MELBOURNE - Giulia Antoniazzi, a Year 12 student from Aitken college in Greenvale, had a very special day along with a small group of students from around Victoria.
Due to her outstanding academic results in VCE law, the Hume Town Hall awarded Giulia the opportunity to spend a full day with Supreme Court judges and lawyers, listening to their testimonies and stories of their professional experiences.
“They were extraordinary, explaining what it means in practice to play their role and describing the path they followed to become a lawyer or judge,” said Giulia.
The student described the day as an enlightening experience that changed her point of view and dismantled some of her prior-held beliefs about a career in law.
“I had prejudices about the legal world, but meeting these people made me change my mind,” Giulia explained.
“They were all very helpful and down-to-earth. Listening to their stories has inspired me to work in a field where I could really make a difference.”
According to Giulia, the students were able to better understand the study paths and personal choices of the professionals they spoke to.
“They were very open and shared with us details about the path that led them to where they are today,” said Giulia.
“The first judge we spoke to was Italian-Australian, he even spoke a little Italian,” she continued.
“He emphasised how his origins and the sacrifices made by his parents to provide a life of opportunity influenced his choices.
“Listening to him impressed me a lot, not only because of the similarities with my family history, but also because I think multiculturalism provides an advantage for law enforcement.”
Choosing a university is a critical decision for students in their final year of high school. Talking to people working in a particular field often provides an important moment of reflection for young people, and Giulia was no exception.
“The visit to the Supreme Court was very encouraging and made me think,” she shared.
“Before this experience I wasn’t sure whether I actually wanted to become a lawyer, despite my interest in legal subjects. I realised the great value of the profession and of working in a court, and I now see it as a path I might take in the future.”
The judges offered the students their perspective on what it means have a career that has a real impact on people’s daily lives, and therefore carries a great deal of responsibility.
Giulia did not seem to be intimidated by it. On the contrary, she was motivated to embrace a legal career.
“Enforcing the law, understanding the way in which to apply it on a case-by-case basis, making my contribution and making a difference. These are the aspects I am interested in.”
For now, Giulia is enjoying some time off while she awaits the results of her VCE exams and has also been nominated for a scholarship by her school principle.
Her goal is to enter the Faculty of Arts at The University of Melbourne, where she would like to study anthropology and criminology, subjects that may be useful for her future in the court.
