Two Sydney Law School alumni top at Oxford
Alyssa Glass, Juris Doctor 2018
Alyssa Glass
Alyssa also received the Law Faculty Prize in International Law and Armed Conflict, Law Faculty Prize in International Law of the Sea, Law Faculty Prize in International Environmental Law, and Volterra Fietta Prize in International Dispute Settlement.
Alyssa said this about being awarded the Vinerian Scholarship:
“I feel that the Vinerian is a testament to the excellent teaching I had both at the University of Sydney and then on the BCL, and also that this achievement would have been utterly impossible without the collaborative and supportive approach of my group of friends and study-buddies, Alice included.”
In addition to her outstanding academic achievements at Sydney Law School, Alyssa was also active in Law School life. In 2017, Alyssa participated in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, and her team was named World and Australian National Champions. She also received the Stephen M. Schwebel Best Oralist Award. In 2019, Alyssa coached the Law Moot student team.
Alongside this, Alyssa was student editor of the Sydney Law Review and was awarded the Juris Doctor Valedictorian for academic achievement, co-curricular achievement, and contribution to the life and spirit of the cohort.
I chose to study the Juris Doctor at the University of Sydney because of the high standard of teaching and research at the Sydney Law School, and the quality and diversity of opportunities offered to students.
Alyssa Glass and Alice Zhou
What was the highlight of your studies here?
The highlight of my Juris Doctor was the depth of expertise and mentorship provided by my professors, particularly the public international law team at the Sydney Law School - among others, [Prof] Chester Brown, [Assoc Prof] Emily Crawford, [Prof] Mary Crock, [Dr] Alison Pert, and [Prof] Tim Stephens were inspiring teachers and incredibly supportive. Dr Pert, in particular, oversees the University's Jessup Moot program with immense dedication and commitment, and participation in the Jessup was the stand-out experience of my time at the Sydney Law School.
Can you give us a brief overview of your experience studying the BCL?
I feel extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to undertake further study at Oxford. It is difficult to sum up such an extraordinary year, but the experience was defined by the friends I made. Multiple laps around Addison's Walk (in the Magdalen College grounds) while trying to untangle knotty legal problems, questionable sandwich choices, late-night card games, a Winter Ball, lockdown 'liquid lounges' via Zoom, plenty of parties, and a (fair) bit of study in there too, basically covers it.
What are your plans for the future?
I am now moving to Paris to take up an Associate position at global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, in their public international law and international arbitration team.
Alice Zhou, Bachelor of Laws 2017
That Sydney graduates perform so well year after year in the BCL is a testament to the strong foundations with which a Sydney Law degree equips its students.
During her time at Oxford University, Alice won the Vinerian Scholarship Proxime Accessit, and gained first place in subjects, Comparative Human Rights and Civil Procedure.
When asked about her experience studying the BCL, Alice said this:
“My time at Oxford was nothing short of remarkable. I was challenged to think in ways I had not before, both by academics and by my peers. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to immerse myself in such an intellectually stimulating environment and for the no doubt lifelong friendships I made.
Were it not for the generous support I received as the recipient of the Peter Cameron Sydney Oxford Scholarship and the University of Sydney Eleanor Sophia Wood Postgraduate Travelling Scholarship, the past year would have been but a pipe dream. For that, I am incredibly grateful to the donors of both scholarships.
Alyssa Glass and Alice Zhou
Alice’s list of exceptional results, prizes and awards were equally as impressive while studying at Sydney Law School. She was also the recipient of the Peter Cameron Sydney Oxford Scholarship and the University of Sydney Eleanor Sophia Wood Postgraduate Travelling Scholarship.
Alice’s highlights at Sydney Law School included her participation in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in 2015, where her team was named World and Australian National Champions. She also received the Stephen M. Schwebel Best Oralist Award. Alice coached the Law Moot student team in 2018.
Alice also highlighted her time as President of the Sydney University Law Society in 2015.
“My time at Sydney, during which I benefited from the teaching of experts in their fields who were exceedingly generous with their time and advice, encouraged me to think critically and fostered my curiosity to pursue further study”, Alice said.
The Sydney Law School Pathway Program is a unique collaboration with the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and provides the opportunity for our high-achieving final-year students to complete their final semester at Sydney Law School, at one of the UK’s leading law schools. On completion, the students are awarded a Sydney Bachelor of Laws degree or Juris Doctor and a masters degree from either University of Oxford or Cambridge.
Banner image by Sidharth Bhatia on Unsplash.