Acknowledgments
ACKNOWLEDGMENT 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
[EDITOR IN CHIEF] GEORGINA HEDGE
[DESIGNER] PARIS MITROPOULOS
[SPECIAL THANKS] UTS LSS EXECUTIVE TEAM AND
61 BROADWAY, ULTIMO NSW 2007 UTS CENTRAL, LEVEL 14, ROOM 104
PH (02) 9514 3448
FAX (02) 9514 3427
WWW UTSLSS COM
Copyright
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
Images & Illustrations
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 REPRESENTATIVES
This publication was introduced in 2022 as a mechanism to increase transparency and accountability about the successes and challenges faced by the LSS. After a year of strong successes and some difficulties, the 2023 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 2023 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 2023, 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 2023, the UTS LSS has:
run over 80 events; engaged over 30 sponsors;
created and distributed 3 publications; sold out of UTS LSS Merchandise
hosted the Australian Law Students Association National Conference; and created 3+ new initiatives
BUDDY PROJECT: SIP AND SING 2023
O'DAY 2023
SECRETAR ADDRESSE
VICE-PRESIDENT (SPONSORS
GEORGINA HEDGE
Welcome to the second ever edition of the UTS Law Students’ Society HalfYearly Report: Obiter! My name is Georgina Hedge, and I am the UTS LSS President for 2022-23
2023 ACHIEVEMENTS
After three years of Covid-19 lockdowns, self-isolation, and restrictions, 2023 is the first full year that the UTS LSS has been able to run its initiatives at full capacity While Covid brought many challenges and made us yearn for the return back to “normal”, it also made the UTS LSS reassess the best ways in which we can deliver our initiatives. The 2023 LSS Executive has taken these lessons in their stride, and adopted hybrid approaches to certain events to promote the accessibility of our initiatives to all students. I am proud of how the UTS LSS has adapted its processes to best meet the diverse needs of our community
Another wonderful achievement of our 2023 Council is the introduction of four new Representatives, in replacement of the previous Diversity Director role
These representatives are our Women’s, Queer, First Nations and Disability Representatives, each of which represent a unique sector of our wonderful LSS community. These roles were introduced upon consultation with member stakeholders, other universities, and UTS staff members, with the view of increasing the representation of minority communities within the LSS. The development of these roles has been one of the greatest achievements of the 2023 Council, introducing initiatives such as the Women's Collective, and the Accessibility Guide to ensure that all LSS events are organised with accessibility in mind. As we continue into the second half of 2023, our Representatives are continuing their fantastic work, and beginning to move into advocacy work for the groups they represent
In 2022, the UTS LSS conducted the first Member Feedback Forum in an attempt to gain a better understanding of what our members want. As this did not get the engagement we had hoped, a huge goal of mine in 2023 was to collaborate with the Faculty to roll out a Faculty-wide student survey to gain genuine feedback on what both the LSS and Faculty of Law can do to cater better to the needs of students. It is very exciting that this Survey will be rolled out in Spring Session, and I encourage all members to provide their feedback on how we can improve the LSS moving forward!
The UTS LSS is also excited to host the 2023 Australian Law Students Association National Conference, which brings together 300 law students from across Australia and the world to UTS This is a huge coup for our 2023 Council, and we are excited to see our fantastic competitors take the international stage!
2023 CHALLENGES
The resignations have also encouraged the Council to critically review our by-elections process, which has the potential for some level of bias to influence the process. We will be conducting a review of our elections process prior to our 2023 General Elections in SeptemberOctober.
2023 is the first year in which the new UTS LSS Grievance Policy has been placed into action, after a year of preparation and consultation in 2022 Adopting the Grievance Policy in 2023 has been a positive step forward in addressing the ways in which the LSS can effectively respond to grievances that occur at or within our events and initiatives This Policy was introduced in direct response to feedback from our members that the LSS needed better processes to handle grievances Any first year of implementing a policy has its ups and downs, and we are looking forward to reviewing the policy at the end of the 2023 tenure to determine ways in which it can be altered to better serve members In full transparency, the greatest challenge that has faced the UTS LSS in 2023 has been the unprecedented number of resignations faced by the Society. I would like to thank these fantastic Councillors who gave their time to the LSS. Managing these resignations has been a difficult challenge for the whole Council, as we attempted to keep the Society afloat, rather than expanding on our existing initiatives
Further, the Society is currently in the process of developing a UTS LSS Inclusion Policy, which will look to complement the Grievance Policy as a statement of the UTS LSS’ commitment to grassroots inclusion of all members, no matter their background As part of the introduction of the Inclusion Policy, the UTS LSS will be engaging in a consultative process with our members to gain a better understanding of how the LSS can be more inclusive of all UTS Law students.
