Testimonials

I really recommend the mentoring program and it has been a highlight of my year. I was able to connect with other female law students through the monthly events and hear from some really inspiring women in the industry. Meeting my mentor was also so great and we often went out for lunch and she helped me understand what working in law looks like. She has also been able to connect me with other lawyers in different areas so I can figure out what type of law I want to do. Everyone was so supportive and inspiring, and it has been a really positive experience.

I really enjoyed the site visit for He Ira Wāhine Women’s Mentoring Programme. I appreciated the panelists' honesty and courage in discussing how they navigated their legal careers as wāhine, from their one to ten years' experience. What I admired the most from this programme is how empathetic and kind everyone is to each other. The students, mentors, panelists, and especially the facilitators Amanda and Kylie. It’s kanohi ki te kanohi (face-to-face) interactions which help build a sense of community. We celebrate the successes, but it's also important to support each other through the adversities. Mā te huruhuru te manu ka rere (adorn the bird with feathers to fly). I cannot wait to see the incredible legal paths these wāhine will take.

Being part of the Women's Mentoring Programme has been such an invaluable experience for me. It was a privilege to be paired up with Anna Devathasan, a brilliant Crown Prosecutor at KFW. In all honesty, I wasn't sure what to expect leading up to my first meeting with Anna; however, it genuinely turned out to be such an inspiring meeting. I was immediately excited for the journey ahead.Anna has given me so much insight into Criminal Law, how it works, her role, her firm's role, the courts, etc. I was fortunate to visit her at her firm and watch court cases together at Manukau District Court, where she explained many of the processes and procedures. One of my highlights was watching her in action at the High Court during the sentencing trial of a 30-year-old case – the Red Fox Tavern case.

As a Part III student, having a mentor was very important to me. With the end of the degree fast approaching, my next steps weren't too apparent. Getting to ask Anna many questions about what she did coming out of law school and hearing some practical advice was priceless! One of the things Anna told me was not to be afraid to apply for many internships, "just apply," she graciously said, and so I did!

Another highlight would be practising my internship interview with her over the phone. Just having someone willing to ask me questions and help prepare me was encouraging. It helped build my confidence leading up to my interview. Now I can say I am confident in my decision to start in the criminal law space. It was always of interest to me, but now that I understand it better (and understand other areas in the law), I am adamant it’s the path I want to journey on.

It's one thing to study law, do the readings and learn the steps and procedures, but it's another to experience it practically, hear directly from people in the field, and even see them live in action!

This mentoring programme has helped in that regard. It has provided me with a convenient understanding of what law is like outside of uni. The various mentee and mentor sessions included networking, firm visits, interacting with, talking to, and hearing from diverse lawyers. It all helps with making those first-step decisions upon graduating.

I've learned so much not only from Anna but from other mentors and other mentees! It's such a great environment to network, ask questions, connect with pairs, and build relationships that I think are crucial. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity of being part of such a great programme.