Transforming legal minds

Matilda Fox thought her path in law was mapped out for her. A role in a law firm as a solicitor, quietly working behind the scenes to delve into the minutiae of the legal system. But a once-in-a-lifetime experience during an internship as a student at the University of Wollongong (UOW) changed the way she saw the legal system and her future role in it.

Matilda had observed Judge Craig Smith SC in an emotional Walama List hearing, an alternative sentencing procedure for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the New South Wales District Court. Seeing the Judge, sans robes and formalities, speaking to the vulnerable participants revealed to her the complexity and life-changing nature of the criminal justice system.

“Being able to experience the emotion and uniqueness of the Walama List opened my eyes to the powerful and good work that the court can do,” Matilda said.

^{UOW law student Matilda Fox}

“My internship changed the way I view the legal system. I was set on being a solicitor and thought I’d end up in commercial or civil law, but this experience has drawn me to the criminal law system.

“Working in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal space isn’t something I had previously considered, let alone speaking in front of a court.”

Judges, Associates and the District Court

Matilda’s life-changing experience is one that Professor Julia Quilter is familiar with. The criminal law expert teaches a unique elective – Judges, Associates and the District Court – through UOW’s School of Law. It’s the only law school in Australia that offers such a course, now in its fourth year.

“Every year I choose a select group of law students, based on expressions of interest, and spend two days intensively with them teaching them about the District Court,” Professor Quilter said.

“They learn about the role of an Associate and then spend two weeks with a District Court judge in locations across NSW. Given our students often don’t have deep networks within the criminal justice system, the experience is transformative.”

^{Professor Julia Quilter}

Professor Quilter is a renowned criminal law and justice expert, with a national and international reputation for research excellence in the field. She has more than a decade of experience working as a practitioner and has well-established connections in the criminal justice system. It’s these connections that have enabled the Judges, Associates and the District Court elective to get to the point it’s at today.

“I came to UOW in 2010, having been in practice, and knew being an Associate was a fantastic opportunity, but students in Wollongong didn’t have the networks they really needed to get a foot in the door to such positions,” Professor Quilter said.

“It initially started quite informally when three people I had previously worked with, who were then judges, took students for one day at a time in a mentoring-style program. It was very successful and eventually we were able to turn this into an elective that students could take for credit.”

Professor Quilter was delighted when the then Chief Judge of the District of NSW, Justice Derek Price AO, endorsed the initiative, and is very pleased that current Chief Judge, Justice Sarah Huggett, has continued to offer strong support.

“The elective has gone from strength to strength and this year we had 18 internships available and more than 50 expressions of interest from students. The elective is very dependent on how many judges volunteer, but the interest and involvement of judges has only grown over the years,” Professor Quilter said.

Professor Quilter said the elective wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of a range of Judges and their Associates across the state. One of those is Judge Andrew Haesler SC, the resident District Court Judge in Wollongong. His Honour has been a long-term generous supporter of UOW, volunteering to mentor law students from the earliest days of this program. Judge Haesler describes the Judges, Associates and the District Court subject as a unique chance for students to be given a window into the operation of the court system.

An experiential learning initiative

“Most members of the community have only the vaguest idea of what goes on behind the scenes. This internship provides UOW law students with a rare opportunity,” Judge Haesler said.

“Students not only follow a case in court; they come back to the Judge’s chambers to observe the process of delivering justice from the other side of the bench. The insights gained can be invaluable.”

Lisa Freeman, Senior Associate and Executive Officer to Chief Judge of the District Court of New South Wales, has been fundamental to the success of this experiential learning initiative.

“Lisa is an incredible supporter of the elective – she gives up her time for the student assessments, teaches them how to arraign an accused and empanel a jury, fill out exhibit sheets and take a verdict. Lisa has also been instrumental in rallying the judges and getting them to volunteer to take on students,” Professor Quilter said.

Lisa said she’s delighted to be a part of the Judges, Associates and the District Court elective.