MOVING FORWARD
As we move into the second half of 2023, my final hope for the UTS LSS is that we continue to deliver high quality, thoughtful initiatives that cater to the genuine wants and needs of our students.
I encourage all of our members to get involved in our events, particularly the consultative initiatives coming up in Spring We want to hear from you and learn from your unique perspectives! Please contact me at president@utslss.com if you ever want a chat!
UTS LSS CLAYTON UTZ BUDDY PROJECT: LAUNCH 2023
With the role of the Secretary centering around administration, governance and support, this year has seen us make some important and significant changes to the way our society runs, whilst also exploring new and exciting opportunities that will provide ways for our members to get involved and expand their skills
Notably, this year we have seen our Grievance Policy operating for the first time, providing members with information about the codes of behaviour expected at our events, and the avenues they have for redress if something goes wrong Additionally, this year will see us host the Australian Law Students’ Association Conference at our city campus, bringing hundreds of students from across the country (and even internationally) to our university where we have the chance to showcase our beautiful university and compete across a range of competitions.
NATASHA LLOYD
This is super exciting news for the UTS LSS, and will help us strengthen the relationships we have with the Faculty of Law and ActivateUTS, which the Secretary also liaises with throughout the year.
In saying this, there have been various challenges this year that have come alongside being the largest student society at UTS As we have expanded our team and brought in new roles to serve member needs there have been difficulties with some Councillors choosing to part ways with their positions and pursue other goals I think the biggest learning from this has been how it has helped cohesion, and I have been consistently amazed by how everyone has been willing to step up and help out. Being a UTS LSS Councillor is a chance to develop leadership, event planning and effective communication skills, and getting to see others on council have the opportunity to build those skills has been so exciting and reiterates the reason why we do what we do
I’ll let Aleks, Otylia, and Zach speak to their own events in their addresses later in this report, but to provide a quick overview of some of the fantastic initiatives our representatives have been working on:
Postgraduate Representative
Aleks Chojnacki has been working so hard this year to cultivate an amazing UTS Law postgraduate community. She has organised a speaker panel and a JD writing workshop that both received fantastic engagement and feedback, with more events to come in Semester 2
First Year Representatives
Otylia Pilat and Zach Sullivan, our First Year Representatives have gone above and beyond to engage and welcome our First Year students, and are well underway in planning a First Year Pub Crawl. They are always there to advocate for First Year needs on the UTS LSS and can be reached to discuss any of your concerns, or if you want to know more about how to get involved
Finally, I wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone that my inbox is always open! I know it can feel intimidating to get involved in a society like the UTS LSS, but I want everyone to know that we are here to make your law school experience the best it can be through the events we run. Whether you just want to grab a coffee, have questions about how to get involved, or wanted to pass on feedback about what we can be doing better, I would always love to hear from you at secretary@utslss com!
Throughout the first half of Tenure, the LSS faced significant challenges with decreasing funding, requiring the Treasury to make tough decisions regarding the budget However, the Treasury approached this situation with determination and creativity, recognising the need to ensure the sustainability of the Society's activities while maximising the benefits to students. Through careful consideration and strategic planning, the Treasury has implemented mass budgetary cuts that allowed the Society to continue providing highquality events and initiatives, despite limited resources.
One of the key objectives is for the Law Students’ Society to obtain charity status. The process of obtaining charity status will empower the Treasury to secure funding from external sources, providing the Law Students’ Society with the means to organise a wider range of events and enhance the overall student experience within the constraints of the budget. Through relentless efforts, the Treasury is on the way to achieving this.
SERENA CHEDID
In addition to securing financial stability, the Treasury implemented a new policy to streamline quote approval process. This policy has allowed the Treasury to maintain strong financial control while ensuring that the events the Society organises truly reflect the aspirations and interests of the student body By providing ample time for evaluation, the Treasury has been able to select the most cost-effective and valuedriven options, ultimately benefiting all students
This year, the Marketing Portfolio proudly launched additional merchandise that has become a significant source of income for the Law Students Society The carefully designed and appealing products have resonated with the student community, generating substantial revenue and ensuring the financial stability of the Society. This success not only provides the Law Student Society with the means to enhance existing events and initiatives but also fosters a sense of unity and belonging among the members
Vice-President
The Sponsorship Portfolio has enjoyed a fruitful first half of the 2022-3 tenure, generating $115,390.00 in revenue as of 31 May 2023 The first three months of the tenure saw the preparation and circulation of the Prospectus The Prospectus targeted a range of both new and existing sponsors across the corporate and non-corporate space. As is customary each year, the Portfolio re-evaluated the price of each item based on the value the initiative brings to both students and sponsors. Notably, the Prospectus also introduced the concept of ‘Flagship Partners’, earned by sponsors that support one of the LSS’ Flagship Events. Flagship Partners were introduced to encourage sponsorship events that the Portfolio considers central and unique to the LSS. Over 60 items were listed in the Prospectus, with almost all picked up for sponsorship.
