D-Brief
News from the Deakin School of Law Volume 5, Issue 4, May 2012
D-Brief is the electronic newsletter, providing law students with current information.
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GENERAL NEWS
2011 / 2012 Vis Moot Competition concludes
Victorian Women Lawyers (VWL) Mentoring Program
Applications are now open for MLL351 Law Clinic for Trimesters 2-3 2012
Reminder for graduating students in October 2012. Make sure your Professional Experience is complete!
$5000 scholarship available for junior lawyer
An invitation to Deakin Law Students to publish your story on the School's website
EVENTS
May 2012
DLSS Client Interview competition 1-3 May
DLSS Careers Guide release and Barbeque 2 May
August - September 2012
Practical Legal Skills (PLS) 2012
EMPLOYMENT & PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Supreme Court of WA Associateships
Fair Work Australia Graduate Information Management Officer
Work Integrated Learning Programs at Deakin
Professional Experience Placements available at Victoria Legal Aid in Trimester 2 and 3, 2012
School of Law Employment & Professional Experience placement and Internships opportunities web page
Ignite your career by getting an early start with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
GENERAL INFORMATION
Key information for current students
Critical dates for 2012
IT and computing
The Library
Support for off-campus students
Course Structure examples
Assessment information
Your course progression
Receiving important information from the School
Professional Experience
Course/Student Advisors
Online University Handbook
School of Law website
Law Essentials
DUSA
DEAKIN LAW STUDENTS' SOCIETIES
Deakin Law Students Society (DLSS) Burwood
Deakin Law Students Society (DLSS) Geelong
Deakin University Commerce & Law Society (DUCLS) - Warrnambool
GENERAL NEWS
2011 / 2012 Vis Moot Competition Concludes
In March and April, the culmination of five months' full time work arrived for the School of Law's 2011 / 2012 Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot team with the oral rounds of the competition being held in Hong Kong and Vienna.
The Vis Moot is an international mock-arbitration competition that requires students to prepare a hypothetical case, submit two fifty-page sets of written legal submissions and argue both sides of the dispute against law schools from around the world in Hong Kong and Vienna. This year was the 9th year the competition has run in Hong Kong and the 19th year it has run in Vienna, and Deakin is one of a very small number of universities in the world that has participated every year. This year 90 teams competed in Hong Kong and over 280 teams competed in Vienna. Deakin's team comprised of nine students from all campuses and spanning all year levels - Preeti Sharma, Priya Parghi, Daniel Fullerton, Rebekah Case, Ashleigh Eynaud, Andrea Samardzija, Tanith Margetson, Jacqui Fumberger and Ivan Milutinovic. Preeti, Priya, Daniel and Rebekah represented the team and the School of Law at the oral rounds in Hong Kong and Vienna and performed exceptionally well.
Deakin enjoyed success at the competition once again this year with the team's Memorandum for the Respondent (one of the two written assessments) receiving an Honourable Mention award in Vienna. This is an outstanding achievement as less than 10% of the more than 280 participating teams received this recognition this year. This puts Deakin's Memorandum for the Respondent squarely amongst the best in this year's competition - a wonderful reflection of the hard work put in by all nine students participating in the Vis Moot for the Law School this year.
There is a saying in the Vis Moot that 'after the Moot is before the Moot' and once again, this is true. Preparation will shortly get underway for the 2012 / 2013 competition, which is particularly significant - it will be the 10th anniversary of the competition in Hong Kong and the 20th anniversary in Vienna. While the selection process for the 2012 / 2013 team will get underway from the start of Trimester 2, I am always eager to hear from interested students at any time. The Vis Moot is a lot of hard work, but is an excellent opportunity to develop your written and oral advocacy skills, work intensively in a small team environment and study two areas of international commercial law (international commercial arbitration and the international sale of goods) in significant depth while earning subject credit for an elective unit at the same time. Interested students are most welcome to contact me for further information at any time at benhay@deakin.edu.au.
Congratulations to the 2011 / 2012 Vis Moot team on their excellent performance at this year's competition!
Ben Hayward
Coach - Deakin University Vis Moot team
Victorian Women Lawyers (VWL) Mentoring Program
The VWL is inviting all female second to final year law students at Deakin University Law School, across all three campuses, to participate in the 2012 Law Student Mentoring Program.
Now in its fifth year, the Program has developed into a celebrated vehicle for encouraging the next generation of female lawyers to gain valuable insights into the legal profession.
Applications close: 4 May 2012
More information: Visit the VWL website
Applications are still open for MLL351 Law Clinic for Trimesters 2 and 3 in 2012
MLL351 Law Clinic counts for 12 days towards the Professional Experience compulsory requirement of the LLB course and is worth one credit point. If you have competed 16 units of Law, have a Law elective available and a course WAM of 60 you are eligible to apply.
