Flinders Law graduate and current Prospective Student Advisor Nicole Liebelt explains what she loved about her law studies, which has helped shape her approach to life.

What does your current role at Flinders entail?

I’m a Prospective Student Advisor in the Office of Student Recruitment, so I help prospective students find the right course based their goals and interests, and find their best pathway to that course. I work a lot with high school students, attending expos and delivering presentations, but also with adult entry students. I’m also OSR representative for the Military Academic Pathways Program and the Flinders Foundation Studies Program, working directly with prospective students and schools, engagement data and coordinating recruitment events.

What journey brought you to this role?

I’ve worked at Flinders University for almost 10 years, having started in a casual role while I was a student, working in Marketing, Enrolments, Alumni and Flinders Connect. During the final week of my degree, I applied for a full-time role in the previous School of Psychology. That was a crazy last week. I had an exam one day, an interview the next, followed by another exam – and the next day I found out I got the job. After six months of working with current students, my manager encouraged me to apply for my current role. I’m very lucky to genuinely say I love my job. It’s constantly changing with opportunities to explore new areas, while always being able to directly help people.

Tell us about studying law at Flinders.

I completed my Bachelor of Law and Legal Practice combined with a Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) in 2016. I absolutely loved studying law, as it gave me a completely different way of looking at the world and solving problems. I was lucky that while I was studying Law, many of my lecturers and tutors at Flinders University were also working in law, so I learned about the real world of law. As the Flinders law degree incorporates a legal practice component, it means there is a real focus on practical work, which I thoroughly enjoyed. 

What’s your favourite story about studying at Flinders?

In a Torts topic during my second year, I had to write a letter of advice to a pretend ‘client’. The lecturers organised for some Drama students to act as the client and we had to interview them for relevant information. Half of the assignment grade was based on the interview.  We dressed up as real lawyers (it remains the only time I have ever worn real high heels at the Bedford Park campus – on those hills, eek!) and put on our best professional faces. My client was fun but some friends had clients who cried and put on all sorts of performances. It was a great experience and an excellent introduction to what working as a lawyer could be like.

What do you love most about law?

I’ve always had a strong sense of social justice, so deciding to study law seemed like a natural fit. In my first year, I remember some other students being horrified when we had to act as the defence for criminal law, but I loved it because it exposed you to think about all sides of the argument. I really enjoyed learning all the various facets of law and how decisions are reached. It surprised me how sentencing laws work, and how different considerations are made for individuals to ensure the sentence is appropriate for that individual. While I’m not currently working in the legal space, I know that my law degree is invaluable. The way I approach problems and find solutions has been transformed by skills I’ve gained from my law degree. Flinders has such a strong law program with amazing academics who ensure the law skills are adaptable to so many different sectors, not just the legal sphere.

How do you spend your spare time?

I love spending time with my family, going for walks around my home in the beautiful Adelaide Hills, reading and baking. I love to make elaborate birthday cakes and am the designated family baker for many birthdays and events.