Celebrating our Law School students
Whānau, whanaungatanga, and festivity were at the heart of this year’s AUT Law School Awards, an annual event that celebrates the academic achievements of our law students.
This year’s event featured an inspiring keynote from Law School alumna Angee Nicholas.
A 2018 graduate, Angee is highly regarded for her leadership in the Māori and Pacific Island Law Students’ Association. Angee, who is proud to be of Cook Island, Chinese and German descent, says she knew “from the get-go" that AUT was the place for her to study law. She reminisced about the the school’s small class sizes and interactive teaching style, which allowed her to feel comfortable asking questions as she learned. And she praised AUT Law School's “strong reputation” among the community, employers, and students and for creating career pathways for future alumni. Since graduating, Angee has established a career as a solicitor, company director, and political candidate.
Marked by laughter and applause, the evening was presided over by Law School Dean, Associate Professor Khylee Quince, and the school’s deputy, Mike French. The 120-strong audience comprised not only students, graduates, academics, families and friends, but also representatives from some of Auckland’s most reputable law firms.
The evening of celebration also reflected the maturity of the Law School, which is now in its 15th year. Jasween Mala was awarded the (joint) Top Student in Clinical Legal Education (LAWS776). It was a proud moment for her dad, Ashik (Ash) Chand, who began studying law at AUT in 2012 and graduated from the Law School in 2016.
Khylee noted it was the second time the school has recognised a second-generation graduate, reinforcing the vital intergenerational role of higher education within families and whānau.
The Dean also expressed gratitude for the collective effort in each student's successful journey at AUT Law School and acknowledged the continuous support from Aotearoa's legal sector in opening doors for AUT’s future Law School graduates.