Originally called the Equity Portfolio, Diversity & Wellbeing (D&W) has expanded widely over the years and is one of the society’s biggest portfolios. D&W is a portfolio with two central aims. Firstly, promoting inclusivity and appreciation of the diverse backgrounds of law students in the law school and UQLS. Secondly, raising mental health awareness among law students. We strive to achieve these aims through various events, programs, social media groups and online publications.

Our three flagship events are the Diversity in Law Evening, Women in Law Breakfast and Reconciliation Breakfast. These events involve panel discussions or guest speaker presentations from esteemed members of the legal profession. They are a vital opportunity to hear judges, barristers, solicitors and academics discuss the broad range of topics which relate to the terms ‘diversity’ and ‘wellbeing’.

If you have any questions concerning our DW events, contact us at diversityandwellbeing@uqls.com

Wellbeing

Mental health is a key issue for all students studying law. However, the members of the D&W portfolio are not mental health professionals. Through resources such as the UQLS COVID-19 portal and online publications, we seek to raise awareness about the external resources available. Students may benefit by seeking help from mental health organisations, their General Practitioner (GP), and other professionals. We hope that through highlighting this issue, in collaboration with the law school, we can break down stigma and encourage students to seek help early.

Equity Grant Program

First Year Students

Our First Year Officer is Emma, and she can be contacted at firstyearofficer@uqls.com. There are many activities planned so to keep up to date, join us at 1st Year UQ Law, 2022 on Facebook. We’ve got loads planned to help first year students settled in throughout the year, including:

  • First Year Retreat

  • First Year Hike

  • First Year Social Nights (e.g. bowling, laser tag, movies)

  • First Year Dinners

Buddy Program

If you’re worried about settling into uni life, then sign up to the Buddy Program by completing this form. You’ll be paired up with a more experienced law student who can guide you through all the uni hacks you’ll need to know. If you’re a second year or above student who’d like to lend a hand, you can sign up to be a senior buddy by completing this form.

Graduate & International Students

Hisham is your representative for Graduate and International students and you can contact him at graduateandinternationalrep@uqls.com.

We will be holding a dinner for graduate and international students in Semester One, so keep an eye out on the UQLS Facebook page for further information! If you want to know more about life at an Australian university or who to talk to at TCB, we’d love you to get in touch!

Queer Students

Ella is your representative for queer students and you can contact her at queerrepresentative@uqls.com.

The UQLS has a Facebook group and chat for queer law students, called UQ OutLaws. Please contact Ella if you would like to be added. The UQLS will be collaborating with other university law societies to provide events for queer students, namely the Queer Beers in Semester One and Pride March in Semester Two. Refer to the UQLS Facebook page or UQ OutLaws for further details.