A month at the Bar: VU students shadow VicBar barristers

Now in its third year, the Victorian Bar and VU Law School program is designed to extend law students’ advocacy and legal research skills, and support students to build professional networks. 

Each year, the program inspires students who might not have connections in this close-knit, specialised legal community to consider a career as a barrister. In the long term, this aims to improve diversity of representation at the Bar. 

On the final day of the program, students took part in a moot court, presenting their arguments to barrister judges at the Owen Dixon Chambers. 

Barrister Bonnie Renou, who judged some of the moots, said the program offers an insight into the possibilities of a career at the Bar and the pathways to it. 

“The program also includes sessions with the Coroner’s Court, Judicial College, Juries Commissioner, and Sentencing Advisory Council, which students have found valuable. And on the last day, students get a chance to test their advocacy skills in a moot,” Ms Renou said. 

Second year VU Bachelor of Laws student Thunu Rathnayaka, said she applied to take part in the program because she was interested to see “what a barrister actually does when they go to court, and how they prepare for it.” 

What stood out the most for Thunu was the importance of preparing for the unpredictable. 

 “Something that [my barrister] said to me that will stick with me for a long time is: not every day is not going to be the same. It will always be different,” Ms Rathnayaka said. 

Your client might bring up information that you weren’t told, for example, and you have to be ready to think on your feet and respond immediately. And that’s very much applicable to all life scenarios.” 

To further advance her advocacy skills, Thunu plans to compete in moots, talk to lecturers, and make connections. 

“You can’t necessarily learn everything from a book. It’s all fine and well to have your written down submissions, but when it comes to pulling on the emotional side of the case, that is where you need real-life experiences,” she said. 

After completing the program, VU mature-aged student Allan Qiu, who is currently in his final year of a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (Graduate Entry), is thinking about taking the Bar exam as soon as he becomes a lawyer. 

The program has been very well designed to provide an immersive and comprehensive bar experience, and I'm considering a career as a Barrister as soon as I become eligible," Mr Qiu said. 

VU’s Pam Christou, who has managed the program for the Victoria University Law School for three years, said it is “really motivating to see students so engaged with shadowing their barristers.” 

“It’s also great to see the program now extended to other universities, following our successful pilot,” Ms Christou said. 

Learn more about Victoria University’s clinical legal education program.