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Summary of LSS Positions

The LSS calls for nominations for the positions below:

President

The role of the President has traditionally been an all-encompassing role, consisting of committee management and ensuring all portfolios are meeting deadlines, expected quality standards and also within budget. In addition the President is the contact for most external organisations, dealing with law firms/sponsorship, the media, faculty, other Melbourne University student societies and also represents Melbourne University at the Australian Law Students' Association (ALSA) and sits as a member of the Victorian Council of Law Students' Societies (VCLSS).

With the recent creation of the Vice President position, the workload of the President role should be reduced in future years, as the committee management aspect of the role will primarily be handled by the Vice President, allowing the President to concentrate on the more macro aspects of the LSS.

The aim of this is to make the role of President more manageable considering the increased workload of the JD degree.

It is important to note that the President will be involved in the process of securing sponsorship from law firms and other relevant organisations. This traditionally occurs in January, and involves meetings with HR representatives. It is necessary for the President to be in Melbourne when this takes place.

Any questions can be directed at Jonathan Augustus -  lss-president@unimelb.edu.au

Vice President

Newly created for 2010, the Vice President will be the second-in-charge of the LSS. As indicated above, the position will entail some of the duties traditionally associated with the President.  Internal committee management such as correspondence with portfolio heads (Directors, formally known as Vice Presidents) will be the major aspect.

It is important to note that the Vice President will also be involved in the process of securing sponsorship from law firms and other relevant organisations. This traditionally occurs in January, and involves meetings with HR representatives. It is necessary for the Vice President to be in Melbourne when this takes place.

Any questions can be directed at Jonathan Augustus -  lss-president@unimelb.edu.au

Secretary

 

The LSS Secretary oversees the general administration and practical functioning of the committee. They are also the person to go to for questions about committee events and general information. In particular, the Secretary organises elections, meetings (including the Annual General Meeting) and supports all portfolios with events, publications and any problems they might have. Room bookings go through the Secretary, as do other facilities requirements, so that the LSS can go about its work as smoothly as possible.

 

In the event of the President and Vice President being unavailable for a General or Committee Meeting, the Secretary will chair that meeting. The President and Vice President may also delegate work to the Secretary when their commitments and work load require it.

 

The Secretary is also the Public Officer of the committee, so prepares all the legal documents to comply with the committee’s duties as an incorporated association.

 

There is also room for the Secretary to organise their own initiatives if they so wish. The ‘Shakespeare and the Law’ exhibition was an example of this in 2009.

 

If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to email Romy Faulkner at lss-secretary@unimelb.edu.au .

 

Treasurer

The primary role of the Treasurer is to manage and monitor the LSS' cash flow throughout the year, which includes drawing up an annual budget, keeping financial records, authorising all payments made out of the LSS bank account, and submitting Business Activity Statements to the Australian Tax Office.
 
The Treasurer also plays an active role in securing sponsorship from law firms and other organisations. Sponsorship meetings traditionally happen throughout January, however the Treasurer will need to start preparing the prospectus and contacting firms in December. It is therefore necessary for the Treasurer to be in Melbourne during (most of) this period.

Any questions can be directed at David Yang & Julia Wang - lss-treasurer@unimelb.edu.au

Activities Director(s)

The Activities position on the LSS is an extremely rewarding and fun filled experience. In first semester the main event is Law Ball, which is comfortably the most important event of the portfolio. This requires early planning but comes with a great sense of accomplishment on the night. Throughout each semester there will be a few BBQs which need organising. These aren't stressful and generally involve ordering food in advance (for BBQs a week, for pizzas a day or two) and setting up a couple of hours early on the day. With the help from LLB/JD reps, clean up shouldn't take too long either.

Also involved are organising pub nights which once again are pretty straight forward and the Queensberry Hotel loves to have us. The main second semester event is the River Cruise, which done jointly with the ILSS, doesn't compare to Law Ball in terms of time allocation. It is great to have other events during the year (this year involved poker night, paintballing, battle of the bands etc). This position is suited for outgoing candidates who love to socialise and meet new people.

Any questions can be directed at Nudge Perera & Harry Hookey -  lss-activities@unimelb.edu.au

Careers Director(s)

The primary role of the Careers Directors is to provide information to law students on the diverse range of careers opportunities available. The Careers Directors are committed to ensuring that students experience a smooth transition from the completion of their law degree to their desired career pathway through helping them make informed choices. This is achieved via the organisation of careers events and publications including:

In addition to these events, the Careers Directors are responsible for keeping students posted on upcoming legal careers fairs and seminars offered at law school and beyond.

