Initiatives
YLC Law Student Mentoring Programme
The annual YLC Law Student Mentoring Programme pairs emerging practitioners with current law students to provide guidance and support to the transition from student to law graduate and then to lawyer.
The goal of this Programme goes beyond providing professional benefits and aims to promote collegiality and address wellbeing within the profession.
The Programme runs from April to November, commencing with a launch event and will wrap up with an end of programme event for all participants, as well as various touch points throughout the course of the Programme.
For students: A mentor can act as a support and advisor and become a new connection within the profession. This is your opportunity to gain insight into the profession, invaluable advice, skills and support during your studies. This Programme is open to any WA law school student, with preference given to penultimate and final year students.
For current practitioners: As former law students, we all know the importance of guidance and a helping hand from an experienced mentor. This is your chance to share your experiences from your first few years of practice and develop your mentoring skills. This Programme is open to Law Society members that meet the “Young Lawyer” member criteria of less than five years practising and/or under 35 years old.
To participate you must be a current member of the Law Society. Pairings are matched on both professional and personal interests.
Applications for the Mentoring Programme have now closed. For all enquiries, please email younglawyers@lawsocietywa.asn.au or call (08) 9324 8692.
Principal Sponsor:
Law Graduates’ and Junior Legal Practitioners’ Pay and Working Conditions
The YLC’s Know Your Rights is an informative guide for law students, law graduates and junior lawyers to increase their awareness of applicable workplace rights and entitlements, to help empower them to take action if they are not being treated fairly in the workplace.
Since early 2020, the YLC has been working on projects aimed at improving working conditions and employment practices in the legal profession. Unfortunately, the legal profession has not been immune from instances of underpayment and unfair employment practices, and sexual harassment remains a significant concern.
Of course, it is ultimately the employer’s responsibility to provide a safe and fair workplace. This is why the YLC is also developing guidelines for law firms – watch this space!
Keep an eye on YLC social media pages where we will be promoting the guide with an information campaign. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Read the Guide below or click to download.
Guidelines for the Employment of Law Clerks, Graduates and Lawyers
The Law Society of Western Australia, through its Young Lawyers Committee, has drafted these Guidelines with the aim of promoting fair access to employment in the legal profession and to support the health and wellbeing of legal practitioners and other employees engaged in the legal profession.
All legal workplaces are encouraged to strive to meet the standards recommended in these Guidelines. Doing so is to the benefit of both legal employers and their employees, and the legal profession as a whole.
Read the Guide below or click to download.