In my first few months of university in 2020, the covid pandemic and lockdowns happened. As a result of this strange time, I felt like my life had been thrown out of whack, I always knew what I wanted but 2 years later, the pandemic was over, and I didn’t feel like I knew how I was going to get my life back on track. For a while I was just doing my university degree but I didn’t feel like I was going anywhere with it.
Entering my second year of a bachelor’s in law in 2023, after changing degrees I wasn’t sure what direction or pathway I was taking when I was admitted to the legal profession, and I knew that the practical aspects of being a lawyer aren’t exactly what you learn at university. This being so, I really wasn’t informed by the law units of what I would and wouldn’t enjoy doing as a lawyer, except for commercial law, I definitely was not entering a private commercial practice.
I still had 3 years to go and while university provides essential building blocks, I knew work experience would really help me develop my skills as a practicing lawyer. I came across a volunteering position at a community legal service, the Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service, that was being promoted through Facebook and immediately I was interested. I clicked the link to apply and unfortunately there was a ‘no longer accepting responses’ page.
A day later, on the phone to my mum and we discussed it. After this talk, I knew I was going to do this. I hopped back onto Facebook and found the email of the contact at TRLS. I reached out and was invited to their induction session. After I attended this session, I decided to volunteer.
Volunteering here gave me a real, proper, and tangible feel for what being a lawyer would be like. Maybe not in all areas of the law, but I already cut out a big portion of the law by knowing I don’t want to sit in a room and talk to people about their contracts, or why in their divorce, they should keep the family cat.
Volunteering has also helped me to develop my legals skills further, and I’ve gained general non-legal skills which are helpful and transferrable across the workforce. This has led to me being more comfortable and confident with entering the workforce and really consolidated and expanded my knowledge of the law.
At university, where I study law, there were no units on Migration Law. There are units that touch on migration, ‘aliens’, refugee’s and asylum seekers, but after volunteering and working at TRLS you realise it’s not enough. Sometimes I feel out of depth, or worried that I’m missing basic migration information, because those core principles you would learn in a specialised university unit, are missing.
The people I work with and around are understanding and supportive. I’ve never been made to feel like I’m stupid for not knowing the information, or I’ll never be good enough. Whenever I have questions, I’m informed, when I do something wrong, it’s explained or shown to me on what the correct way, or a better alternative to what I’ve done. I work with a group of people who are amazing.
Volunteering was deeply instrumental to my career, life as a university student and my personal life. Whether it’s a paid job, or a free internship, volunteer or a clerkship, everyone should try to find the time to help either a community service, or some other local business.
Learn about Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service: https://trls.org.au/
