My name is Anjali and I am a Flinders student studying Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice and Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting). As a law student, I have the opportunity to be involved with the Flinders Law Students Association. Being a part of the Association is a great way to connect with other law students and take part in events such as Law Ball, Quiz nights and competitions. Since my first year of law school, I have always been interested in taking part in competitions and last year I was the Grand Final winner in Client Interviewing.
In July this year, myself and 9 other Flinders Law students were given the opportunity to attend the Australian Law Students Association (ALSA) Conference held in Melbourne. ALSA is a national body representing all law students from Australia. At the conference, attendees have the opportunity to attend council or compete in practical legal skills competitions such as Mooting, Negotiation, Witness Examination and Client Interviewing.
As the Flinders winner for the Client Interviewing competition, I was given the opportunity to compete at a National level against other universities. This consisted of taking part in 3 preliminary rounds held over 2 days. Whilst my team did not get to progress to the finals, it was a very enlightening experience as I got to develop my legal skills and I had the opportunity to meet with other competitors and with judges who were very enthusiastic to share their legal knowledge.
The council focused on dealing with issues in the legal profession, and this year there was a particular focus on mental health and wellbeing as well as bullying and harassment in the workplace. These issues will be further explored by each law association to continue the conversation.
In addition to the competitions and council, we also got to take part in a variety of social events such as the opening and closing gala, wellbeing panels, and seminars on the future of law. These events gave me the opportunity to interact with Law students from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and India. I also got to hear the experiences of many accomplished lawyers and judges at these events.
There was plenty of free time during the conference to explore Melbourne which I definitely took advantage of. Some of my favourite spots included the National Gallery, the State Library and the Queen Victoria Market. Overall it was a very exciting and worthwhile trip and I am grateful towards Flinders University for giving me this amazing opportunity.