April 24, 2019

Chance to study at Oxford a ‘life-changing experience’ for graduate

Aiden Lerch receives University Medal for top performance in law degree

Aiden Lerch had never really considered a career in the law. But when the former Bulli High School student was considering which university path to take, he realised he had one of the necessary traits required of a lawyer.

“I’ve always liked to argue,” he said with a laugh.

That aside, it was his Early Entry interview at the University of Wollongong (UOW) that truly changed his mind.

“During my interview, I got along really well with [law lecturer] Margaret Bond, one of my interviewers,” Aiden said. “She was really energetic and excited, so I thought, ‘why not?’.

“No one in my family had ever studied the law, so it was a leap into the unknown.”

Aiden initially began a double degree in Laws and Science. But he was so captivated by his law subjects in his first year that he eventually dropped the second degree.

“I loved what I was doing, so I decided to do straight law,” he said. “So much of that was because everyone at UOW is so passionate about what they do and what they teach.”

During his degree, Aiden proved his aptitude for the law. Yesterday (Wednesday 24 April), he graduated with the University Medal, which is awarded to the student who receives the top mark for the school during the graduating year.

He spent six months studying at the University of Oxford, in England, one of the world’s most prestigious universities.

Aiden applied for a Visiting Studentship. He stayed at St Catherine’s College and spent his days immersed in the atmosphere and history of the picturesque campus. UOW alumnus James Goudkamp, a Professor of Law of Obligations at Oxford, acted as a mentor to Aiden.

“It was a really wonderful time,” Aiden said. “It was the total Oxford experience. We had breakfast, lunch and dinner in our gowns.

“To go to Oxford was incredible. Everyone is there because they love what they study and they’re good at it. It was such a privilege to be able to study there.”

Upon his return from Oxford, Aiden spent four weeks as an intern with the Honorable Judge John Hatzistergos AM in the District Court of New South Wales. When the Judge’s associate left, Aiden applied for the role and was successful.

“The last few weeks of my degree, I started my job with the Judge while I was finishing up my studies. It was busy, but it has been an incredible experience,” Aiden said.

“I’ve learnt so much from Judge Hatzistergos, how to practice and reform law as well.”

Now that he has wrapped up his degree, Aiden is eyeing off further study in the future. He hopes to complete a postgraduate degree, a Bachelor of Civil Law, at Oxford, where he can continue to hone his interest in tort law.

“The law surrounding tort and injury compensation is very contested and very complex. I had the chance to study it at Oxford and it ended up becoming my niche area.”

The 23-year-old is well on his way to a distinguished career and has already contributed his own insight to the legal cannon; his work on the tort of nuisance will be published by Cambridge University Press in the 1st Edition of Contemporary Australian Tort Law later this year.

It is an incredible achievement for a student who has just graduated and is still finding his feet in his chosen profession. But Aiden said much of his success can be attributed to the incredible teachers and supportive environment at UOW’s School of Law.

“I’m very proud that I could come out of my degree and still be passionate and energetic about the law,” he said. “That reflects the calibre of teachers at UOW. It is also great to be graduating with so many friends. We’ve been together from the start of our degrees, and now we are all moving on and starting our new jobs.”