Representative - Anna Van Woerkom
First Year Representative - Isadora Lianos
First Year Representative - Matthew Ham
