How the UQ Pro Bono Centre is shaping career-ready graduates

Studying law is an exciting and rewarding journey – one that challenges you to think critically, advocate for others and make a real difference.

At the UQ Law School, the Pro Bono Centre offers students a unique opportunity to do just that.

As the only university-based Centre of its kind in Australia, the Centre offers a chance to take what you’re learning in the classroom and apply it through meaningful, voluntary legal work that benefits the community.

Whether you're passionate about social justice, curious about different areas of law or simply looking to gain hands-on experience, the Centre connects students with real-world legal projects through partnerships with community legal centres, law firms and advocacy organisations.

From law reform and community education to direct client support, as a student, you’ll gain invaluable experience and build strong professional networks – no matter which stage of your degree you’re in.

We recently caught up with 3 UQ Bachelor of Laws (Honours) alumni who were involved with the UQ Pro Bono Centre during their studies. Each had a unique journey, and all agreed the Centre played a pivotal role in shaping their legal careers.

Why get involved?

1. Gain practical legal experience

Thanks to the Centre’s wide variety of partner organisations, you can engage with diverse legal areas ranging from criminal law to environmental justice. This allows you to tailor your experiences to your interests and explore new areas of law you may not have considered.

Madeleine: Early on in my law degree, I was under the disillusion that my first opportunity at practical legal work would be through a firm. That was quickly put to rest as soon as I became involved with the pro bono program, which provided me the opportunity to become involved in a diverse range of projects. It is such valuable exposure, and the work is so varied. I worked with police officers, the Land Court, the Chief Magistrate’s office and the former Attorney-General of Victoria. I improved my confidence, research skills and human engagement skills.

Rachna: I was always interested in pursuing criminal law, and the work I was able to do through the Pro Bono Centre definitely helped me begin to develop the skills and mindset I needed to work in that space.

2. Build your professional network

Joining the Centre means joining a vibrant community of like-minded students, academics and legal professionals. Through group projects and mentorship, students form lasting connections and gain insights from experienced practitioners.

Madeleine: You have an opportunity to gain hands-on skills with wonderful mentors (and your peers for group projects). While working on the Right to Education project, it was both a comfort and an inspiration to discuss views, concerns and hopes for how the human rights legislation could be effectively utilised to protect vulnerable children with leading human rights practitioners and academics, members of the community and educators.

3. Advocate for real change

Many roles involve working directly on issues that affect people’s lives, either by helping individuals navigate the legal system or contributing to law reform.

Angelene: My pro bono work has shaped my whole professional lens by exposing me to lawyers and academics who thought about law differently.

Where can pro bono experience lead?

Through providing opportunities to gain hands-on experience, the Pro Bono Centre plays a powerful role in inspiring future legal professionals. Based on their exposure to real-world challenges, alumni like Angelene, Madeleine and Rachna discovered their passion for human rights, social justice and law reform.

Angelene practises as a lawyer at a community legal centre, focusing on human rights-based work such as parole matters and prison issues.

"The roles I engaged in at the Centre have led me to further opportunities and my job today," she says.

"After I completed the clinical legal education course, I knew community law and human rights was the type of law I wanted to be involved in. I’m able to work on novel cases, including human rights based judicial review cases in the Supreme Court and constitutional challenges in the High Court." 

“I know the work I’m doing has the potential to make a real difference in peoples’ lives."

Madeleine is now a senior associate at MinterEllison where she practises employment and industrial law.

"The Pro Bono Centre broadened my horizons in terms of my vision of what a career in the legal industry could look like," she says.

"It was through a pro bono project that I developed my passion for employment and industrial law, which is the area I practise today.

"Moving into my career in legal practice, human rights, equal opportunity and inclusive education continues to be a particular interest area for me. It also instilled in me an appreciation for the value and significance of pro bono work that has stuck with me as I entered into practice." 

Rachna is currently on secondment as a senior legal officer at the Queensland Law Reform Commission. Prior to the secondment, she practiced as a criminal defence lawyer at Robertson O’Gorman Solicitors.

"I have the opportunity to help people navigate the criminal justice system," she says.

"It’s a complicated and often traumatic process, so to be able to provide guidance and advocate for people is extremely rewarding." 

What advice would you give to students thinking about getting involved?

Angelene: You absolutely should get involved with the Pro Bono Centre in whichever pro bono experience you gravitate towards, because you don’t know where it will lead. I didn’t know that applying for the Deaths in Custody Project would bring about many of the opportunities I’ve had to date.

Rachna: It is probably the best thing you can get involved with during your time at university. It is so valuable to work closely with like-minded students and inspiring supervisors, develop skills important for your future and to gain an appreciation for the vital work that the community legal and pro bono sector does.

Madeleine: The capacity to make some change, regardless of how small, is at your fingertips. Just join the roster!

Are you ready to make a difference?