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While studying abroad is often painted as a once-in-a-lifetime cultural adventure filled with unforgettable memories, one law graduate says the reality goes much further – calling it a pivotal moment in shaping legal careers.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Protégé Podcast, Daphne Fong, a recent law graduate from UNSW and a graduate lawyer at Mallesons, reflected on how an overseas exchange went far beyond a study experience, shaping not only her legal skillset but also her confidence, perspective, and personal growth in ways that continue to influence her career today.
In the same episode, she urged law students who are on the fence about going on an exchange during their degree to take the leap, book the flight, and embrace the once-in-a-lifetime experience of studying abroad.
One of the most valuable professional skills Fong highlighted from the experience was her ability to adapt on the fly to vastly different learning styles and perspectives, developed through studying alongside classmates from around the world and being constantly challenged by new ways of thinking.
“The main professional skill that I developed has been just adapting to different types of learning styles and perspectives,” she said.
“Because, obviously, you’re in a classroom with people from all around the world. So when you’re doing things like group assignments, or you’re talking about various legal issues.”
That exposure to diverse perspectives was further enriched, she shared, by the lived experiences of her peers, recalling how classmates from around the world brought a level of practical insight to academic discussions that would be difficult to replicate in a domestic classroom.
“Everybody’s lived experiences were so different because it was master’s level courses, so I was learning about the laws of armed conflict, but then sitting at a table with two people [who] had actually served in militaries in Denmark and in Germany,” she said.
“Just being able to meet so many different people with different experiences and work with them, have discussions, I think was something that I developed, and I found to be really, really valuable.”
Beyond the classroom, Fong pointed to a standout experience completing a moot inside a Danish law firm, describing it as a rare and eye-opening opportunity that brought legal practice to life in a way few professional development experiences can match.
“I actually did a moot at Plesner, which is a law firm in Denmark. So being able to walk around the inside of the law firm and meet different people [who] were working in arbitration there was really cool,” she said.
Through the experience, she also expressed how her eyes were opened to a far wider world of legal career pathways beyond graduation, adding that many of these international opportunities are rarely highlighted within Australian universities.
“I also think just being in the classroom and realising that there’s a lot more different [pathways],” she said.
“There [are] many different pathways outside of commercial law as well, because there were a lot of students who were very interested in European law and human rights law and wanted to go into international law.
“So that’s something that I feel like wasn’t as present in Australia, but going to Europe, you have people that want to work at the Hague and want to go and work for like the European Parliament, which I never really had given much thought to previously.”
While the professional benefits and career insights were significant, Fong stressed that the personal growth she experienced through her exchange was just as transformative, shaping her confidence and independence in lasting ways.
“When I first got to Copenhagen, I was actually really sad, and I was a bit worried. I just thought, how am I going to make friends? I won’t make any friends,” she said.
“I had just rocked up with my suitcases after a very long flight, and I saw all these people in my shared kitchen having drinks and chatting, and I was like, oh, no, everybody’s already made friends, and I’m going to be stuck by myself.
“But what the experience taught me was I grew a lot in terms of my independence because I had to do things like cook and clean and live on my own.”
Through the experience of building relationships in unfamiliar settings and stepping outside her comfort zone, she reflected that it closely mirrors the demands of a future legal career, adding that what once felt intimidating has since become a source of confidence when navigating unfamiliar people and situations.
“Also, just living on my own and being able to go and approach people who I don’t know and start chatting to them and making friends, I think, was also a little bit daunting, which would definitely be applicable in a law firm environment,” she said.
“You’re always thrown into random networking events or networking with clients and things like that who you may not have met before.
“But being able to actually have the confidence to go over and start a conversation with someone was something that I’ve definitely developed by being on exchange, and I think will be useful.”