Places are available at many centres across Melbourne, Geelong and the Western Suburbs for Trimester 2-3 in 2012.
To apply: Complete the Application form [68KB PDF] and return to the LLB Program Coordinator.
Applications close: Trimester 2 applications close Friday 8 June 2012. Successful applicants will be notified soon after this date.
Reminder - Planning on graduating in October 2012? You MUST make sure your Professional Experience is complete!
If you are nearing the completion of your course, and you are planning to graduate in October 2012, you will need to ensure that the compulsory Professional Experience requirement of your LLB degree is complete. To be eligible to graduate will need to complete your Professional Experience requirements and lodge all associated paperwork by Friday 27 July 2012.
For details of Professional Experience requirement please visit the Professional Experience section of the website or contact Kylie Wiffen.
$5000 scholarship available for junior lawyer
The Gaire Blunt scholarship is offered by the Business Law Section of the Law Council of Australia. This $5000 scholarship is aimed at persons at a junior stage of their career in Australia, whether as a practising lawyer, academic or member of the public service or corporate sector.
How to apply: Lawyers will need to submit a paper on a competition law topic no more than 10,000 words. Applications MUST be submitted on an official application form obtained from Carol O'Sullivan, Phone: 07 5450 1127.
Applications due: 31 May 2012.
For more information: Visit the Law Council of Australia website.
Spotlight on Students - publish your story on our website
The School of Law website now includes Spotlight on Students, an area which celebrates the diverse range of activities, events and programs that Deakin School of Law students are involved in, as well as awards and nominations they receive.
If you (or someone you know) have done something interesting that you think other law students would like to hear about, please send the details to Nerida Coghill who will guide you through the process for getting this published.
EVENTS
May 2012
DLSS Client Interview competition 1-3 May
The next competition coming up in trimester 1 is the Client Interview.
This involves two students acting as solicitors and conducting an initial interview with a client. Students must ascertain information from the client to establish the nature of the problem.
The aim is to obtain the facts of the events that led the client to ask for legal advice.
Teams consist of a junior and senior solicitor and you must remain professional and courteous at all times. Students aren't expected to know the legal issues relevant to the dispute. Minimal preparation is required, but team members need to be able to coherently ask questions without repetition.
Registrations are closed, however heats are conducted from 1 - 3 May and are held on campus. The finals will then be held at the sponsor's office and all students are encouraged to attend.
DLSS Careers Guide release and Barbeque 2 May
DLSS Burwood is hosting a BBQ this Wednesday 2 May outside Caffeine. This is the official release of the Career's Guide 2012!
Each year the DLSS publishes a careers guide for all year levels. Inside contains very useful information about a range of careers related to the degree, as well as hits and tips as to how to better the chances of reaching these careers.
It provides insightful information as to what firms are looking for in a student when they apply for positions, therefore very useful for those students applying for Seasonal Clerkships.
It has numerous firm profiles as well as articles written by students and professionals.
This is a must read!
The BBQ is being sponsored by Allens Arthur Robinson, so it is a great opportunity to come down and meet some of the firm's representatives.
Alongside this there will be free food and drink available!
August - September 2012
2012 Practical Legal Skills (PLS)
From the first year of the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) you will commence your training in practical legal skills. Moot, Mediation, Arbitration and Witness Examination are all an embedded part of the program that gives students the opportunity to develop presentation skills and experience presenting in the court room. All law students must complete the compulsory dispute resolution units as part of the Deakin University law degree.
The program is designed to give you an insight into the law in practice and to teach skills which will enable you to work co-operatively and effectively as members of a team, as well as equipping you with a broad technical competency, a specialisation in commercial law and an appreciation of how the law operates in practice.
Visit the Practical Legal Skills website to find out more about the compulsory dispute resolution units and PLS assessment.
Further information: email the Practical Legal Skills Coordinator.
EMPLOYMENT & PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Supreme Court of WA Associateships
The Supreme Court of Western Australia is inviting applications for a number of positions of Associate and Research Associate at the Court in 2013.
Applications close: 18 May 2012
More information:
View the Supreme Court Associateship brochure
Fair Work Australia Graduate Information Management Officer (APS Level 3)
Fair Work Australia are currently advertising a position (preferably for a law graduate) for 12 months and it is an amazing opportunity for any Deakin students interested in industrial relations.
Although the role is both processing the mail and some research it is one of the few roles that meets all the Presidential Members and Commissioners at Fair Work Australia.
Applications close: 7 May 2012
More information:
Visit Fair Work Australia
Work Integrated Learning Programs at Deakin
Deakin's Work integrated learning (WIL) programs give students the opportunity to undertake a work experience placement as part of their course. Deakin has a wide range of WIL programs available to students across most areas of study.
