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QLS graduates Yale Hudson-Flux, Irene Gallagher and Meagan Liu.

Three Queensland Law Society law graduates were admitted to the legal profession at the Banco Court on Wednesday 15 December.

Yale Hudson-Flux, Irene Gallagher and Meagan Liu have been undertaking the two-year QLS Graduate Program since February this year, while also completing their practical legal training through the College of Law.

While making their way through the graduate program, they have gained experience within three key areas at QLS, in the Legal Policy team, the Ethics and Practice Centre, and the Office of General Counsel and Regulation (OGC).

The trio recently started their second rotation of the program and QLS Proctor spoke with each of them to learn how their admission days went, find out how they are tracking within the graduate program and hear some of their plans for the future!

Yale Hudson-Flux

How did admission day go?

It was an amazing experience and it’s a big relief to be admitted! It was great to have my family and friends with me while I entered the next chapter of my career. Maree Westbrook (QLS General Counsel, OGC) moved my admission and it was great to have her there as well.

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Which area of law are you looking to pursue?

I am open to any area of law at this stage, but I have an interest in environmental law and climate change and it seems like a good fit for me. Perhaps I’ll work in a government agency, or in the private sector.

What have you enjoyed so far about the graduate program, and how has it helped you sharpen your legal skills?

I have greatly enjoyed the graduate program so far. I have built on a number of foundational skills, notably my time management and drafting skills – time management is absolutely key!

OGC was a really good opportunity for me to develop important legal skills like statutory interpretation – it was a big part of what I did, for example with interpreting a statute and applying it to a particular advice I was writing. With drafting, I improved on putting advices together that were as succinct and as simple as possible. When I was in OGC, I did a lot of advice work and also went to court a few times which I really enjoyed.

Now that I’m working in the Legal Policy team, I’ve written some submissions which I’m pretty proud of and I’ve been able to partake in a bunch of committees which is really cool because you learn a lot.

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Irene Gallagher


Irene on admission day with members of the QLS Legal Policy team.

What was your admission day experience like?

It was such a privilege to be admitted, and the ceremony had a lot of personal meaning to me. My admission was moved by my uncle, who is a solicitor. Along with my family, the ceremony was attended by a number of QLS staff, and it was amazing to have their support on the day.

After admission, my family and I went out for coffee together and then celebrated with dinner out. It was a lovely day, and a wonderful way to cap off the years of study and work that led up to this point.

How has the QLS graduate program enhanced your legal knowledge?

Working at QLS has allowed me to explore a wide range of areas of law, particularly through the work of the QLS Legal Policy committees. I feel that this broad exposure has helped me try different things and make a more informed decision about the next step in my career.

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For the last couple of months, I have been working in the Ethics team. It has been an excellent way to learn about the profession, and all the ways that QLS provides support to the profession.

What excites you most about your future in law?

I think that working in the law will provide me with an interesting, diverse, and challenging career. I am looking forward to the opportunity to do important and interesting work that has a tangible impact on my community.

From the graduate program at QLS, I am looking to spend some time working in private practice. I am open to working in a range of different areas of law, and look forward to gaining diverse experience at this early stage in my career.

Meagan Liu


Meagan signs the Roll on admission day.

How does it feel to be admitted to the legal profession?

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It feels pretty surreal. It is something I have been working and studying towards for many years, so I am very happy to be admitted. The ceremony itself was amazing. My partner Jaxson moved me, which made the experience even more special.

I am so grateful for the encouragement and support I receive from my family, friends and colleagues. I could not have done it without them.

What are you most looking forward to regarding your future in law?

Lifelong learning and the opportunity to make a difference.

Would you recommend the QLS graduate program to other law graduates?

I would wholeheartedly recommend the QLS graduate program. I have completed my first rotation in the Ethics and Practice Centre, and am currently in the OGC. It is a fantastic experience and unique learning opportunity which I feel very fortunate to be a part of.

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