Law student stories

Watch Anna talk about her experience as a Bachelor of Laws student.
In particular, she describes how her studies with us made her highly employable.

Why Auckland?
“The University of Auckland was an obvious choice for me due to its stellar reputation both nationally and internationally. I knew a degree from this University would be well respected and useful wherever I went.

“I was also particularly impressed by the reputation of Auckland Law School. I knew it was competitive to secure a spot in second year, but this proved to me that the quality of education would be top-class.

Great variety
“I enrolled in a conjoint of BA/LLB, double majoring in History and Classical Studies.

“I liked the variety of papers you had to complete as part of the conjoint. Getting exposure to so many different aspects of law and history has helped me identify the type of person I am, the values I hold and my aspirations.
“To put it more simply, I enjoyed the five years of dedicated learning. It was an enriching experience and opened my eyes to the world.

Extra-curricular activities
“I loved my time at the University of Auckland, I got involved with many extracurricular activities, namely through being on the exec teams of various clubs. I met so many different people doing other degrees. Most importantly, I liked that there was a real balance between working hard and playing hard.

“Some of the lecturers I have met have left a lasting impression on me.”
 

Why Auckland?
“The University of Auckland was always my top choice. My brother attended uni here and loved it. Also, in my final years of high school I was fortunate enough to be a part of transitioning programmes provided by the University of Auckland to help high school students move into University.”

Freedom of choice
“Auckland Law School has an extensive range of Law electives available to students. I find it valuable to have such freedom of choice, from a South Pacific Legal Studies elective all the way to a practical Community Law Internship. It’s an excellent feeler to see what you could be interested in.”

Pacific Islands Law Students Association (PILSA)
“Throughout my time at the Law School, I’ve been involved in the Pacific Islands Law Students Association (PILSA) – which has been around since 1993, and is built on the three pillars of Faith, Education, and Culture. Like many other Pacific Islands law students in PILSA, I stand on the shoulders of those who’ve come before me. I love to think of PILSA as my home away from home. I’ve been especially privileged in 2023 to serve on the executive team as the Professional Development Officer. I’ve helped our members to craft their legal personas by networking with firms and other legal entities.”

Community
“The thing I enjoy most about my studies is being surrounded by like-minded people, especially within the Pacific community here. They’re studying Law for more or less the same reason – to serve our people, our villages.”

Go for it!
“My advice for those thinking about making a move to study here at the University of Auckland would simply be to go for it! You never know what awaits you until you take that leap. You’re bound to find your people, and that makes the journey worth it.”

Sport and study
“Auckland was absolutely the right choice for me. The University offers prestigious programmes for Law and Business – and they also enabled me to continue with my high-performance sports aspirations.

“I played hockey for the Blacksticks full time during my studies. The Law School was extremely accommodating. And the University’s high-performance sports programme provided strong support, especially when sport and university didn’t align perfectly.

Project-based courses
“I found a lot of value in project-based courses. The skills I developed through the Family Law project were transferable to the workplace and very useful.

“The Law School encourages students to take up summer internships, and they work hard to promote all opportunities that arise. That’s how I got a foothold in the workplace.”