Any questions can be directed at Alexis Fong & Rebecca Clarke - lss-careers@unimelb.edu.au

Competition Director(s)

The Competitions Directors (formerly the Competitions VPs) oversee the efficient operation of the Law Students’ Society’s competitions: Mooting, Witness Examination, Negotiation, Client Interview, Paper & Oral and Letter of Advice. The role involves coordinating the organisers of the competitions, the venues and dates of Grand Finals, as well as acting as supervisors and a mechanism for appeal. Competitions Directors liaise with firm representatives and competition organisers to ensure the smooth operation of all competitions.The role also involves drafting the competition rules and devising the score sheets for each competition.

Any questions may be directed to Courtney McLennan & Tom Ickeringill - lss-competitions@unimelb.edu.au

Education Director(s)

The primary role of Education Director(s) is to promote and protect the interests of all Melbourne Law students.  Through regular meetings with Associate Dean Ann O'Connell we put students’ needs on the agenda and represent issues to the law faculty that individual students may not feel comfortable doing themselves.  In addition to representing students, we are also responsible for producing the Law Students' Guidebook, which involves compiling subject reviews for all LLB and JD compulsory and optional subjects, and organising the Student Tutorial Service, whereby we recruit high-achieving students to teach a 1 hour tutorial from Week 5 until Swotvac.  In addition, we are also responsible for organising the Sir Anthony Mason Lecture, an annual lecture delivered by a highly regarded member of the legal profession.

This year we also introduced a new initiative, Health and Wellbeing Seminars, which focus on exam techniques, work-life balance and stress management.

Any questions may be directed to Laura Johnston & Charlotte Newbold - lss-competitions@unimelb.edu.au

Equality Director(s)

The role of the Equality Director(s) is to manage and coordinate the Equality Portfolio, which is dedicated to promoting awareness, access and opportunity to both law students and the community at large. The Equality Portfolio encompasses an umbrella of four other offices on the LSS Committee, including Environment, Social Justice, Womens’ and Queer officers.
The Equality Director(s) are primarily responsible for a number of initiatives throughout the year. These are:

Any questions can be directed at Arlene Wu & Belinda Huang - lss-equality@unimelb.edu.au

Environment Officer(s)

In recent times, environmental issues have dominated the social, legal and political landscape. Water shortages, bushfire and drought have all highlighted the urgent need to address issues surrounding climate change and the environment. Indeed, environmental law is now one of the largest growth areas in our law today.

The Environment Portfolio aims to help facilitate greater environmental awareness within the Law School. It aims to promote environmental sustainability, and to give law students who are concerned about environmental issues an opportunity to meet and work with other like-minded individuals. Central to achieving these aims will be the organisation of informative seminars on environmental issues, such as the 'Legally Green' Lecture Series and 'Beyond Collins Street'. The Environment Officer's role also extends to engaging with the broader student cohort, to ensure that the environmental concerns are heard and are dealt with. Sustainability within the law school is also an important element of this role.

Any questions can be directed at Harry Hilt - lss-environment@unimelb.edu.au

Queer Officer(s)

In the Law School currently, and traditionally, there is very little queer
community. Whatever community exists revolves around small pockets of
friends, and tends not to extend beyond particular cohorts.

The Queer Portfolio exists to support students, as well as providing queer-specific, primarily social, events. I would suggest that at this point building-up the sense of community is the primary aim/task within this role.

As Queer Officer you will face challenges revolving around getting the word out to queer students, helping them feel comfortable identifying
openly within an environment like the Law School, and actually getting people to attend events you hold. If you have a committee anything like the 2009 one you will enjoy great support from fellow LSS Committee Members, as well as from the amazing pool of supportive queer staff members.

Examples of events held are pizza nights, breakfasts, dinners, film and drinks with staff night and more. Be creative, get excited and help build the currently dismal queer community!

Any questions can be directed at Bruce Hardy & Esther Bohmer - lss-queer@unimelb.edu.au

LLB Representative

The main task of an LLB Representative has always been to organise one of the LSS competitions. In this role, you'll have to coordinate competitors, judges and room bookings in a way that ensures the smooth operation of your competition. Even with changes to the committee structure, whereby the running of competitions will be coopted, it is likely that this role will continue for LLB Representatives on the committee.

Aside from this, the LLB Representative will often be called upon to lend their hands to the many LSS events. There is also the opportunity to run your own events, often in conjunction with JD Representatives and the Activities Directors.

The time commitment in this role can vary from week to week but you need to note a few important factors. Firstly, the bigger your competition, the more time you will need to spend on it. Secondly, it's compulsory that you attend committee meetings once a month. And thirdly, attendance is expected at all LSS events.

The role can be a very rewarding one if your willing to really be a part of the committee by attending events, getting in there and helping out and having a say about the direction you think the LSS should be taking.

