First Nations Social Justice Graduate Program

Justice for First Nations people requires more First Nations lawyers.

The Justice and Equity Centre, The Shopfront Youth Legal Centre and law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer have partnered to deliver a two-year experiential program in criminal law and civil litigation for First Nations law graduates.   

The program recognises that services provided by First Nations people for First Nations people deliver better outcomes and help to redress systemic over-representation in the legal system, with:

• more effective legal casework and advocacy on social justice issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.  
• positive change to legal outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients.  
• positive change to experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients.  
• a deeper talent pool from which future First Nations judges, magistrates and coroners can be drawn, ensuring representation across the legal system’s decision-makers.  

Our program

The First Nations Social Justice Graduate Program provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander law graduates with the skills, experience, confidence and relationships that are the foundation for a successful social justice legal career. 

In the first year, the program pays for and supports graduates to complete their professional qualifications and get admitted as a lawyer, while working as a criminal law paralegal at the Shopfront. In the second year, the graduate works with civil litigation teams at the JEC, with a particular focus on challenging policing and youth detention system practices.  

Working across the Shopfront and the JEC, program participants learn from two highly skilled, passionate and creative legal teams, in organisations that have a commitment to First Nations justice.  

Recruitment for the program begins in October each year, with a start date in June of the following year. Interested law students and graduates should check our Careers page regularly for updates about recruitment. Questions about the program can be sent to [email protected].  

Graduate profiles  

Daniella Burt is a Wiradjuri and Wonnarua woman who grew up on the Central Coast in NSW. During her graduate program with the JEC, Dani worked on complex civil litigation including a complaint of unlawful treatment against NSW police, and on policy and advocacy addressing police responses to people experiencing mental health crises. Dani is now a criminal solicitor with the Aboriginal Legal Service in Dubbo, where she provides free legal advice and represents clients in the Local, District and Children’s Courts.

Stephanie Everson is a member of the Amaroo mob from Forbes. Steph has reflected that in her time with The Shopfront she became familiar with the day-to-day work of criminal lawyers and learned how to build trust with clients, many of whom were particularly vulnerable. Doing many things she’d never done before gave her more confidence. After leaving the program, Steph worked as a solicitor with the NSW Crime Commission before moving into a role as a lawyer with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW). 

Oliver Williams is a descendant of the Wiradjuri Kooris. Before commencing in the graduate program, Oliver was a Research Assistant on Towards Truth, the JEC’s First Nations truth-telling project. Oliver described the program as ‘strongly experiential and career building’, reflecting that it gifts both the legal profession and the Aboriginal community with a newly minted First Nations lawyer. After the graduate program, Oliver moved into a solicitor role at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW). 

Luca Sawyer is a proud Wiradjuri woman who grew up on Biripi Country on the mid-north coast of NSW. She completed her Art/Law degree at the University of NSW and is undertaking her PLT. Luca is committed to supporting Aboriginal communities and has a strong interest in criminal law and reducing the over-incarceration of First Nations people, especially youth. She also enjoys creative writing and is contracted to publish her debut novel Nightcrawlers. Luca commenced her first year of the graduate program at The Shopfront in June 2025.