It's been a busy year for the Victoria Law School's Dictum Society! Much has been achieved in 2012 in three major portfolio areas.
Competitions
2012 was a foundation year for Dictum Society's Competitions Portfolio. The inaugural Junior Mooting Competition, Negotiation Competition and preliminary selection rounds for the Hon. Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot were run by Competitions, with all mooters receiving legal skills and advocacy training along the way.
2013 will see us establish and administer a robust structure serving and developing the abilities of all willing students. With the generous assistance of faculty members, legal professionals (including His Honour Judge Misso of the County Court), and student volunteers, we will put in place a series of development workshops, training programs and internal competitions.
Students completing training and participating in internal competitions will then be chosen to represent VLS at competitions such as the Willem C. Vis International Arbitration Moot, the International Maritime Law Arbitration Moot, and the Castan Centre Human Rights Law Moot. A Mooting Council comprising legal professionals, staff, students, and Dictum office holders will oversee Competitions activities to ensure they are as relevant, useful and enjoyable as possible.
Careers
Dictum Society knows that all law students are different, and will embark on different career journeys. We also know how important it is to know what is out there, and to keep your options open.
This semester Dictum Society ran two career seminars. The format of the events was Q & A; providing students with a chance to ask professionals from different disciplines any questions they desired. These events were engaging, inspiring and motivating. The first seminar we ran was 'Life at the Bar', at which we had a young barrister and a judge's associate share their experience of working in the court. The second seminar was 'Careers Outside a Top Tier Firm', which provided a Q&A session with a solicitor working in family law, criminal law and from a suburban practice.
Activities
This portfolio provides free food each week in the courtyard, and warm drinks in the colder months. The activities portfolio was responsible for the inaugural Law Ball held at San Remo Ballroom in Carlton - and what a fantastic night it was!
VU law students who would like more information, or would like to join the Dictum Society, should email president@dictumsociety.org, or leave a message at our facebook page. You can also check out upcoming Dictum events there.
