Following a dream and transferring to law at Sydney

Why did you decide to study at the University of Sydney?

The University of Sydney quickly became my dream University as soon as I stepped onto campus in year eleven for a prospective law student workshop.

The sandstone buildings, the sweeping green lawns and those beautiful jacaranda trees, I was nothing short of swept off my feet with the vision of me, coffee in hand and tote bag at the ready, studying amidst those endless rows of books.

What was your initial degree? When did you decide to transfer to the Bachelor of Laws and why?

After many days, weeks and months of studying for the HSC I got my results back and ended up being 0.6 points away from the cut-off for law, however, 17 year old me was still very intent on studying at The University of Sydney so I decided I would go down the transfer pathway.

At the beginning of 2020, I began studying a Bachelor of Arts (Media Studies) through the Dalyell Stream and was given the opportunity to meet some of my amazing friends who study courses from chemical engineering to philosophy.

Did you receive support once you decided you wanted to transfer?

As I started my Bachelor of Arts degree I had lots of support from the Admissions team who answered all my questions about the transferring process.  I was told that either the average of my first year uni results (known as a WAM) or my ATAR would be used to guarantee my position within Sydney Law School.

Ultimately, after lots of late nights at Fisher Library I received the news that my WAM was good enough and I had been admitted into the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Law degree.

What has been the highlight of your studies at Sydney Law School?

My experience at the University of Sydney has been filled with highlights. I have deeply enjoyed the academic vigour of the content, and have been provided a space within seminars to express my thoughts and ideas in a supportive environment. 

At the start of my law school journey I found ‘cold-call’ styled class participation so incredibly daunting, but I have now realised how these teaching styles have developed my personal understanding of the law beyond memorisation and towards knowledge of how the actual legal system works.

To my great surprise, my favourite class has been contracts, taught by Professor Natalie Silver. I remember sitting there in awe at the accomplishments of her and my other lecturers and tutors as they talked about traveling the world and working in law firms in New York, Singapore and London, in addition to working on such high profile cases.

I have also loved being a part of the University of Sydney Law society, and meeting with people who have come to study at Sydney from all around the world.

What advice would you give to a current student thinking about transferring to law?

I would tell a prospective student that transferring into law at the University of Sydney has provided me with the skills, contacts and support to both understand and apply the law.

I would say that whilst sometimes the wait feels a bit long, if you work hard at learning the content and make sure to surround yourself with a supportive network of people it is definitely achievable and worth it.

I would also highly recommend staying organised using programming like Google Calendar or Notion to keep on top of entry deadlines and cut-offs in addition to general assignment management. 

Finally, I would say enjoy the experience of being a University student, it is one of the best times in your life!

What do you hope to do once you have graduated?

Currently, I work as a Paralegal within the litigation team at a law firm in Martin Place and have conducted legal research for a number of high-profile commercial law cases.

My role as a paralegal and my love of contract law, leads me to believe I will probably pursue a role within that capacity. But who knows!? Three years of law school to go!