So far this tenure, the LSS has coordinated 34 sponsors and 30 sponsored initiatives. In addition to staple sponsored events (including the Clerkship Seminar Series and Clerkship Networking Evening), the LSS introduced new events to the sponsorship calendar, including the LinkedIn Photoshoot.
GEORGIA NEAVERSON
The Portfolio received incredibly positive feedback from firms regarding the quality of events, a testament to the dedication of all Councillors involved in running sponsored initiatives 2023 has also seen an increase in the extent to which sponsors are actively involved in the initiatives, with more events being hosted in-house by firms and more firm representatives attending those events held on campus.
In addition to industry sponsors, the Portfolio also focused on exploring new relationships and strengthening existing relationships, with relevant brand partners. The Portfolio assembled approximately 250 tote bags filled with brand merchandise and samples, which were disseminated to students during Orientation Week
Looking to the future, the Portfolio will continue to assist with planning and executing the remaining sponsored events in the UTS LSS calendar. The Portfolio looks forward to continuing to provide value to both LSS members and sponsors throughout the remainder of the tenure.
EXECUTIVE ADDRESSES
Vice-President
LUCIE VAYRIOT
The 2023 Activities Portfolio has strived to build upon the success of previous years, and elevate the quality, enjoyability, and inclusivity of all initiatives. We have seen strong engagement with new and old events, and we wish to extend our appreciation to all those who have taken an interest in the Activities Portfolio. Holistically, we have placed a significant emphasis on ensuring accessibility is prioritised at all stages of an event’s planning and execution We have consistently drawn guidance from the recently introduced UTS LSS Grievance Policy, to best serve our member community with initiatives that are welcoming to all.
FIRST YEAR LAW CAMP
With tickets selling out in under three minutes, our annual First Year Law Camp was nothing short of a great success One hundred UTS Law students embarked on a jam-packed weekend at Broken Bay, during which they enjoyed activities including a beach bonfire, Amazing Race competition, and of course, a Lawchella-themed party Friendships were made, bonds were strengthened, and these have proven invaluable to our First Year cohort.
We thank our team of enthusiastic, driven, and conscientious leaders, who contributed to the weekend’s overall success As a part of prioritising the health, safety, and wellbeing of members, these leaders were provided with new and improved training opportunities to equip them with the skills and knowledge required.
START OF SEMESTER PARTIES
Held at Sydney’s well-adored Cargo Bar, our Start of Semester Party 2023: Y2K The Night Away attracted record numbers of attendance. This event mixed UTS Law with Y2K with our members dancing all night long. Our First Year cohort also joined in the fun, having started their night at our First Year Law Drinks which was hosted at The Loft, one of UTS’ on campus bars.
LAW CRUISE
As always, our Law Cruise was an unmissable event This year, the theme was ‘Sailing with the Circus’, which saw ringleaders, acrobats, clowns, and more dancing the night away in style There is no better way to relax with fellow students and take in the Sydney sights, than by joining us for our annual Law Cruise. We cannot wait for next year!
SIP AND SING
This Semester saw the second iteration of our much-loved Buddy Project: Sip and Sing Night! In collaboration with the Education Portfolio, Junior and Senior Buddies joined us for a night of quality karaoke down the road from UTS at Side Bar. The theme was ‘Rhyme Without Reason’, and we loved seeing everyone get involved and mingle with people outside their usual cohort.
SOCIAL SPORTS
There have been great opportunities for our members to get active, keep fit, and meet like-minded people through our Sports programs We entered a Mixed Futsal and Basketball team in the weekly Social Sports competition held on campus, with both teams making it to the Finals! A massive congratulations goes out to both teams, and we hope to see you all back next Semester!
KICKSTART GYM PROGRAM
One of the best-value programs offered to our members is our Kickstart Gym Program which runs weekly each semester This Semester’s participants took part in small group sessions run by a personal trainer at one of our on campus gyms The classes are designed to be flexible to each individual’s own abilities and goals, so everyone can get involved no matter their previous fitness experience!
