Meet Hannah Fernie! Hannah (she/her) lives in and grew up on the South Coast. She likes to spend her free time at the beach, swimming, walking or camping. She also enjoys helping out a dog rescue centre.
Hannah is studying a Bachelor of Laws at the University of New England. Through the CLCNSW First Nations Cadetship Program, she did community legal centre placements with Shoalcoast Community Legal Centre and the Justice and Equity Centre.
We asked Hannah some questions about her experience of the First Nations Cadetship Program and her plans for the future!
How are you enjoying the Cadetship Program so far?
I really enjoy it. Coming to work is easy, and I look forward to coming in each week, I don’t think a day has past that I’ve come to work and not learned something.
What have you enjoyed the most?
I have enjoyed working as part of a team, and seeing my colleagues doing their best to help their clients. It has been great to see people who are vulnerable receive help with their legal matters that they otherwise they would not have had access to.
I have finished my placement with ShoalCoast Community Legal Centre in Nowra. It’s been a great experience learning so many different areas of law. I also began my placement with the Justice and Equity Centre, and so far it’s been great. It's very different but I’m looking forward to being involved in all of the different areas of law.
Do you have a particular area of interest in law?
I am interested in Children’s Law, in particular the areas of criminal law, care and protection.
Which courts and lists have you visited so far in the Cadetship Program?
I have been lucky to visit the Supreme Court for a sentencing hearing for a murder trial. That was very interesting listening to counsel from both sides discuss mitigating factors that could influence sentencing. I’ve also visited NCAT and the Family Court’s Indigenous List.
What would you like to be doing in five years?
I hope I am helping kids. Whether it’s in care and protection or defending in other legal matters, I hope to be able to help vulnerable kids improve their situations.
What do you hope to get out of your cadetship?
I hope to continue to learn about the legal issues that affect my community, to develop a better understanding of the areas of law that interest me and helping out where I can.