October 13, 2017

Female law students primed for employment with corporate mentoring program

Students gain valuable exposure to career opportunities.

A group of University of Wollongong (UOW) female law students have had their career prospects elevated after this week graduating from a corporate mentoring program, designed to give them real-world experience in a range of legal workplace environments.

The Lucy Mentoring Program – a joint initiative between UOW’s Careers Central and the School of Law - pairs aspiring student lawyers with successful professional women working across corporate, public and not-for-profit sectors and aims to motivate and educate students.

This year’s program partnered 17 students with professional women working as law firm directors and partners, prosecutors at the Department of Public Prosecutions and solicitors from criminal law firms from organisations in both the Illawarra and Sydney.

Accessible to students who are in their penultimate or final year of study and who have maintained at least a credit average, the program equips them with real work experience in policy, in-house counsel and advisory roles, valuable industry contacts and exposure to the range of career avenues available to them.

Law student Emily Dixon, said the program has been an invaluable opportunity for all the students involved.

“Every mentor involved in this program has been extremely generous with their time, sharing their personal experiences and insights to assist us in the transition from university to the legal profession.

“It was very clear at our program graduation celebration that we have all developed and expanded our professional networks and are excited to embark into our legal careers with a much clearer sense of direction and heightened optimism about the place of women in this industry,” Emily said.

Emily’s program mentor, Hayley Williams, a partner with Hanson’s Lawyers in Wollongong, said it’s a great chance for female law students see what the practise of law is really about.

“Being part of the program was a great way as a mentor to “give back”. I have had and continue to have wonderful mentors who helped me get to where I am today. It was really good to be able to share with my mentee my own experiences and impress upon her that we never stop learning and for her not to feel scared to ask questions.

“The mentor program has facilitated mentees to make connections and start to work on those connections early. Being a family lawyer is a tough gig, without support and mentors it is hard to get through.

“Aspiring young family lawyers need to realise the importance of those connections with other practitioners, court staff, members of the judiciary and clients early on in their careers and to really preserve those connections. The Lucy Mentoring Program has exposed many students to some excellent and perhaps career changing experiences that will remain with them throughout their professional careers,” Hayley said.

The professional connections, added sense of direction and insight into the industry gained by Emily and all involved demonstrate the importance of work-integrated learning - a centrepiece of UOW’s Careers Central graduate employability strategy.

UOW welcomes expressions of interest from potential mentors with a background in law.