We were very pleased to welcome our cohort of commencing students in Orientation week with on campus events at the Gold Coast on Monday 17 February and at Nathan on Tuesday 18 February. Our students participated in information sessions, followed by campus tours, meeting their student mentors, lunch and a Q&A session.

We were then pleased to host all of our commencing students, from both the Gold Coast and Nathan, at an event held at the Banco Court on Friday 21 February, where students were welcomed to the legal profession as ‘legal professionals in training’.

The Honorable Justice Mullins welcomed the students to the court, while Dominic O’Sullivan QC welcomed them on behalf of the Bar Association, and President Luke Murphy welcomed them on behalf of the Queensland Law Society.

Students then heard from a range of our alumni about their many and varied careers. We had presentations from Erin Mitchell, Director at Potts Lawyers; Fiona Lubett, commercial barrister; Rikki-Jane Buckland, lawyer at Gold Coast Community Legal Centre; Dean Clifford Jones, Parole Board Queensland; Brad McNamara, now a lawyer but talking about working as a Judge’s Associate to a Court of Appeal Judge; James Kerr, in house legal counsel; and Dr Kate Van Doore on working as a legal academic.  Students had lots of opportunities over morning tea and lunch to speak with all of our presenters, and many told us that they came away feeling very inspired about where their law degree might take them.

At Griffith Law School we not only teach our students what the law is but also to think critically about law and where it is or is not serving the cause of justice; and to use legal skills and knowledge to make a positive difference in the world.

We are extremely proud of our many wonderful alumni who are always keen to give back and to support and nurture the next generation of Griffith Law School students. They remain part of our Griffith Law School community and support the school in numerous ways for the benefit of our students, whether it is coaching competitions, mentoring students, or giving our students work experience or internship opportunities.

For me, one of the great privileges of being a law school academic, has been teaching and getting to know many fabulous Griffith Law School students and then following their brilliant careers after they graduate. We have alumni working as barristers, in law firms, in corporations, in government, international non-government organisations, all over the world. I was delighted to catch up with many of them at alumni events in Singapore and London last year.

There will be another excellent opportunity for all of our students to network with the legal profession at our “Meet the Profession” event at the Banco Court on 12 March.

Associate Professor Therese Wilson

Dean of Law and Head of School

Griffith Law School