START OF SEMESTER PARTIES
There are many events to look forward to on the Activities’ Portfolio calendar. In terms of our Social events:
Welcome Back BBQ
Start of Semester Pub Golf
Law Ball
And, in the Sporting department:
City2Surf
Bubble Soccer
Intervarsity Sports Day
Social Sport: Basketball, Futsal, Netball
Kickstart Gym Program
The Activities Portfolio is excited to continue delivering events tailored to our members, and we look forward to continuing our impact throughout the remainder of 2023
Vice-President
During this Autumn semester, the UTS LSS Careers team aimed to deliver high-quality initiatives that would equip UTS Law students with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities to empower themselves and strive for greatness in their career development Our goal was to strengthen our current initiatives that students find valuable and introduce new ones where there is a gap
LINKEDIN PHOTOSHOOT
The Careers Team introduced the first-ever UTS LSS LinkedIn Photoshoot This event was a fantastic way to empower students to take charge of their professional development, providing them with the opportunity to receive their first professional headshot or an updated one that they can use on their LinkedIn, resumes, and other career ventures The event was widely successful with over 70 students showing up in their best corporate attire. Due to the incredible success of the event, the Careers team plans on holding another photoshoot in the latter half of the year
MIRANDA CLINTON
BEYOND CORPORATE MENTORING PROGRAM
The Careers team is thrilled to continue the Beyond Corporate Mentoring Program into 2023. This program offers a unique opportunity for students to establish direct connections with professionals in fields beyond corporate law, which align with their career aspirations The program has flourished with 17 pairings this year that were welcomed with a successful Opening Breakfast event.
CLERKSHIP EVENTS
Engagement with our suite of Clerkship Events has reached an alltime high The Portfolio held 12 seminars, teaching students about a diverse variety of firms and their clerkship processes. Additionally, 3 career skills workshops were held, covering topics ranging from resume and cover letter writing to interviewing and networking tips We also held our largest ever Clerkship Networking Evening, with a record-breaking 17 firms and 140 students in attendance. We hope that these events have provided students with the resources necessary to succeed in their clerkship applications.
CLERKSHIP GUIDE
The 2023 Clerkship Guide offers an indepth look at the clerkship process, practical tips and tricks, and personal accounts from clerks that serves as a vital tool for students making critical decisions during a pivotal stage in their careers This year's guide is the highest-quality and most aesthetically pleasing Careers publication to date and can be accessed through ISUU or by scanning a QR code on Level 14
LEGAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE OPPORTUNITIES
FACEBOOK PAGE
This tenure, the UTS LSS Legal and Social Justice Opportunities page was revitalised This page serves as a centralised platform for making employment opportunities and upcoming career initiatives more accessible The page has never been more active, with diverse employment and volunteering opportunities and is a valuable resource for students to enter into the industry
WHAT TO EXPECT IN SPRING
The Careers Portolio has some very exciting initiatives coming up in the Spring session to look out for: Spring LinkedIn Photoshoot Beyond Corporate Careers Fair Breaking into Law Networking Event Careers Guide Careers Blog
The Careers Portfolio invites you to contribute your ideas and suggestions for new initiatives or improvements to our existing initiatives If you have any suggestions or questions about the Careers portfolio, please reach out at vpca@utslss.com
Vice-President
The Mooting Portfolio coordinates and oversees all internal and external competitions (that are not overseen by the Faculty of Law)
In its third year as an individual Portfolio, Mooting has faced several challenges Moving forward, the Mooting Portfolio seeks to re-establish fundamental requirements of its competitions that are critical to holding professional and educational moots. This involves a wide range of re-evaluating and assessing different facets of Mooting. For example, the administrative aspects, such as the rule book, the amendment of the scoresheet to align with well renowned intervarsity moots, how directors contact competitors, to other critical pieces such as the quality of questions and the judging benches.
SUBJECT MOOTING
Thus far, the Subject Mooting Team has held three moots, including the Opens Torts Law Moot, the Ashurst Opens Commercial Law Moot and the Opens Criminal Law Moot
BLAKE SANCHEZ-CRUZ
While the subject mooting front has faced several challenges from both administrative and practical stand points, it can be safely said that those have been overcome. This new era in mooting for the UTS LSS was made evident by the display at arguably the best moot since the diversion of the Skills and Mooting Portfolio’s, the Opens Criminal Law Moot 2023 The bench consisting of Her Honour, Justice Mitchelmore of the New South Wales Court of Appeal, barrister-atlaw, Phillip Strickland SC, and academic as well as question writer, Kenneth Wu, poignantly challenged the finalists on what was one of the most enthralling questions produced at UTS.
The Criminal Law Moot highlighted ongoing changes to mooting that have been taking place behind the scenes and have given promise to what is to be expected for the future, including the continuance of fully in-person moots
INTERVARSITY MOOTING
The Intervarsity Mooting front has also seen substantial progression with planning for all three UTS-run intervarsity moots well cared for.
The UTS LSS x MULS Bilateral Contract Moot was a great success, with UTS winning the tie-breaker.
