Samridhi Gupta
Legal Assistant, Gateway Lawyers
Bachelor of Laws
She has always been fascinated by how the legal system influences everyday life, says Samridhi Gupta, who came to AUT to study a Bachelor of Laws.
“I’m particularly interested in property law, and corporate and commercial law, and I see a legal career as a way to not only challenge myself intellectually but also build a profession where I can solve problems and contribute to a fairer society.”
Now working as a legal assistant at Gateway Lawyers while she is completing her Professional Legal Studies Course, she loves being able to use her understanding of the law to help her clients.
“I work in the property law team, and a few of my responsibilities include drafting sale and purchase of real estate contracts, working on bank/lending institutions’ documents for clients, inputting and submitting information on Land Information New Zealand, file management and client interactions. It's a fast-paced area of law with new things to learn every day. There are a lot of complex, nitty gritty details to get into, and I get to work with many different clients and on a variety of different matters every day.”
Supportive and engaging
While she had many highpoints throughout her time at AUT, Samridhi says the supportive Law School community was one of the standouts for her.
“I chose to study at AUT because I had heard a lot about how the AUT community and lecturers are very supportive. With law being an inherently competitive field, to be in an environment that supports one’s growth was incredibly valuable to me, and I’m so happy to have chosen AUT for my studies.”
She also appreciated the opportunities she had access to while she was at university.
“One of the biggest highlights of my time at AUT would be the opportunity to experience an exchange semester at Stockholm University in Sweden, which came after the first few years of my degree being under lockdown. This was a precious opportunity and something I’ll cherish for a lifetime. From exploring new cultures and making lifelong friends from around the globe, every moment was enriching. The diverse perspectives in the classroom have broadened my horizons and deepened my understanding of the world.
“While I was at AUT, I also chose to participate in the Shadow a Leader programme, shadowing leaders at K3 Legal and Lane Neave. Both experiences were unique. At K3 Legal, I spent the day rotating around the different verticals in the industry. It gave me a broad insight into the different areas of practice and allowed me to start thinking about what area I’d like to explore further. At Lane Neave, I shadowed the dispute resolution and litigation team. I got to experience bankruptcy court proceedings, a client meeting, and what it takes to plan for and execute the different tasks to accomplish a common goal for the clients. Overall, the experiences allowed me to visualise the practical aspects of being a lawyer.”
Advice for other students
Samridhi, who completed her studies in 2024, has some great advice for other students who are only at the start of their own university journey.
“Get involved in all opportunities and events available to you. The small things you pick up and learn from the innumerable potential interactions will be invaluable, and will allow for incredible self-growth and confidence.”
There is plenty of support if you need it, she adds.
“The staff at AUT were incredibly supportive and encouraging throughout my time there. For example, Kirsten Lovell was so supportive in providing all the information for my student exchange, enabling effective and quick communication between all parties, and ensuring a smooth process once I got to Sweden. Nirisha Niranjan from the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law partnerships team encouraged me to explore the various opportunities available through AUT, and made those super accessible and absolutely worth the time.
“Troy Tuhou and the library team at the South Campus were wonderful. They not only assisted with library resources, but made it an extremely welcoming place for study sessions. Finally, Professor Allan Beever was an amazing teacher who made complex subjects so digestible and the courses intriguing. I found myself wanting to learn much more in-depth about the subjects he taught.”
