Claudia Kernan
UTS is growing and asserting its presence as one of Sydney's most progressive universities.
Are you working while studying? Yes, I currently have two jobs and a volunteer position.
What does your job involve? I've been working for a Barrister in Martin Place for about two and a half years. My boss is Senior Counsel who works mainly on commercial and construction law matters. I'm mostly required to do administrative and research tasks, and working for an SC has given me some great first-hand experience in chambers and in court.
I also tutor Indigenous students here at UTS as part of UTS Jumbunna's Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme for both Law and Communications subjects.
In addition to this, I volunteer one day a week at a community organisation called Justice Action, which has provided some really useful insights into the workings of the criminal justice system in NSW.
How do you manage the competing demands of university and work? It can be tough at times, especially around exam periods. My time management skills are always getting a work out, but I generally just try to plan ahead and allow extra time for uni work in the more hectic weeks of semester. You always have some semesters that are harder than others and sadly, getting through hundreds of pages of reading in a day doesn't always work out. You do get better at cramming when you have to, but it is not fun!
What led you to choose UTS:Law for your studies? The combined law degrees UTS offered were pretty unique, and Communications/Law seemed like a good way to keep my options open when I was deciding what to do with my life as a seventeen-year-old. UTS: Law had a really accepting and supportive environment, and this first impression is still valid in my 5th year of study here.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your degree? Why? I'd have to say all of the friendships that I've formed in my time here at UTS. I've met so many like-minded people, and I could not have survived four and a half years of law school without all our study group sessions that's for sure!
Where would you like your double degree to take your career? I started out not knowing if I wanted to pursue the Law aspect of my degree at all, but I've now come to the conclusion that Law is definitely the right path for me. The Communications side of my course (I major in Public Relations) has definitely provided me with a great balance, as law subjects can be incredibly time consuming and quite dry at times. But I really enjoy the analytical, problem-solving aspects of the law and could potentially see myself at the Bar a bit further down the track!
What would your advice be for someone who is looking at studying Law at UTS? Go for it! Studying law at UTS has been both challenging and rewarding, and I haven't regretted my choice in the slightest. Although it feels like I've been walking the campus halls for a lifetime, the past four and a half years have been some of the best, and I'm really looking forward to being able to say that I graduated with a law degree from UTS.
Is there anything else you’d like to add about your experience at UTS:Law, or the University as a whole? One look around the city is all it takes these days to see how quickly UTS is growing and asserting its presence as one of Sydney's most progressive universities. Although we might have to attend an occasional class in the 'ugliest building in Sydney', both UTS:Law and the University as a whole have provided me with nothing but positive experiences and opportunities that I'd recommend to anyone.