Deakin University is offering a limited number of bursaries in 2012 to provide financial assistance to students undertaking a discipline specific work placement as part of their degree.
For more information and to apply, visit the Work Integrated Learning website.
Professional Experience Placements available at Victoria Legal Aid in Trimester 2 and 3, 2012
There are limited placements for law students with Victoria Legal Aid at either Geelong, Dandenong or Ringwood in T2 or T3. Students will be required to attend one day per week for 12 weeks and will work directly with a duty lawyer at the local magistrates court and assist them with administrative tasks on the day and have the opportunity to see how the legal process works in the Magistrates Court.
To apply:
Please email Marlene Ebejer with your preferred trimester, preferred location and contact number and include a statement of commitment to attending the placement for 12 days over 12 weeks.
For more information: Visit the Placement Scheme webpage or email Marlene Ebejer.
School of Law Employment & Professional Experience placement and Internship opportunities web page
The School of Law has a regularly updated employment and professional experience webpage where we will post information about any job, Professional Experience placement or Internship opportunity as information becomes available.
Professional Experience Placements listed on webpage include:
- Volunteer Positions in the United States fighting the death penalty
- International Internships in India and Indonesia for legal interns
- Article clerks in Commercial, Property and Migration Law in Melbourne.
Ignite your career by getting an early start with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
PricewaterhouseCoopers (trading as PwC) is a global professional services firm. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms.
Visit PwC to find out more about the Student Experience Award, Vacation Programs, the Technology Academy, or the Melbourne Business Placement Year.
Key Information for current students
StudentConnect is where you can access your enrolment information including your course, unit and address details, track your assignments, check and pay your fees, view results and re-enrol online.
Current Students should be the first place you visit to find key resources, study support, IT and computing information, student services and groups, activities, and news.
Students may withdraw (in first trimester):
| Up to 31 March | WE |
Withdrawn Early (No Penalty) |
| Up to 6 May | WL |
Withdrawn Late (appears on transcript) |
| Up to 1 June | WN |
Withdrawn Fail (appears on transcript) |
Students may withdraw (in second trimester):
| Up to 15 August | WE |
Withdrawn Early (No Penalty) |
| Up to 9 September | WL |
Withdrawn Late (appears on transcript) |
| Up to 5 October | WN |
Withdrawn Fail (appears on transcript) |
Students may withdraw (in third trimester):
| Up to 15 December | WE |
Withdrawn Early (No Penalty) |
| Up to 13 Jan 2013 | WL |
Withdrawn Late (appears on transcript) |
| Up to 15 Feb 2013 | WN |
Withdrawn Fail (appears on transcript) |
You should familiarise yourself with the 2012 Important dates in the Student Handbook.
IT and Computing
The Deakin IT website contains essential IT information including how email works at Deakin (including your email address, webmail and email redirection) and internet access.
Key links on the IT and computing site are:
- Software
- Usernames and passwords
- IT service desk
The Library
The Library provides information resources and services that will form an integral part of your university experience.
Support for off-campus students
Learn about the support available to off-campus students
The School of Law recommends that students follow one of the model course structures when planning their studies.
The School of Law is committed to maintaining appropriate assessment standards. Please review the assessment expectations for more information.
All students should use the Course Structure provided when planning their course progression. The Course Structures are designed to ensure students have the acquired knowledge they need to undertake prescribed units throughout their course (including co-requisite and pre-requisite units) and to assist you to complete your course in a timely fashion.
Students can check their own course progression by logging in to StudentConnect and clicking on the ‘View course progress’ link.
Students can seek assistance from the Course Advisors on your home campus who are available to assist you with any course queries that you may have, or alternatively you might like to contact your home campus with any course enquiry.
Important information about staying in touch with the School of Law
Receiving important information from the School
Important information from the School of Law is distributed via D-Brief, the School's monthly newsletter, and also other occasional emails. These emails are ONLY sent to your DEAKIN EMAIL ADDRESS. If you want to have these email redirected to a different email address you can arrange this by using the email forwarding facility. Please set this up so you receive important updates from the School of Law.
Please note: When communicating with the University it is very important to include ALL the relevant information in your email, phone message etc. Your full name, student ID, course name/code, unit code and title, campus are all relevant and assist us to help you more efficiently. Consider creating an email signature for your name, ID, course and campus that can be added to the bottom of your emails. Please view instructions on how to create a signature.
Requesting information
If you are seeking information about any aspect of your law studies you should:
1. Visit the Current Students area on the School of Law website.
2. Email or ring the appropriate staff member. You MUST include your full name and Student ID number in all correspondence.
.
Professional Experience Requirements
The practical legal skills you will learn throughout your study, combined with the professional experience and networks you will develop, will put you on the right path for achieving your future career goals.
