Ms Lennard, who is completing her final year of a post-graduate Bachelor of Laws, tied for the Martin Domke Award for best speaker along with two students from the Netherlands and United States. The competition brought 311 law schools together from across 67 countries.
It was the first time the university competed in the event which fosters study in international commercial and arbitration. Eleven other Australian universities also took part, among whom, University of Sydney reached the final eight teams and University of New South Wales and Monash University came among the final 16 teams.
Ms Lennard said she previously completed an undergraduate degree in international and global studies at Sydney University but chose to study law at Notre Dame for its more intimate student experience.
"The smaller class
sizes means you get more time with the teachers, you get to know your
peers better and the opportunities that come up are easier to take
advantage of," Ms Lennard said.
This included mentoring programs that resulted in her tutelage by Geoffrey Watson, SC, and helped her land paralegal roles at two commercial firms before she gained a summer clerkship at Gilbert+Tobin which she just completed.
"In the legal industry, it's about getting the experience and meeting people who can help you get further experience, so it's been very valuable," she said.
A top level student, Ms Lennard said she participated in other extra-curricular activities to get her ahead in the search for graduate jobs especially given no one in her family was in the legal profession.
This included mentoring programs that resulted in her tutelage by Geoffrey Watson, SC, and helped her land paralegal roles at two commercial firms before she gained a summer clerkship at Gilbert+Tobin which she just completed.
"In the legal industry, it's about getting the experience and meeting people who can help you get further experience, so it's been very valuable," she said.
A top level student, Ms Lennard said she participated in other extra-curricular activities to get her ahead in the search for graduate jobs especially given no one in her family was in the legal profession.
She was successful in obtaining a graduate position at Gilbert+Tobin.
Damian Sturzaker, the vice president of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Australia, which offers $1500 grants to participating universities to help support the teams, said developing Sydney as an arbitration centre, required the fostering of local lawyers and this started at the law school level.
Mr Sturzaker said that along with the courts' continued encouragement of arbitration for commercial disputes, it was hoped that boosting Australia's profile would lead to more arbitrators seeking to develop their careers in the country rather than flock offshore for opportunities in top arbitration centres such as London, New York, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Australia's distance from the major economic centres worked to its disadvantage but its stable judicial system and cost competitive practitioners could help change minds, he said.
Damian Sturzaker, the vice president of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Australia, which offers $1500 grants to participating universities to help support the teams, said developing Sydney as an arbitration centre, required the fostering of local lawyers and this started at the law school level.
Mr Sturzaker said that along with the courts' continued encouragement of arbitration for commercial disputes, it was hoped that boosting Australia's profile would lead to more arbitrators seeking to develop their careers in the country rather than flock offshore for opportunities in top arbitration centres such as London, New York, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Australia's distance from the major economic centres worked to its disadvantage but its stable judicial system and cost competitive practitioners could help change minds, he said.
The Notre Dame team were coached by lecturer Svetlana German and Angus Macinnis of commercial boutique StevensVuaran Lawyers.
Dean of Notre Dame Law School professor Michael Quinlan said alternative dispute resolution had always been part of the university's law course and, while arbitration had not been something other law schools focused on in the past, they were now including it in their curriculums.
Professor Quinlan said the university admitted no more than 120 students a year for its law degree compared to up to 700 a year at top schools which gave students a more interactive experience in education.
"Students are better able to engage in dialogue in the course of classes. It's important students learn not only to analyse the law but also interpersonal skills, competence in public speaking, mediation to be successful as a practising lawyer," he sai
Dean of Notre Dame Law School professor Michael Quinlan said alternative dispute resolution had always been part of the university's law course and, while arbitration had not been something other law schools focused on in the past, they were now including it in their curriculums.
Professor Quinlan said the university admitted no more than 120 students a year for its law degree compared to up to 700 a year at top schools which gave students a more interactive experience in education.
"Students are better able to engage in dialogue in the course of classes. It's important students learn not only to analyse the law but also interpersonal skills, competence in public speaking, mediation to be successful as a practising lawyer," he sai
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