Online Open Day for Female Law Students an unprecedented success

04/08/2020

More than 150 students from law schools across Australia participated in the Bar Association’s Online Open Day for Female Law Students via Zoom this morning, hosted by the Association’s Diversity and Equality Committee and Women Barristers Forum.

The purpose of the annual Open Day is to demystify the Bar and encourage female law students to consider coming to the Bar. This is the first year that the Open Day has been held online, after pivoting to a Zoom format in response to COVID-19, and it was extremely well received. Students enjoyed a Panel discussion with the Honourable Justice Markovic of the Federal Court of Australia, the Honourable Justice Williams of the Supreme Court of NSW, the Association’s Junior Vice President Gabrielle Bashir SC and Natasha Case of Alinea Chambers. The Panel was moderated by Melanie Cairns and Catherine Hamilton-Jewell with the Chair of the Association’s Diversity and Equality Committee, Kate Eastman SC.

Students then joined smaller group break out room sessions, run by around 30 barrister volunteers, where they had the opportunity to hear about what a career at the Bar is really like.

The Association expresses its sincere thanks to the Panel; to Kate, Melanie, Catherine and Ashley Cameron for their hard work in organising the Open Day; and to each of our barrister volunteers for making the day such a success!

The day also would not have been possible without the support and assistance of the Association’s Director of Policy and Public Affairs Elizabeth Pearson and Policy Lawyers Horatia Hopper and Ellyse Matterson.