Mentoring programme boosts students’ courtroom skills

Education

Top Papua New Guinean and Australian lawyers are mentoring legal trainees through a partnership programme between the Legal Training Institute and the Victorian Bar.
The programme teams students with experienced legal professionals from the two countries to support, guide and provide different perspectives on professional legal practice.
Lawyer Oala Moi said being mentored by Victorian barrister Maya Rozner gave him confidence
“On an almost weekly basis I appear in the district and national courts,” Moi said.
“Maya’s outgoing personality helps to disarm the shyness in me, to raise questions in relation to law and actual legal practice.”
The programme builds on a week-long criminal advocacy workshop with 11 members of the Victorian Bar.
For the past three years, the mentoring programme was specifically for women law graduates.
Based on the positive feedback of the women participants, the programme was opened to all legal trainees this year.
Deputy Solicitor-General Tauvasa Tanuvasa encouraged students to engage with their mentors and to become mentors.
“The greatest gift anyone can give you is their time and I know you too will take that gift into the future to benefit others,” Tanuvasa said.
Australian High Commission counsellor Gina Wilson said mentoring played a large role in sharing knowledge, advice and expertise, giving young professionals the confidence and support to reach their full potential and achieve their goals.