Students on trial as they learn the rule of law

HUNDREDS of high school students gathered at the University of Southern Queensland last week to learn the rule of law.  

District Court Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren SC was a guest speaker at the Living the Law conference, which brought together 260 Legal Studies students from across southern Queensland. For Downlands College Year 12 student Jaime Colley the conference was a chance to gain insight into the many different aspects of the rule of law.   

“It’s a brilliant opportunity for people to see the wide scope of options that are on offer – I’m using it to increase my knowledge and decide on my own future career,” she said.  

Miss Colley said she particularly enjoyed Judge Horneman-Wren’s presentation and how he used examples of direct relevance to young Australians.

“It was interesting to hear about the impacts of time on the law, particularly when it comes to technology,” she said. 

USQ’s School of Law and Justice head Professor Reid Mortensen said it was an honour to host the gathering of legal expertise and young enquiring minds.  

“Law plays an integral role in Australia society – it is one of the most important institutions we have for organising the way we live with each other,” Professor Mortensen said.  

“Events such as this increase students’ interest in the legal profession and provide an understanding of why law is fundamental to our way of life.”  

The students received a masterclass on different areas of law, including human rights law and criminal law.  

The conference was a joint initiative between Downlands College, St Joseph’s College, USQ and O’Neill Family Law.  

Read More: South Burnett Times