The Pacific Island Law Students’ Association is one group to have benefited from the Law Dean’s Innovation Fund. Pictured at the Beehive last year, is from back, from left, Chenoa Metua, Ansu Conteh, Tiri Teerite, Grace Ahdar, Seluvaia Ratoul, Anika Moetaua, Cisco Andersen, Letava Thompson and Amandah Hola. Front from left is, Charlotte Leach, Gracie Seeto, Genevieve Austin, Ieula Cowley, Tiana Brown Kiana Raeli.
The Law Dean’s Innovation Fund is helping Otago law students broaden their horizons.
Launched in 2023, during the 150th anniversary celebrations of New Zealand’s oldest law faculty, it has been in operation for nearly two years.
Dean of Law Professor Shelley Griffiths says the idea for the fund came while she was reviewing fundraising options for the Otago Faculty of Law 150th anniversary.
She says by pooling together several smaller donations a significant fund could be established.
Shelley says the fund was established under the Law Dean’s discretion, but she decided to set up an advisory group with two of her Otago Faculty of Law colleagues to oversee the distribution of funds.
She says so far, the fund has been used in a variety of ways. These have included helping fund the Pacific Island Law Students’ Association (PILSA) law camp at Quarantine Island last year.
It also helped members from Pride in Law in Otago (PILO) attend the national LGBTQIA+ conference in 2023 and 2024.
Last year the fund helped PILSA students visit key Wellington locations, including Parliament, the Supreme Court, government departments and some law firms there.
Returning from the PILSA camp on Quarantine Island, funded by the Law Dean's Innovation Fund, in 2024 is back from left: Anika Moetaua, Charlotte Leach, Seluvaia Ratoul, Cisco Andersen and Grace Ahdar. Front from left is Genevieve Austin and Kiana Raeli.
During the visit, former PILSA members who are now based in the capital city shared their experiences on some of the legal career options available.
“The students met some of their peers and got to dream about some of the career options that are available for them once they have completed their studies,” Shelley says.
The Law Dean’s Innovation Fund is also being used to help an Otago moot court team that will represent the University at the Philip C Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Washington DC in April.
The fund seeks the support of the University’s legal alumni, but any alumni or friends of Otago are welcome to support it.
“The fund is likely to have a 10 or 11-year lifespan, but if our alumni continue to contribute it may well run longer,” Shelley says.
Two Dunedin law firms with long associations with the University of Otago, Anderson Lloyd and Gallaway Cook Allan, contributed generous donations to launch the fund.
“This was amazing, but it is the many smaller donations that keep the fund going,” Professor Griffiths says.
You can donate to the fund here.