More than 170 students, sponsors, staff and guests gathered at the Faculty of Law’s annual Prize Ceremony on Tuesday 9 May 2017.
The Faculty was delighted to welcome Australia's first Australian Border Force Commissioner and QUT School of Justice Alumnus, Roman Quaedvlieg APM, as the ceremony's guest speaker.
Roman shared stories about his career and his time working in Australia's most senior policing and crime units in the Queensland Police Service and Australian Federal Police. Roman is an excellent example of where a qualification from QUT can lead, and an inspiration to law and justice students.
Law and justice recipients were awarded certificates for achieving the highest aggregate mark in their units of study, or acknowledged for their community involvement in the 2016 academic year.
Professor John Humphrey, Executive Dean of the QUT Faculty of Law, congratulated the students on their successes over the past academic year.
“One unit is but one step along your path to graduation, but to have been the top-performing student in a high performing course means that you are doing very well. I am confident that the rest of your studies will be equally successful,” he said.
Dean McNulty received the Tom Cain Trophy for Outstanding Achievement, a prize awarded annually to a graduate of the Bachelor of Laws course who achieves their award with honours greater than or equal to Second Class Division A, and who has demonstrated high achievement in extra-curricular activities.
In his speech, Dean noted the importance of finding a genuine sense of purpose; something he believes he has found as a result of his dedication to his law studies, his career, and the support of his family.
“I believed that if I worked hard, learnt more, developed more skills, and maybe got better marks, then I’d be in a more powerful position to do something about contributing to a world with less injustice.”
“Academic success doesn’t come without hard work and sacrifice. It is worth taking the time to think about what we are really working and sacrificing for, and why,” he said.
The Faculty aims to continue to support law and justice students in their studies, encourage students’ personal academic potential, and provide opportunities to engage with industry and community sponsors.
Thank you to our generous sponsors:
- Aitken Partners
- Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers (AIPIO)
- Allens
- Carter Newell
- Caxton Legal Centre
- Corrs Chambers Westgarth
- de Groots Wills and Estates Lawyers
- DLA Piper Australia
- Emeritus Professor The Honourable Michael Lavarch
- Family Law Practitioners’ Association Queensland
- Feeney Family Law
- Gadens Lawyers
- GlobalX
- Herbert Smith Freehills
- McCullough Robertson Lawyers
- Queensland Law Society
- Ralph Devlin QC
- Women Lawyers Association of Queensland (WLAQ)
- ZONTA Brisbane Breakfast Club
We also appreciate the support of the Connolly, Leiboff and Dick families.
The Faculty would like to once again congratulate all student recipients on their achievements.
Photos from the event can be found on the Faculty’s Flickr account.
If you or your organisation is interested in sponsoring a prize, please contact us.