Furthermore, the UTS LSS has received abundant invitations to well renown moots, including the UNSW Private Law Moot and the Deakin University International Commercial Arbitration However, due to lack of oversight preceding the completion of electing the Portfolio, in addition to strict financial constraints the Society is facing, these were not able to be engaged with on this occasion.
Moving forward, the Portfolio, in its completed state, would like to engage with as many intervarsity competitions as possible as we appreciate the important and critical need for these competitions in the continued progression of UTS mooters.
MOOTING DEVELOPMENT
Unfortunately, the Mooting Development Program was unable to run in the first semester due to the vacancies in three key roles in the Portfolio. However, the Program will run in the second semester The Program will continue to adopt a similar style to 2022, however, with new ideas, presenters and information to ensure that new mooters can align with the direction that UTS mooting strives to achieve
The 2023 Program will coincide with the redeveloped rule book and scoresheet and adopt practices as well as teachings that are commonplace for actual practicing advocates.
Vice-President
(SkillsCompetitions) Address
JEMMA NEWTON
The Skills Competitions portfolio is responsible for a range of competitions including Negotiations, Client interview, Witness Examination, Advice Writing and Paper Presentation We also run a range of other ad hoc competitions including the Affidavit Drafting Competition and the Bail Competition. This tenure, we aimed to bring our competitions back on campus whilst streamlining the administration of competitions We also created new judging guidelines to address the issue of judging inconsistency which was raised during the previous tenure
NEGOTIATIONS
The Open Negotiations competition comprised of both new and existing competitors Our main goal was to introduce a range of new questions to the competition which saw competitors negotiate a range of new and exciting questions Next semester we will host the UTS LSS Herbert Smith Freehills Junior Negotiation Competition which we hope will give first and second year students the opportunity to test out their negotiation skills
CLIENT INTERVIEW
This tenure, the vision for the Client Interview Competition 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 problemsolving skills. Semester 1 saw highly competitive and fierce rounds each week. In Semester 2, we will run the UTS LSS Allens Junior Client Interview Competition and hope to see a range of new competitors learn how to undertake an effective client interview.
WITNESS EXAMINATION
Witness Examination is off to a competitive start with the competitors being highly engaged, leading them to adapt their skills, culminating in an impressive Grand Final. Next 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
WRITTEN SKILLS
This year we have held the Advice Writing Competition and the Paper Presentation Competition Both competitions were highly competitive with the Paper Presentation Competition receiving the most applicants in comparison to recent years. Throughout the Winter break, we will also hold the Affidavit Drafting Competition and hope to see the competitive nature of the written skills competitions continue
INTERVARSITY SKILLS
This year, we intend to increase engagement and participation in intervarsity competitions Next semester will be a busy time for intervarsity competitions, with the Margaret Cunneen SC Witness Examination Competition, Maddocks Intervarsity Negotiations Competition and the UNSW Intervarsity Competition, just to name a few! Lara also has a vision to expand the number of intervarsity competitions available for UTS students to compete in. This includes sending participants to competitions that UTS has not previously participated in and the possible development of an intervarsity Client Interviewing Competition hosted by UTS
Vice-President
The Autumn Session has witnessed an exhilarating whirlwind of activity within the Education Portfolio! From engaging mentoring programs to thoughtprovoking panel discussions, a visit from heartwarming therapy dogs, and even an iconic podcast, the Education Portfolio has been active this Autumn to deliver valuable and fulfilling opportunities for LSS members
BUDDY PROJECT
The goal for the 2023 edition of the Buddy Project was to maximise student engagement and build upon the program’s success. Excitingly, a record breaking 300+ signups is a testament to the eagerness of our members to ultimately maximise their university experience. We hosted a launch event to enable buddies to meet, mingle, and enjoy some refreshments in what was a successful launch.
This Autumn, we saw the return of the famous Buddy Project Sip and Sing Night, run in conjunction with our Activities (Socials) Team Hosted at SideBar, buddies had the opportunity to mingle and sing the night away, embracing the theme of ‘rhyme without reason’ Stay tuned for our Spring Buddy Event!
PEER MENTORING AND SUBJECT TUTORING
The program commenced this Autumn with the workshop focusing on core skills to apply across first year law subjects, particularly Foundations of Law and Ethics Law and Justice Moving into Spring session, there will be a review of the overall delivery of the workshops, as we seek ways to maximise student engagement and tailor content to complement student learning in the most effective way
The Subject Tutor Database will be revised over the break and in Spring will undergo an update to reflect new student tutor availability. If you have performed well in a UTS Law subject and are interested in offering tutoring services, or require assistance, keep an eye out for more information regarding our tutor database in Spring!
