What is the Bond Law Clinic?

As part of their law degree, students studying either the Bachelor of Laws or the Juris Doctor have the opportunity to gain practical legal experience within a law firm under the guidance of the experienced lawyers who provide the legal advice service.

Bond understands the significance of practical training and ensures that law students have various opportunities to hone their skills and prepare for successful entry into the workforce.

The Bond Law Clinic

Part of the Bond Legal Clinics Program, the on-campus Bond Law Clinic provides free legal advice to small businesses, not-for-profits, members of the Queensland community, and university staff and students.

The clinic enables law students to volunteer their time during their degree to gain practical insight and experience in diverse areas of law.

The Bond Law Clinic provides pro bono legal services in the following areas advice about issues such as business structures, intellectual property (e.g. trademarks and copyright), consumer protection and competition regulation, contracts, franchising, leasing, debt recovery, and licensing. It focuses primarily on the following areas of law:

• Commercial law
• Property law
• Consumer law
• Start-up law

The clinic features a full-time solicitor and is registered as a legal business (Bond Law Clinic Pty Ltd)—the first of its kind for a law school in Australia—which helps to provide even more clinical experience for law students.

What do law students do at the clinic?
Typically, student volunteers will be involved in assisting lawyers in the clinic. You’ll undertake tasks such as legal research, drafting, interviewing clients, client intakes, and related administrative work, which provides practical insights into the legal profession. Your specific responsibilities will be allocated according to your experience and the needs of the clinic.

The commitment of 2 hours per week or at least 5 sessions per semester, allows Bond law students to balance their volunteer work with their academic responsibilities effectively.

Why should I volunteer?
As a Bond Law Clinic volunteer, you’ll gain practical work experience dealing with real issues and real clients through your networking with experienced lawyers and academics in the clinic environment.

The hands-on experience you’ll gain by dealing with the community and providing valuable community service is invaluable in your legal education.

Can I use my Australian law degree in Canada?
Yes! For information about the NCA exams after your law studies, check out Graduating from an Australian law school and the NCA assessment process, which outlines the steps required to practice law in Canada.

Studying Law at Bond Law School

Bond’s law programs are designed to equip you for a career in the legal profession, business, industry, or government. The combination of excellent teaching, small classes, international perspective and extensive legal skills program provides an exciting learning experience that both challenges you academically and prepares you practically for a legal career.

As a Bond law student, you’ll have access to career guidance and introductions through the university’s Career Development Centre (CDC) where the team is dedicated to supporting all students throughout their career journey by helping them to find internships and future employment opportunities.

Thousands of Canadians have studied law in Australia at Bond University and are successfully practicing in Canada. The Bond Canadian Law Students’ Association hosts NCA process seminars and provides information and support for Canadians wishing to return to Canada.

Bond Law has strong links with Canada and has been training Canadian lawyers for more than 20 years. More than 150 Canadians are currently studying law at Bond and are rapidly expanding the network of Canadian alumni working as partners and senior practitioners in Canada and worldwide. Both the JD and the LLB programs offer Canadian Law electives:

• Foundations of Canadian Law
• Canadian Criminal Law
• Canadian Constitutional Law
• Canadian Administrative Law

Program: Juris Doctor (JD)
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland
Semester intakes: January, May, or September
Duration: 2 years (6 semesters)
Application deadline: There is no official application deadline. Students from Canada should apply at least three months prior to the start of the program.

Program: Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland
Semester intakes: January, May, or September
Duration: 2 years, 8 months
Application deadline: There is no official application deadline. Students from Canada should apply at least three months prior to the start of the program.

Start your application to Bond Law School!

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Would you like to learn more about studying law? Contact OzTREKK’s Law Team at law@oztrekk.com for more info!