When Justice Rachel Pepperarrived in Canberra to study law more than two decades ago, she had no connections in the legal world and was the first in her family to go to university.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
When she returned to the ANU campus this year, it was as the first judge to take part in the judge-in-residence program at the Centre for International and Public Law.
The initiative is designed to foster a closer relationship between the ANU College of Law and the judiciary by giving faculty and students access to a working judge.
"I'm hoping it shows judges are real people too," Justice Pepper said.
"For many students, they may never meet a judge in person. I wanted to explain what judges did and that judges are normal people too."
Justice Pepper graduated from the College of Law with honours in 1994 and was appointed judge in the NSW Land and Environment Court in 2009.
She previously worked as a High Court associate to Justice Michael McHugh and as a barrister.
Justice Pepper held meet-the-judge sessions for students, gave several guest lectures – including one specifically for female students –and took part in research during her time in the capital
Greater pressure
She joked the college building still had the same smell of "dust, mixed with fear and a whole lot of procrastination".
But she noticed current students faced greater pressure as they struggled to pay university fees and juggled their studies
"I got a sense very much that those halcyon days of being a student are gone."
Many were concerned the large cohorts going through Australia's law schools would make it hard to find a job after graduation.
Young women had quizzed her on balancing the demands of a law degree with family commitments.
"The law requires long hours and it can be quite inflexible.
"Having said that, things are changing and since I was at the bar things have changed significantly."
Justice Pepper, who hopes to have an ongoing role at the college, said her experience showed students could come to law in Australia not knowing anyone in the field and still 'make it'.
"I very much believe law and the practice of law is very much a meritocracy, and irrespective of your gender or upbringing or any other factors, you can be a lawyer, or a solicitor, or a barrister.
"It requires work, but no one who studies law will shy away from that."
At the risk of sounding corny, she said, her time spent among the college's students had been inspirational and invigorating.
"You look across and think this is the next generation of lawyers, politicians, business leaders the community. I was looking at the future before me and it was very exciting."