WELLBEING
Promoting student wellbeing continues to be a top priority within the Education Portfolio. The implementation of ‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’ has been the result of an increased need to assist students by providing weekly engaging wellbeing content via our Instagram story. In Spring, we plan to reinvigorate this initiative to better cater to the varying needs of our members
We also saw the return of the Smile Project, providing students with the chance to enjoy a free Pizza Lunch, free goodies from The Law Society of NSW, as well as a memorable visit from the Paws Pet Therapy dogs. In collaboration with the Social Justice Portfolio, we successfully facilitated the Equity x Wellbeing panel, with the topic of ‘mental health’ exploring the crucial connection between mental health, equitable access to services, and the legal framework The Wellbeing Subcommittee will further assist in facilitating our Spring initiatives to ensure we best cater to the needs of our members!
EXTERNAL
The Advocates Mentoring Program, has had 17 successful studentbarrister pairings this year, with the welcome breakfast taking place in the Postgraduates Lounge this Autumn. Over the break, we will engage with mentor and mentee feedback in order to evaluate the overall success of the program.
With the return of yet another UTS LSS staple event, the first iteration of our annual Speaker Series covered the theme ‘Evolving Human Rights’. This called for a thought-provoking panel exploring the intricacies of various human rights issues, by a highly esteemed panel Hosted at the Clayton Utz Office, this engaging series of discussion proved to be a great success, with 50 students registered in attendance
PUBLICATIONS
The Law School Manual and Camp Survival Guide were developed and proved to be a success during the orientation period and at camp respectively! Notably, our Full Bench publication is currently undergoing its editing phase and will explore the ‘Uncharted Legal Territories’ existing within our contemporary society. This will be the only edition of the Full Bench this year, and will feature an array of existing student journal work!
The Bar Productions has returned, in a new format with only 6 Episodes per semester This decision was made to reflect prior trends with student engagement, and the opportunity to best maximise its prospects for success There has been an upwards of 300% increase in listening numbers on a fortnightly basis of our episodes
We look forward to maximising student engagement and improving efficiency within the Education Portfolio in the Spring session! Stay tuned, and if you have any questions, please reach out vpe@utslss.com
Vice-President
Upon entering the UTS LSS’ 2023 tenure, the Marketing Portfolio had one key overriding vision: to increase community engagement towards LSS initiatives.
We sought to achieve this vision through three key goals:
Expand the reach of the UTS LSS marketing to untapped groups within the Law community; Shift our social media presence to contain more advocacy; and Maintain our personalised brand identity
These goals were founded on our belief that the LSS’ marketing has the potential to be expanded to new heights. Our unique, consistent, and engaging brand identity, harnessed with our drive to create content to see new students engage with the Society, has succeeded in short-term and longer-term levels I am proud of these successes that the Marketing Portfolio has accomplished in Autumn alone, and believe that our take on advertising has served our overall vision.
PARIS MITROPOULOS
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The UTS LSS has an unique take on social media, with a strong focus on showcasing the successes of members within our community Celebrating the individual successes of fellow Law students through Humans of UTS Law and the publishing of achievements of UTS Law students in competitions, has worked to build a sense of community online. By making these a regular feature on our Instagram, we have effectively diversified students being featured and communicate their achievements to our wide audience
We have also garnered more community engagement through the creation of event recaps to reflect on the success of UTS LSS initiatives. These posts always receive high levels of engagement and positive feedback, receiving ground-breaking levels of engagement. Furthermore, we have maintained our thoroughly engaging Tik Tok presence whereby we post more informal, personalised and casual content to engage students on a more relaxed level The impacts of Tik Tok as a forum to engage groups of students should not be underestimated!
NEW INITIATIVES
Upon reflecting on the successes and pitfalls of our current marketing models, we noticed that there was potential to expand our reach to the post-graduate and first-year cohorts, and simultaneously, engage more diverse groups. The Marketing Team has effectively expanded our current social media regiment to include marketing directly towards these groups We have seen the successes of doing this, through the levels of engagement with both post-graduate and first year events.
Our website has undergone a complete renovation by the IT Director, with a focus on making information more easily accessible to members. Through the cogent display of information, the website effectively conveys the current opportunities within the Society, previous and current publications, and all governance documents This year we have worked to bring together the Marketing and IT portions of the Marketing Team, most notably done through the re-sharing of Humans of UTS Law features and our Instagram feed to our website for all to admire We have also unified the Society’s Words on Justice, and Diverse-abilities Blogs to be held on the Website so that they are easily located
It was a goal of ours this year to work alongside the Disability, First Nations, Queer, and Women’s Representatives to increase the Society’s advocacy stance on social media. Considering this is the first time we have shifted our model towards advocacy, we have been actively working to achieve the perfect balance to acknowledge key dates of each group
LOOKING INTO SPRING
Whilst we move towards the Spring Session, the Marketing Portfolio is excited to persist on our efforts to increase holistic engagement Alongside maintaining our fortnightly release of The Buzz, creating easily digestible content, celebrating the achievements of our members, and working with the Representatives more closely, we are excited to engage in new forums to reach our goals
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
RIANNE HAMAD
The Social Justice Portfolio entered the 2023 tenure with the vision of acknowledging, reconfiguring and intentionally serving a diverse range of social justice experiences for our UTS LSS members In welcoming four new Representative positions, the Portfolio has grown to an astounding team of eight. Direct connection to each community the Representatives serve has allowed greater understanding of the gaps in previous initiatives and has seen to the encouragement of inclusion and accessibility councilwide.
BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER
Limited up-to-date textbooks and restrictive storage options is a continuing issue for the Autumn Textbook Equity Scheme and has been raised with the UTS Law Faculty The continuing conversation offers promising avenues forward
The award-winning Equity x Wellbeing Panel reflected upon the centrality of mental health in our everyday experiences Justice Gleeson’s Address at the first Justice Talk set the session off to an inspirational start
The strengthening of the positive dynamic with the UNSW Law Society and Sydney University Law Society was made possible through the incredible Intervarsity Women’s Conference, and Walk for WAGEC
Diverse-abilities Blog
The Diverse-abilities Blog follows students and professionals who identify as living with a disability, as they speak to their experiences to inspire, motivate and educate our community and pave the way for meaningful change. With the option to share anonymously, the blog has sparked many open conversations, as the experiences are relevant and pertain to each person within society.
Accessibility Guide and Form
Ensuring accessibility and inclusion are a foundational element of any LSS event is the crux of creating a cohesive LSS community. Casey has taken active steps to ensure the needs of LSS’ members are consistently taken into consideration with the introduction of the Accessibility Planning Guide and Form that provide the structural elements necessary for each LSS councillor to consider when planning initiatives.
The Women's Collective
The Women’s Collective currently boasts over 200 Facebook members Engagement across the community is encouraged with ’What’s On This Week’, ‘Thursday Think’ and ‘Fortnightly Feminist Figure’ posts Spear-headed by Eliza, and supported by the JAC, the Collective is an informal, but evolving, point of connection
We suggest keeping an eye out on all LSS’ platforms as we announce the following inaugural events: First Nations’ Newsletter, Local Shelter Women’s Drive, Disabilities x DALA Panel, and Public Speaking Society x Brennan Justice Program Public Speaking Competition
We recognise our role is to solidify the foundations of the portfolio for cohorts to come. We intend on taking our learnings from the Autumn into the Spring Session with the delivery of key initiatives in the social justice calendar, such as NAIDOC Week, Social Justice Awareness and Sustainability Week
SJ are continually working on improving the Inclusion Policy to ensure it serves the needs of our members. The Social Justice Portfolio encourages the sharing of ideas for new initiatives, or for ways to make our current initiatives even better! You can do so by emailing vpsj@utslss com
REPRESENT ADDRESS
UTS LSS MERCH DROP 1: 2023
Wow, these past 6 months have flown by. Time flies when you’re having fun and we’ve certainly jammed in some incredible Women’s events in the past semester
The growth of the Women’s Collective Facebook group is a huge achievement of this tenure Through this online community, we are building a supportive environment where women across the UTS LSS can find opportunities to thrive academically, professionally, and personally, with over 205+ members. A big thank you to the many helping hands in creating content, sharing initiatives and interacting with opportunities on the Collective.
We didn’t stop there - over the past semester I had the privilege to organize the Johnson Winter Slattery Women’s Mentoring Program for 2023, host a panel at the Intervarsity Women in Law Conference on AI and bias with sold-out registrations, and raising over $5,000 dollars for the Women and Girls Emergency Centre in Redfern
ELIZA LO RUSSO
Next semester, you can keep your eyes peeled for a wealth of new initiatives including a diverse women authored book club, more charity and community initiatives and a bunch of new pop-up social events. I’m also looking at free sanitation products for the Level 14 bathrooms.
