Law students Suvradip Maitra and Savannah Kuylaars have been working with YFS Legal and solicitor Candice Hughes to assist young people facing the youth justice system. Both have reported confidence in their legal skills and in the new experiences.

“In addition to building confidence in our legal skills, perhaps the most valuable learning has been acquiring an understanding of significant socio-legal issues facing Indigenous populations within the legal sector,” said fifth-year student, Ms Kuylaars.

She added the experience with YFS Legal has inspired her to be a better lawyer to ensure Indigenous Australians are “adequately represented in the law”.

Sixth-year student Mr Maitra said they have been unable to attend trials and to physically be in the court system due to COVID-19, but the dedication of supervisors has helped.

“We have used this opportunity to contribute to meaningful tasks including the preparation of sentencing submissions accounting for COVID-19 and learning to draft submissions to police and to the courts,” Mr Maitra said, adding the research has enabled both students to appreciate the serious risks posed by COVID-19 to vulnerable prisoners.

Among their achievements from working with YFS Legal was in contributing their research to achieve a successful bail application for a young person arguing impacts of the COVID outbreak on the environment and processes in a detention centre.

UQ Pro Bono Centre director Monica Taylor said she was proud of the students for going the extra mile to help community legal centres and their clients during the pandemic.

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“Under these difficult circumstances, clinics have had to adapt very quickly, while students are also constantly adapting,” Ms Taylor said. “Our students are an asset to the achool, the Pro Bono Centre and the clinics they service.”

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