Shania Amolik
Solicitor, Hudson Gavin Martin
Bachelor of Laws (Honours) & Bachelor of Communication Studies in Public Relations
Shania Amolik says she loves her role as a solicitor at Hudson Gavin Martin, a corporate, commercial and dispute resolution law firm with the largest and most experienced legal team in the country focused on technology, media and IP.
“Our clients range from multi-national companies who need New Zealand-specific advice, to small startups and individuals who have brilliant and exciting ideas that we help to materialise and protect. As a junior solicitor, I get to work across different practice areas. This includes work in trademarks, advising on privacy matters, telecommunications and media regulations and so much more.
“I’ve been interested in media technologies since my communications studies and I love getting insight into the other side of this field – instead of studying the impact this has on people, I get to work with technology companies themselves. It’s really exciting to get to do work for big companies and brands, and equally rewarding to help small businesses and startups. I love getting into the details of legislation to figure out exactly how the law will be applied to a specific scenario.”
While Shania has already had a number of memorable moments in her role, there is one particular experience that stands out to her.
“Our firm writes the New Zealand chapter of the International Space Law Review, a textbook that provides commentary on the legal and regulatory frameworks governing space and satellite activities in different jurisdictions across the world. I got to help with updating the New Zealand chapter for the Fourth Edition of this text. This involved researching New Zealand space law regulation and developments to write the updates. This was so interesting and it’s cool to have the actual text out there too.”
Finding her path
For Shania, the first step towards the rewarding career she has today was coming to AUT to study public relations and law.
“I decided on AUT because I wanted to study and work in public relations and the communications school at AUT is known to be the best in New Zealand. I was also curious about law, so decided to enrol in the law degree to see if it was for me. It only took a few weeks of classes for me to love it. I loved learning about the legal system, how to interpret legislation and analyse cases. Law is challenging, but so interesting and fulfilling.
“My communications degree was the perfect way to add a creative outlet to my studies. This was also where I acquired an interest in technology and media communications, which is the field of law I’m in now. The media theory courses in my communications degree sparked my interest in the concept of privacy and how this is affected by technology. Writing my honours dissertation about the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020 allowed me to explore the intersection between privacy as a sociological concept and its legal framework. Working in a technology-focused law firm and doing privacy-related work feels like a great extension of the things I loved at AUT.”
She says she had plenty of highlights throughout her time at AUT.
“I enjoyed the range of electives that AUT offered. Some of my favourites were Remedies in Private Law and Advanced Private Law. These were theory-heavy classes in which we were taught to analyse and engage with case law and think about what the future of these areas might be. I also took Law and Popular Culture, which was a really fun combination of both my degrees and I was on the Dean’s List for this course in my fourth year. I’m also proud that my negotiating partner and I came first place in the Senior Negotiating Competition in my third year of uni.”
Advice for other students
Having graduated from AUT in 2023, Shania has some great advice for other students.
“I’d recommend that students get stuck into as many things as they can. If there’s something you’re curious about, find out how you can learn more about it and get involved. This can include clubs and competitions, but also anything related to your studies.”
Make the most of your lecturers, she adds.
“The lecturers at AUT are so encouraging and passionate about their subjects, and they love when you share their enthusiasm. Some of my most beneficial experiences at university came out of me talking to my lecturers to learn more about things I was curious about. For example, I was interested in communications research and spoke to one of my lecturers, which led to me working as a research assistant at an AUT research centre for a couple of years. This experience fuelled my interest in academic research and writing, something I’m still interested in today.”