But I want to take this opportunity to remind this wonderful cohort that I’m constantly looking for ways to improve existing and introduce new initiatives that cater to the diverse needs of women and other gender minorities! If this is something you want to be involved in, please get in touch with me at women@utslss com
My vision was to reform the way in which Disability was considered and treated in the LSS amongst its procedures and provisions regarding Accessibility I wanted to initiate the discussion and consideration of Disability in Law without the tokenism and superficiality which can often arise in such spaces where things are done for and without the actual input of those it affects
In the beginning of this tenure, I had worked to create and implement an internal Council procedure addressing the provision of Accessibility arrangements for all online and inperson events held by UTS LSS I hope that its enforcement will facilitate the consideration of students with disabilities in a more standardised and proactive manner For the rest of tenure, I will be amending this procedure to increase its efficiency and work on creating and implementing further Accessibility arrangements for the digital platforms of the LSS
CASEY CHIEU
I also hope to act on providing adequate training to the Council and the rest of the LSS regarding appropriate language and attitudes regarding Disability
This semester's initiative was to create and kickstart an ongoing conversation about disability: The Diverse-abilities Blog. It aimed to voice the thoughts and opinions of students with disabilities and provide genuine insight and understanding into the issues that prevail in the lived experiences of those with disabilities in the law community today Whilst its launch had to be delayed due to difficulties in finding students willing to participate, its first monthly issue was published in April I hope for this blog to continue beyond my tenure and to expand in exposure in order to encourage more students to speak on what they desire for others to understand and change
Next semester, I will be hosting an inter-varsity networking and panel event in collaboration with Disabled Australian Lawyers Association (DALA) on 20 September 2023
LARA WALKER
Lara has been working hard to create connections and community with First Nations Law Students. Lara is excited to work on some advocacy projects in Semester Two, as well as deliver a NAIDOC Week initiative
AIDAN O'ROURKE
Aidan has worked over the first semester on the staple Intervarsity Pride Events with SULS and UNSW Aidan is looking forward to expanding on the LSS’ Queer Initiatives with a Networking Program in the Spring Session.
Hello Postgraduate students!
I hope you’ve all had a marvelous first semester of 2023 It’s been a wild year, filled with events, studies, social activities and challenges you’ve overcome - congratulations!
This semester we have run a number of events including TWO Juris Doctor Careers Networking & Panel events, the JD Writing Workshop, hosted a collaborative review of the electives offered to JD students, we launched our new Postgraduate lounge, offered plenty of extracurricular activities on our PG facebook group and have put a call out for students who are interested in a Yoga & Breathwork workshop and a Mini Moot competition - both to be hosted in July.
ALEKSANDRA CHOJNACKI
I will post the links to register on our facebook group if you’re interested in partaking in those during the Semester breaks!
In Semester 2, starting in August, we will have a number of exciting opportunities So please, stay tuned and get engaged!
Should you have any questions or suggestions, as always, please feel free to get in touch with me.
Have a fantastic break and be seeing you all soon!
FirstYe Repres Add
This semester has been exciting received the opportunity to get an Council. Zachary Sullivan and O Education subcommittees respec planning process during their first s exciting events for the semeste semester pub crawl to welcome n are excited to stay involved The official LSS First-Years Facebook years to join in order to keep up to
President - Georgina Hedge
Secretary - Natasha Lloyd
Treasurer - Serena Chedid
Vice-President (Sponsorship) - Georgia Neaverson
Vice-President (Activities) - Lucie Vayriot
Socials Director - Ariane Sharpe
Socials Director - Ruby Stewart
Sports Director - Thomas Connell
Vice-President (Careers) - Miranda Clinton
Careers (Activities) Director - Dillan Goro
Careers (Activities) Director - Selene Vuong
Careers (Publications) Director - Alyssya Warty-Hasan
Vice-President (Mooting) - Blake Sanchez-Cruz
Subject Mooting Director - Aryenish Kavarana
Subject Mooting Director - Bilvika Abburi
Intervarsity Mooting Director - Noah Darmenia
Mooting Development Director - Caitlin Fichardt
Vice-President (Skills Competitions) - Jemma Newton
Client Interview Director - Anastasia Zimonopoulos
Negotiation Director - Hannah Everett
Witness Examination Director - Youngone Oh
Intervarsity Skills Director - Lara O'Shea
Vice-President (Education) - Peter Markopoulos
Education (Internal) Director - Jonathan Schach
Education (External) Director - Nathan Politis
Education (Publications) Director - Alexander Chan
Education (Publications) Director - Ryan Little
Wellbeing Director - Priscilla Spalding
Vice-President (Marketing) - Paris Mitropoulos
Marketing Director - Alec Ramsbottom
Marketing Director - Anna Shapcott
Marketing Director - Olivia Banfield
Marketing Director - Parina Shah
Information Technology Director - Lara Cullen
Vice-President (Social Justice) - Rianne Hamad
Equity Director - Trinity Stockwell
Brennan Director - Benita Roy
Brennan Director - Isabella Luchko
Women's Representative - Eliza Lo Russo
First Nations Representative - Lara Walker
Queer Representative - Aidan O'Rourke
Disability Representative - Casey Chieu
Postgraduate Representative - Aleksandra Chojnacki
First Year Representative - Otylia Sullivan
First Year Representative - Zachary Sullivan
