The initiative provides students from rural and regional NSW with a pathway to a career in law
Ashurst Perkins Coie, Clayton Utz and Gilbert + Tobin (G+T) have teamed up for the Launchpad 2 Law initiative, which provides students from rural and regional NSW with a pathway to a career in law.
Lawyers, university representatives and corporate partners will visit high schools in these areas. The initiative involves engaging with such students, providing financial support, mentoring, sharing information and resources to help with university applications, and holding an annual gathering for scholars.
Ashurst Perkins Coie, Clayton Utz and G+T have committed to a minimum of five visits a year each; they have already stopped by schools in Wagga Wagga, Bathurst and South Coast. The lawyers involved in the initiative include Ashurst Perkins Coie’s Tony Damian and India Becroft, G+T’s Hiroshi Narushima, and Clayton Utz’s Kirsten Webb and Lauren Judge.
In addition, nine scholarships worth $10,000 will be handed out annually to qualified students pursuing a law degree in NSW. Scholars will receive support from mentors throughout their time in university.
An annual gathering will be held for the scholars in Sydney; it will include a panel discussion, a legal and career-skills workshop, mentor pairings and a formal dinner. A dedicated website and resource hub has been launched that details university entry pathways, scholarship opportunities, and other materials for the reference of students pondering a career in the legal profession.
NSW chief justice Andrew Bell AC will deliver the keynote address at the first Scholars' Day & Dinner to take place in February 2027.
Ashurst Perkins Coie, Clayton Utz and G+T noted that despite achieving high marks academically, students from rural and regional areas are less likely to transition directly to university than students from metropolitan areas.
“Many students in rural and regional New South Wales have limited opportunities to meet practising lawyers or see a clear path into the profession. Launchpad 2 Law aims to change this by sending our people directly into these communities, and by supporting that commitment with school visits, scholarships, and mentoring initiatives”, the three firms said in a joint statement.
The firms urged rural and regional NSW schools to host Launchpad 2 Law school visits. The initiative is being sponsored by Ampol, SP Search & Consulting and Trilogy Hotels.
