Daniel Hsieh
Attorney-At-Law, Wei Chin Attorneys-At-Law, Taichung, Taiwan
Bachelor of Laws
The people are what he enjoyed most about studying law at AUT, says Daniel Hsieh who graduated with his Bachelor of Laws in 2022.
“The people create the atmosphere at any organisation, and the vibes at the AUT Law School are a million times better than those at some other universities. I studied at another university before and got into Part 2 law in my first attempt, and I tried my best for a couple of years but the environment wasn’t suitable for me.
“When the dean, Associate Professor Khylee Quince, made the jump to AUT, I went to see her and had a chat about my options. She recommended that I give AUT a go and asked me what I had to lose. I’m so grateful for her candour and advice, and making the move to AUT has probably been the best decision of my life. The AUT Law School is the youngest law school in New Zealand and I found that AUT was doing more things for students, the buildings are way better and it was a much more enjoyable experience.”
Since completing his studies, Daniel has moved to Taiwan where he has been working as an attorney at Wei Chin Attorneys-At-Law.
“I love the hands-on experience I get when I accompany my boss on outings, whether it’s to Nantou District Court, Taipei District Court or a board meeting of the National Taichung University of Science and Technology. It’s great fun going to the office every day and socialising with my colleagues. Later this year though I’m moving to Wales to study the Bar Training Course, which Cardiff University offers as a master’s degree.”
Valuable experiences
For Daniel, one of the highlights of his time at AUT was participating in the Shadow a Leader programme, where students get to spend a day with a senior leader in their chosen profession.
“I shadowed Kriezl Grecia from Chapman Tripp, and it was great to see a law firm in action. We met the chief executive partner and had a seminar with him, and it was also great to have a chat with another AUT graduate, Laura Hall, who was gracious in offering her time to talk about her own experience at AUT and now at Chapman Tripp. I gained insights into the firm and saw how staff interacted with people, the dress they wore and the way they spoke. The views from the Chapman Tripp office are just stunning.
“I’d absolutely recommend Shadow a Leader to other law students. It’s a great chance to gain insights into how law firms operate. Although it’s just a day, you learn so much by listening and through osmosis. Just relax and try to absorb as much information as you can on the day, and then go home and reflect on what you’ve seen. It’s such a valuable experience to be able to visit a law firm or corporates and businesses.”
It's experiences like this that set AUT apart from other universities, he says.
“I think AUT invests a lot into its students and you can see that from the day to day activities. The lecturers love their jobs at AUT and you can really feel it when you listen to how passionately they teach. I’m lucky to have a point of comparison to other unis, and can highly recommend AUT to all students because of the people and the great atmosphere.”
Advice for other students
Daniel, who graduated from AUT in 2022, has some great advice for other students,
“Make friends and talk to people. I know it’s hard to socialise with people with the pressure of law school and competition, but I think it doesn’t have to be that way.”
He certainly knows what he is talking about.
“I made great friends in law school, and it’s great seeing them now and watching how their careers grow. Before I left New Zealand, I met up with my AUT friends Emma Moon and Sam Toman, and it was so lovely to reconnect. I wish them all the best!”
