From a very young age, Tania Durham knew she wanted to study law, however she felt a law degree wasn’t the right fit for her. She chose Macquarie as it was one of the only universities offering both criminology and different pathways to the qualifications and career she wanted to pursue.
Perfect fit: Tania Durham completed a Juris Doctor rather than a Bachelor of Laws to achieve her legal qualification.
“There’s a lot of flexibility with Macquarie, I was able to do a Bachelor of Arts and choose security units as part of my degree,” she explains.
“Then with my Juris Doctor (JD), I didn’t want to do another Bachelor of Laws; I wanted to do a master’s level degree as a step up and challenge myself, and that’s why it was the perfect fit for me.”
As part of her postgraduate degree, Tanya undertook an internship with Bahay Tuluyan, a children's rights organisation based in the Philippines.
Tania impressed me as a highly motivated and dedicated team member who could be relied upon to manage her workload and time independently.
“At the time, extrajudicial killings were quite prominent in the Philippines. So we were writing a research paper to assist the organisation, [with the aim of] giving that paper to the court of criminal justice,” she says.
Upon graduating, Tania started working at the Aboriginal Legal Service in Redfern, Sydney. She has held multiple roles there, but is currently working as a solicitor.
“I’m in crimes practice and specifically the fines clinic. So we work on a lot of fines, in particular the ones that were handed out to our clients during COVID.”
Tania's employer Lauren Stefanou says the ALS looks for graduates with up-to-date knowledge of the criminal law, as well as knowledge and appreciation of the cultural and social needs of Aboriginal communities, including when considering service delivery and other support for clients, their families, communities and staff.
"Tania impressed me as a highly motivated and dedicated team member who could be relied upon to manage her workload and time independently, all of which are highly valued attributes in an organisation like the ALS," Lauren said. "Her existing familiarity with our workplace and clients from her time volunteering at our Redfern office were also qualities which contributed to her being a stand-out candidate for the role."
The importance of inclusion
Outside of class, Tania immersed herself in student life, joining the Macquarie University Law Society (MULS) where she played winter netball and met other people in the JD course.
Pathway options: Tania chose to do a Bachelor of Arts (Arts Faculty courtyard pictured) plus a Juris Doctor to launch her legal career.
“The best part of Macquarie is that it brings people from everywhere – there is so much diversity. As a woman of colour myself, I was always so comfortable and was welcomed on campus,” she says.
“I also loved the learning aspect, where you’re not just taught what’s written in a textbook; you’ll learn to challenge yourself and others in a safe environment. You’re being challenged in conversations, but in a healthy way.”
Socially, Tania says she loved that there were always plenty of social opportunities on campus, from trivia nights and functions, to cool libraries and sports.
“Another aspect of Macquarie I really love is the friendships you make, you become very tight-knit. The culture there is great. I think it differs from other unis because there’s not that negative notion of competitiveness that a lot of my friends have experienced at other unis,” she says.
“It’s a very supportive environment. There’s always support available if anyone needs it academically or emotionally. Whatever is going on, Macquarie is there for you, which I really like.”
Tania's boss at the ALS, Lauren Stefanou, says the service looks for graduates with up-to-date knowledge of the criminal law, as well as knowledge and appreciation of the cultural and social needs of Aboriginal communities, including when considering service delivery and other support for clients, their families, communities and staff.
"Tania impressed me as a highly motivated and dedicated team member who could be relied upon to manage her workload and time independently, all of which are highly valued attributes in an organisation like the ALS," Lauren said. "Her existing familiarity with our workplace and clients from her time volunteering at our Redfern office were also qualities which contributed to her being a stand-out candidate for the role."
TANIA DURHAM
Degree: Bachelor of Arts and Criminology, and a Juris Doctor with a specialisation in social justice.
My job: Solicitor, Aboriginal Legal Service
Three ways MQ supported me to be job-ready:
- Critical thinking. “I loved the fact that, especially as part of my criminology degree, we were taught to think outside the box and not just take what we’re given in a textbook. Having that open discussion with different perspectives is always good.”
- Timeliness and deadlines. “Having to get assessments in at a specific time has prepared me, especially as a solicitor, to make sure I’m on top of things like court dates.”
- How to work as a team.“Working with people from all walks of life can be quite challenging, especially in group settings, so learning how to overcome those adversities and work as a team to meet whatever deadline it is and task you’re given.”
How I apply what I learned at Macquarie in the workplace:
“Aspects of the internship were things that I carried into the workplace. Working in a large team, meeting specific deadlines, being meticulous with communication and being on top of everything as a group but also my individual tasks.”
Advice to prospective students:
“Choose a course you are interested in and passionate about. Doing a degree you love will make the assessments and exams bearable, because you’re working towards a goal. Sounds pretty straightforward, but many students skip over this basic step. Also do not be in a perpetual race to get to a specific role. Often career opportunities will come from places you don’t expect.”