Regular, compulsory practical experience placements throughout the course also offer you the opportunity to experience legal environments first-hand and develop useful workplace contacts.
Employers of law graduates have noted that many of the graduate positions or traineeships that are taken up annually are offered to graduates who have previously been employed at these organisations by way a seasonal clerkship, internship or professional experience placement or to graduates who have strong evidence of professional experience on their resume.
To facilitate this the School of Law requires that all LLB students undertake a minimum of 30 days Professional Experience placement (unless otherwise stated in their course rules) in a legal related field over the duration of their course (and prior to completion).
It is not possible to graduate without having satisfied this requirement. In line with Deakin University's policy, before commencing Professional Experience placements, students are required to obtain pre-approval from the School of Law.
To obtain pre-approval, download the Pre-Approval Application Form [256KB PDF] and complete and return to Kylie Wiffen.
It is a student’s responsibility to locate and formalise a Professional Experience placement. Work readiness is an extremely important aspect of you completing your degree and it is to your advantage to make the most of the resources available to you.
For more information please visit the Professional Experience webpage.
Contact your campus office to make an appointment with a Course Advisor.
Burwood Course Advisor
Phone: 03 9244 6555
Geelong Course Advisor
Phone: 03 5227 1277
Warrnambool Course Advisor
Phone: 03 5563 3510
The University Handbook is available online. Please refer to the online version for the most up-to-date information about units, pre-requisite unit changes and other enrolment information.
Avoid fees and missing due dates - check out important dates listed in the 2012 Student Handbook.
Make the Current Students section of the School of Law website your first stop if you have any questions.
Law Essentials is a great resource for all law learners, law graduates and for anyone thinking of studying law at Deakin University.
Need Help? Ask DUSA
DUSA offers a variety of support services to students in the following areas:
- Support
- Advice
- Representation
- Groups
- Advocacy
Contact DUSA today.
The Deakin Law Students' Society offers students a wide ranging number of services as well as the opportunity to take part in competitions and activities with fellow students.
To find out more about events and services or to get in touch with the DLSS please visit the DLSS Burwood website or the Deakin Law Students' Society Facebook page.
DLSS Client Interview competition 1-3 May
The next competition coming up in trimester 1 is the Client Interview.
This involves two students acting as solicitors and conducting an initial interview with a client. Students must ascertain information from the client to establish the nature of the problem.
The aim is to obtain the facts of the events that led the client to ask for legal advice.
Teams consist of a junior and senior solicitor and you must remain professional and courteous at all times. Students aren't expected to know the legal issues relevant to the dispute. Minimal preparation is required, but team members need to be able to coherently ask questions without repetition.
Registrations are closed, however heats are conducted from 1 - 3 May and are held on campus. The finals will then be held at the sponsor's office and all students are encouraged to attend.
DLSS Careers Guide release and Barbeque 2 May
DLSS Burwood is hosting a BBQ this Wednesday 2 May outside Caffeine. This is the official release of the Career's Guide 2012!
Each year the DLSS publishes a careers guide for all year levels. Inside contains very useful information about a range of careers related to the degree, as well as hits and tips as to how to better the chances of reaching these careers.
It provides insightful information as to what firms are looking for in a student when they apply for positions, therefore very useful for those students applying for Seasonal Clerkships.
It has numerous firm profiles as well as articles written by students and professionals.
This is a must read!
The BBQ is being sponsored by Allens Arthur Robinson, so it is a great opportunity to come down and meet some of the firm's representatives.
Alongside this there will be free food and drink available!
The DLSS Geelong 2012 aims to be a responsible body which provides strong academic support, opens the doors to a variety of career development opportunities and also offers a range of social functions for all law students.
For more information please contact your committee members:
- Lydia de Raad - President, phone: 0439974422
- Amber Colbourne - Secretary, phone: 0414 862 836
- James Turnbull - Treasurer, phone: 0403 313 656
DLSS membership cards are on sale you can purchase them from DUSA and the Business and Law office. It includes many discounts and deals from you local pubs/ clubs and food outlets. $15 for NON - DUSA member and $10 for DUSA member.
Deakin Law Student Society Hoodies and T-shirts are also for sale a T-shirt is $25 and Jumper is $35. We also have membership deals where you can get a membership & T-shirt for $35, membership and hoodie for $45 and membership, hoodie and T-shirt for $65.
The Geelong DLSS has published the Harwood Andrews Dossier so you can access information about:
- the Society
- its Committee
- seasonal clerkships
- competitions
- social functions
- educational assistance
- the ALSA conference
"A student's idea. A student's perspective. Your voice".
Deakin University Commerce & Law Society (DUCLS)
Visit the DUCLS (Warrnambool) website for more information on events and services.
