Students gain insight into legal profession

PREPARING for a career in law can be a daunting task, but who better to get advice from than those already working in the industry?

Careers in Law was a free event held at USQ last week, allowing those studying law the chance to find out what it takes to build a successful career in law.

Organised by the USQ Law Society, in conjunction with USQ Student Services, the event included a Q&A session with legal professionals Steve Kissick, Angus Murray, Zachary Kaplan and Julie Copley.

They spoke about their experiences and answered questions that could assist students’ learning and chances of breaking into the legal profession.

USQ Law Society’s Careers and Education Officer Erin McDonald said the event provided a valuable networking opportunity for USQ Law students currently enrolled on campus and online.

“This was a unique opportunity for students to see real working professionals share genuine advice about the profession,” Miss McDonald said.

“One thing we all learnt was the importance of building contacts and relationships within the law industry, connecting with other like-minded people and having a strong support network in place.”

Some of the discussion points addressed by the panellists included starting out in the profession, choosing the right career path, courtroom etiquette and taking care of your mental health.

USQ Law Society Vice-President Chris Ritchie said he was fascinated to hear the panellists speak candidly about some of the challenges they faced during their careers.

“Sometimes we see these lawyers up there and everything they do is perfect that as a law student you fear you will never be able to reach that same level or standard,” he said.

“Hearing real-life examples of how they were able to overcome certain challenges has given me more confidence in my legal abilities.”

This year USQ’s School of Law and Justice is celebrating its 10th year anniversary since its commencement in 2007.

To learn more about studying Law at USQ, visit www.usq.edu.au /study/degrees/law -and-justice.

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED LEARNING ABOUT LAW: At the free event last week are (from left) Angus Murray, Erin McDonald, Zachary Kaplan, Julie Copley, Steve Kissick and Chris Ritchie.