“We start the sessions with a group of young students who are often uncomfortable speaking about these topics with adults and lawyers they have never met,” says Georgia Peake, Solicitor at Mallesons. “By the final session, we always see an incredible shift in the students' willingness to engage with the topics and share their own stories about how these issues may have personally impacted them or someone they know. This is made possible because of the fantastic materials that Mallesons’ Responsible Business team prepares and the amazing job all our volunteers do at building rapport with the students across the three weeks.”

Georgia and our many TalkLaw volunteers speak of the value they get from connecting with young people face-to-face and sharing knowledge that empowers them, both as advocates for justice and as individuals navigating the adult world and the legal system. “It was extremely rewarding connecting with Matraville High students interested in the practice and facilitate discussions around discrimination, employment rights and engage in an interactive mock trial,” says Avni Gupta, Solicitor at Mallesons. “Their enthusiasm was incredible to see and it was a fantastic opportunity to be involved in.”

Students and teachers alike are impressed with the quality of their TalkLaw experience. The friendliness of the volunteers is a stand-out, as are the practical and interactive elements of the TalkLaw content, designed specifically for high school age Australians. “The students engaged really well and the lawyer volunteers were all very knowledgeable and friendly too,” says Max Hunt, Teacher at Yeronga High School in Queensland. “It was a great balance of dialogue, written and collaborative activities.”

Impacts of the program extend far beyond the classroom as it ignites students’ interest in justice and builds confidence in their ability to engage with the law. “I didn’t know that my work was doing the wrong thing before I did TalkLaw,” said one student participant. “Now I know my rights.”