Dominique Salvestrin

What position do you currently hold and where? I currently hold the position of Graduate-at-Law in the General Insurance team at Moray & Agnew Lawyers. I am completing my PLT.

What does your job involve? I have carriage of matters in the Local Court at Sydney relating to motor vehicle claims. My job involves commencing proceedings and following the matter through to either settlement or hearing. I also assist in professional indemnity cases.

What led you to choose UTS:Law for your studies? The fact that the marks you receive are your raw marks, and not calculated according to a bell-curve like at other universities; the majority of assessments are open book exams which is more realistic to everyday applications of the law; our assessments were crafted towards students fulfilling the learning objectives of each subject (such as reflection, critical thinking, legal research etc); there were no exams weighted at 100%, which was more realistic to the fact that some people are more suited to different styles of assessments.

What was the most rewarding aspect of your degree? Why? Having marks consistent with the effort I put in. Friends at other universities were working just as hard, though being marked on a bell-curve and only achieving credits at best.

What is the most useful or important thing you learned from your studies at UTS? Legal research and critical thinking.

Was there anyone in particular at the University who had a significant influence on your studies? Philippa Ryan (Civil Practice) was a tremendous teacher, as was Isabel Karpin (Disability and the Law). Both women encouraged us to engage with their subject matter on an intellectual and critical level, which was complemented seamlessly by their passion and knowledge of the subjects.

What would your advice be for someone who is looking at studying Law at UTS? Do it if you’re prepared to work hard whilst building great relationships.

Is there anything else you’d like to add about your experience at UTS:Law, or the University as a whole? As I attended UTS as a post-graduate student, I had completed my undergraduate studies at a different university. In comparison to my undergraduate experience, UTS made me feel a lot less like a number and more like a person. I felt help was always accessible, and if ever I required feedback or guidance it was always given without hesitation.

Find out more about our JD program at our information evening.