Our Work

Student-led and equity-driven, our mahi builds community, confidence, and change.

UoA Women in Law is more than a student group, we’re a registered charity led by students, working to reshape what the future of law looks like in Aotearoa.

Everything we do is designed to create space, opportunity, and support for women and gender-diverse law students, from the beginning of their university journey to its end.

Grounded in advocacy and guided by kaupapa, we believe in delivering a well-rounded range of events and initiatives that respond to the diverse needs of our community. To achieve this, we’ve organised our event portfolios into six key focus areas: Recruitment, Education, Social, Wellbeing, Orientation, and Community - each shaped by our commitment to equity, representation, and systemic change.

  • We foster professional development by bridging the gap between students and the legal profession. Through networking nights, clerkship panels, and events like Counsel Over Coffee, we create accessible, low-pressure spaces where students can connect with legal professionals, gain insight into the industry, and build confidence in their career journeys. Recognising that many of our members pursue pathways beyond traditional legal practice, we also connect students with leaders in adjacent fields, including consulting, public policy, and corporate sectors to showcase the diverse opportunities a law degree can unlock.

  • We support academic growth by running workshops and panels that demystify legal study. From LAW 121 sessions to mooting workshops and exam prep, our education events equip students with tools to succeed - especially those from non-traditional or underrepresented backgrounds.

  • Our social events create spaces of belonging and connection, where students can take a break from the intensity of law school and simply enjoy community. Whether it’s a paint-and-sip or end-of-semester celebration, these events foster whanaungatanga and long-term peer support.

  • We actively promote mental health and balance through events focused on hauora and self-care. Initiatives like Sweat with WIL, wellbeing panels, and collaborative sessions with health professionals help students build resilience and stay grounded during their law school journey.

  • Our orientation programming ensures new students feel welcomed, prepared, and supported from day one. Through buddy systems, survival guides, and kōrero with senior students, we ease the transition into law school and empower first-years to find their place early on.

  • At the heart of Women in Law is a deep commitment to building community - both within the law school and beyond it.

    Internally, we create spaces where women and gender-diverse law students can connect, feel seen, and thrive. Through events that prioritise inclusivity, whanaungatanga, and student voice, we work to break down the isolation and competitiveness that can often characterise legal study. Our community is one of support, solidarity, and shared growth.

    Externally, we’re equally committed to engaging with the broader community. This includes outreach to secondary schools (especially those with limited access to legal education pathways), collaborations with other equity groups, and initiatives that amplify voices often excluded from legal spaces.

    Through both strands, our goal is to cultivate a legal community that is connected, representative, and driven by values, not just credentials.

  • Dream it.

  • Build it.

  • Grow it.

  • Love it.