Any questions can be directed at Simon Breheny, Uyen Nguyen, Paul Annabell, Tarang Chawla, Merinda Peterson and Stephanie Quatela - lss-llb@unimelb.edu.au

JD Representative

The role of JD Representatives is not only to build awareness of and participation in LSS events amongst the JD cohorts, but also to creatively contribute to the future direction of the LSS as the Law School transitions from an undergraduate to a graduate model. Besides attending meetings and helping out at regular LSS functions, JD Reps are delegated responsibility for co-ordinating one of the LSS competitions, and are encouraged to build social rapport amongst students in any (legal) way possible.

Any questions can be directed at Kitty Moran and Caithleen Storr - lss-jd@unimelb.edu.au

The positions below are traditional positions co-opted by the LSS committee:

Marketing Officer(s)

The Marketing Officer is in charge of promoting all events for the LSS, with posters and Facebook events, as well as anything else that’s requested. In 2009 Marketing also produced the covers of the guidebooks, the prospectus and was involved in creating the new website, but work of this kind would be dependent more on skill and time than a necessity.

Work generally comes in a week or two before it’s needed, but sometimes last-minute requests are just something you need to deal with. There are quite a few posters requested, as more events go on than you think! It’s a good way of being involved with the whole committee, as everyone will need your work at some point and you'll develop a good awareness of what's going on.

Any questions can be directed at Frankie Barbour & Jacqui Papson - lss-marketing@unimelb.edu.au

Social Justice Officer(s)

The Social Justice Office in the LSS aims to raise awareness of both contemporary social justice issues and opportunities for students to make positive contributions to their community.  The vision of the office is for a student body that is empowered to help build a society where people feel free and secure, connected to those around them and hopeful for the future.
 
Arranging presentations on topical social justice themes is a core activity of the office, and provides a focal point for student engagement.  Among the community practitioners to present in 2009 were Emily Chew of the YWCA, coordinator of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) NGO Report; the Hon Catherine Branson QC, President of the Human Rights Commission, who presented on the then current National Human Rights Consultation; and Rodney Croome AM, gay rights activist and Founder of the Australian Coalition for Equality.  The Social Justice Office necessarily works closely with the Women’s, Equality and Queer portfolios.
 
The Social Justice Office seeks to facilitate access to community-focused work experience, volunteer and employment opportunities, publishing a companion to the LSS’ Beyond Collins Street seminar series which promotes non-corporate legal careers.  The companion provides real, useful advice from professionals in target fields, such as public interest law, the diplomatic corps, international governmental organisations, the Australian parliament and ministerial offices, unions and advocacy organisations, think tanks and research institutes, and community NGOs.
 
These activities are designed to excite and inspire, and to encourage, support and validate students seeking to apply their legal skills, engage their passions and build a more socially justice world via a diversity of vocational pathways.

Any questions can be directed at Alan Wu & Katia Sanderson - lss-socialjustice@unimelb.edu.au

IT Officer(s)

The IT Officer's main responsibility is the LSS web site.
Editing/posting content, crunching and editing PDFs, developing new
features… . If it touches the site, you'll be involved. You may be
asked for design work depending on how busy the Marketing Officers
are.

Unlike the other positions, IT Officer is quite a technical role. The
work itself is rather low commitment, though it comes in bursts. You
don't have to be good with people (though it helps), you just need to
have the skills. HTML, CSS, PHP and SQL are essential. Familiarity
with a LAMP stack will help. A bit of design skill would be nice. And
the showmanship to put together an impressive presentation (it is a
co-opted position, chosen by a committee that barely knows what LAMP
is).

The LSS site is probably one of the biggest sites you'll get to work
on in the law school. We get 2,000–4,000 visitors most months. The
volume of content to be put up is so large, you'll spend more time
improving our content management system and editing others'
submissions than actually creating content.

As the resident "computer guy", you'll probably also be asked about
any computer problems. Beware.

Any questions can be directed at Duy Nguyen - lss-it@unimelb.edu.au

Purely Dicta Editor(s)

Purely Dicta editors are responsible for producing the Purely Dicta
student magazine which is published once a semester.

Being editors, you are largely responsible for:

The editorial position means you have ultimate control of the content,
tone, look and position of the magazine, independent of the LSS and Law
School. However, being a student magazine produced FOR the Law School, the
content is still very relevant to your fellow students- an element of the
zeitgeist is required here.

Software that is must-have are:

Skills that are very necessary are:

Any questions can be directed at Maria Shi & Taruna Arora - lss-purelydicta@unimelb.edu.au

Law Revue Producer(s)

The Law Revue Producer produces The Law Revue. Whoa. I think that was an anagram. Or a Haiku.

The producer does all the administritve stuff (finances, props, negotiation, front of house duties) to get the Law Comedy Revue running and on track. The producer can also take part in the revue itself, provided that the producer is funny enough. It is a cool job if you want to learn more about comedy or the entertainment industry.

Any questions can be directed at Ronny Chieng & Pen Ward - lss-lawrevue@unimelb.edu.au

Added by President on Wednesday, 19 Aug 2009.