Master of Legal Practice

We spoke with current student Christa about her experiences in the Master of Legal Practice.

Why would you recommend taking the Master of Legal Practice at UWA?

I would recommend taking the Master of Legal Practice at UWA for 3 main reasons. Firstly, the quality of the instruction and instructors is second to none. Coming from another jurisdiction (US), it was extremely important to me to not only take the courses required by the Legal Practice Board, but to learn and be comfortable applying the most complex material in later practice. Having learned from true leaders in their field and being expected to perform at a very high academic standard has been invigorating for me and has given me confidence in my legal acumen as I look to return to practice.

Second, while as a 41 year old international student, I am far off the average age range and background in the law school, I have found it relatively easy to connect with other mature age and international students through classes and tutorials. In my first year, I joined a study group which includes students in the Master of Legal Practice as well as Juris Doctor students from 4 different countries and we often find it interesting to discuss core concepts from a comparative perspective.

Third, I have found the majority of staff to be incredibly supportive and approachable. In a relative short time, over the past 1.5 years, I have built genuine relationships with lecturers and tutors in and beyond class. As Master of Legal Practice student, I have found most of the staff to be interested in my past practice and keen to offer suggestions and guidance concerning career prospects.
 

Tell us about the practical experiences you gained.

Generally, I think most courses I have taken in the Master of Legal Practice incorporate case studies, examples from the headlines, and include former and current practitioners’ expertise into the curriculum. Some specific examples that particularly stand out are as follows.

Through the Negotiation and Mediation course, I learned hands-on and practical negotiation and mediation skills that have already been applied in practice during my first clerkship, where we were assessed on our mock negotiation skills. I have also appreciated that we have the option to be accredited as a mediation following completion of the course.

In Corporations, not only did I appreciate gaining familiarity with the infamous James Hardie case as a case study to learn key concepts in the course, including directors' duties, corporate structures and liabilities, I appreciated the lecturers providing relevant practical detail from their respective experiences in practice. Consequently, this material not only stuck with me, but I also applied this knowledge and referenced my notes both in my corporate clerkship rotation and in the research and presentation assessment I completed at my second clerkship.
 

How has the course shifted or bolstered your career?

I believe UWA’s reputation for academic excellence and rigour has opened career opportunities that I may not otherwise have been afforded at another university. Following the clerkship process last year, I was fortunate to receive my top choices for clerkships and to receive multiple graduate position offers.

I recently accepted my first choice at a top-tier firm in Perth a couple of weeks ago. Whilst my prior experience was no doubt a factor, I also feel being a UWA student was an equally critical factor in this ideal outcome.