“It’s a subject that provides practical hands-on insight into the work of an Associate within the largest jury trial Court in Australia. I have witnesses firsthand UOW students’ growth from their placement experiences and have been pleased to see a number subsequently return as Associates,” Lisa said.

Behind-the-scenes

Emma Newman is one of those interns who undertook the elective in 2022 while she was a student at UOW and has returned to work as an Associate. Emma credits the experience with opening her eyes to the practical working of the court system, allowing her to feel more confident when she moved into her current role as an Associate with Judge Justin Smith SC.

“The elective allows you to experience the behind-the-scenes workings of the court system and it was fascinating to see things you’ve been learning in class as a student, being applied to the real world,” Emma said.

“I’ve since gone on to become an Associate and the internship so similarly reflects what I do in my role.  I obviously have more responsibilities now, but it certainly helped provide valuable insight for what I’d be doing on a day-to-day basis.”

^{University Medallist for the Faculty of Business and Law in 2024, Emma Newman}

In her current role Emma spends a lot of time on the road, travelling to NSW towns that don’t have a permanent District Court.  

“The unique variety of work you’re dealing with as an Associate is fascinating and no day is the same, especially when you’re travelling to different regional areas all the time. We could be dealing with a severity appeal for an assault matter in the morning, then a sexual assault trial, or a stabbing sentencing in the afternoon – no day is the same.”

It was the day-to-day variety during her internship as an Associate in the Newcastle District Court that appealed most to third-year law student Darcie Hintz.

“I got to watch severity appeals, sentence hearings, conviction appeals, fitness hearings, a special hearing and the court's list with Judge McGrath SC,” Darcie said.

“I was lucky enough to see a trial from arraignment to verdict and had experience doing the exhibits and MFIs [Marked for Identification] list. The best part was I knew exactly what to do because what we’d learnt in class had more than adequately prepared me for it.

“I was welcomed by the Associates and their Honours, and was able to hold critical conversations that I will take with me throughout the rest of my legal career. I feel incredibly privileged to have had this unique experience.

“I left Newcastle feeling so inspired and really want to be an Associate once I graduate.”

^{UOW law student Darcie Hintz}

Why the regions matter

Professor Quilter says the regional aspect of the elective is important because UOW’s student cohort is made up of people from the Illawarra, Sutherland Shire and country areas.

“Many of our students will go on to work in rural and regional areas, so the experience of working as an Associate in a regional area is important,” Professor Quilter said.

“When we started running this elective a few country-based judges volunteered, and we’d have to see if we had students who had family they could go and stay with in places like Dubbo, Orange or Newcastle.

“Doing a placement can be expensive – students must pay for travel, accommodation, and some have to give up their work while they undertake the internship. It would limit who could do these regional internships.

“We were very fortunate to have one of our alumni, Briony Binns, step in and offer to support four students with regional placement grants. This means our students can gain invaluable experience with a District Court Judge in a regional area even if they don’t have family to stay with when they’re there.

“Doing this internship in a regional area provides an incredible experience for our students. When you’re the only District Court Judge in these areas you get to see everything across the entire community.  You know everyone, and you play a pivotal role in the community.

“The diversity is truly unique, and our students always describe the experience as transformative. So many come back and tell other students they should try and do the elective themselves.”

^{Matilda, Darcie and Professor Quilter}

Transferring knowledge for the future

For Darcie it was the kindness and willingness of the Judges and Associates to transfer their knowledge that stood out most. This was something Matilda and Emma experienced too.

“So many people took time out of their day to talk to me, to ask me what I thought and involve me in the process. It was wonderful to see these highly esteemed judges and legal professionals as just people who were so willing to help me,” Darcie said.

“Seeing behind the scenes took away a lot of the nerves I probably had about working in the criminal justice system. I would encourage anyone else starting out in law at UOW to do this elective and grab any opportunity for an internship with both hands. It really is unmatched.”