Loading ...The Law Students’ Society at the University of Adelaide was founded in 1898. It is one of the oldest associations at the university. In early times Society members regularly rowed, debated and played lacrosse together. Since then the law faculty has become properly coeducational – with almost equal gender proportions – few law students play lacrosse and the activities of the Society have expanded ten fold. Yet the Society remains the linchpin of student life at Adelaide Law School: Society activities include the Law Ball – the largest in the country – advocacy and representation services, a careers department, a social justice office, vigorous and enjoyable competitions (both scholarly and sporting), mentoring schemes, publications, dinners and pub nights.
Indeed, benefits attached to membership are dynamic and multifarious. The Society also represents it’s member’s interests to the Australian Law Students’ Association on whose council the President and Vice President sit.
The Society currently has 1400 members from the law faculty. Notable past members include the current Australian Ambassador to the UN at Geneva, Mike Smith, one of the worlds foremost international jurists and Chair of international law at Cambridge University, James Crawford, all current and past Supreme Court Justices in the state, many ambassadors for Australia and other countries in the region, and numerous ministers in state and federal governments.
The Society motto used since 1898 is ‘Lux Gentium Lex’ and as interpreted by university classics specialist Dr. Anne Geddes means “law is the light of the nations.” Society officers are elected at an annual ballot. Since the Societies’ founding, all officers have been retained in a voluntary capacity. Membership of the Society is automatic for all law students enrolled at The University of Adelaide.