Rachel Chalmers: Lawyers Weekly Law Student of the Year finalist

Rachel will be representing the University of Adelaide with the national recognition at the awards ceremony in Sydney, Australia. 

The 'Law Student of the Year' award is one of the 38-submission based categories. This category identifies the highest performing students currently enrolled in an Australian bachelor of laws degree, and formally acknowledges their valuable contributions to strengthening Australia’s legal profession.

Attaining a prestigious accolade from this series of events serves as a testament to these finalists who, as undergraduates, are performing beyond expectations in their academic, community and legal achievements. During her time as a student at the Adelaide Law School, Rachel has seized the opportunities available to undergraduate students and has been thriving in her local legal community.

A passionate orator, Rachel represented the University of Adelaide in global and national moot court competitions on International Humanitarian Law. She also led a team of student representatives, as a portfolio director of the Adelaide University Law Students’ Society and has volunteered her time as a student guest speaker in legal outreach activities. Most recently, in her arsenal of growing achievements, Rachel was valedictorian (view her valedictory speech, here) at the Faculty of the Professions graduation ceremony in April, graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
 

I am fortunate to have learnt so much from each course lecturer and seminar leader at Adelaide Law School, and likewise from collaboration with my fellow peersRachel Chalmers, Bachelor of Laws (Honours) student

This year, Rachel is completing her Honours year for her Bachelor of Laws, in addition to undertaking duties as a student editor of the Adelaide Law Review and a research assistant with the Research Unit on Military Law and Ethics (RUMLAE). Her timely research topic concerns the field of Constitutional Law and its interaction with the border closure restrictions imposed during the CoVID-19 pandemic. 

Now in its 21st year, the Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards sets the benchmark for legal professionals across the country to be recognised at a national level.

Rachel is “honoured and thrilled” to be named a finalist for the 'Law Student of the Year' award category, and is even more so, excited to be representing the Adelaide Law School (Team Adelaide).

"Being short-listed as a finalist for this award is a tremendous honour that I owe to all those who have supported me over the past 5 years being a Law student at the University of Adelaide" she said of the news.

"I am fortunate to have learnt so much from each course lecturer and seminar leader at Adelaide Law School, and likewise from collaboration with my fellow peers both inside seminars, and outside through extracurricular opportunities. I also owe particular thanks to Professor Dale Stephens for his generous mentorship since my very first year at Adelaide Law School. I am excited to meet and congratulate the other finalists, and represent Adelaide Law School, at the national awards this August."

Rachel would also like to thank Adelaide Law graduate, Alison Jones (a former finalist in 2018) for her support and friendship. 

See the full list of finalists and nominees in the Lawyers Weekly awards here. 

For more information about the Bachelor of Laws degree, visit https://law.adelaide.edu.au/