By Mia Hoy

Sarah grew up in rural Queensland and moved to the big smoke in pursuit of obtaining her legal qualification at a prestigious institution. She has since graduated with a Bachelor of Law (Hons) and completed her practical legal training, meaning she’s at the final hurdle – admission.

Sarah reported that in her penultimate year, she attended countless job interviews for law firms and Barrister’s chambers. To her dismay, she was always provided with the feedback, “You interview well and your lengthy history in retail evidences your personable skills, but unfortunately you weren’t able to display a relevant connection to anyone of importance in the legal industry.”

Sarah began to think that the university missed a whole curriculum of information relevant to getting employed in the legal sector – how to be related to a lawyer. She went as far to consider writing a policy submission for ‘practical legal training’ to be renamed to ‘nepotistic legal theory’. The submission would include classes such as ‘YouShouldHaveGotAFullTimeAdminJobInYourFirstYear101’ & ‘HowYourLawyerMumCanBillUnitsWhileWritingAssignmentsForYou102’.

In her bid to gain employment, Sarah was hoping to befriend someone in the legal industry whom she would one day ask to move her admission. Her lack of relation and lack of employment meant she was shunned by the industry and unable to find someone to move her – not even Nigel Stobbs would take on the feat. 

Sarah told us that she reached her turning point when she received a draft invoice from a Barrister. She went on to poach an elaborate but not so well thought out plan to move her own admission in protest of the current state of the industry.

As the story goes, Judge Judy did not allow Sarah to move her own admission and said that this little protest of hers would have to be disclosed at the next round of admissions, if she made it that far. Judy J is on record to have said, “If you’re not already related to or friends with a Barrister at this point in your life, maybe the legal profession just isn’t for you.”

Sarah is now too afraid to get admitted and plans on working in conveyancing until she can actually do something with her degree.