On Wednesday 10 April 2019, Ngalaya relaunched as an organisation to support the next generation of First Nations law makers.
Terri Janke, one of the earliest members and Presidents of Ngalaya, told the story of Ngalaya’s founding by Indigenous law students at UNSW.
Jason O’Neil, the Chairperson of Ngalaya, explained the work Ngalaya has been doing to re-focus and ensure that it will be sustainable for the future. He outlined the current programs that Ngalaya is offering its members, as well as Ngalaya’s goals for 2019.
Teela Reid, a Lawyer from Legal Aid NSW shared words of wisdom and advice for First Nations law students, and the continuing importance of the Ulruru Statement from the Heart and the need for substantive law reform and truth-telling in Australia.
First Nations law students also had the opportunity to have professional head shots taken for their LinkedIn profiles.
Ngalaya would like to thank Allens for hosting the relaunch event, and all the individuals who made personal donations to support the night.
Opportunities to collaborate with Ngalaya
Ngalaya is eager to partner with law firms and organisations to help achieve its goals for 2019. Some opportunities for partnership include:
Sponsoring and hosting a Ngalaya Networking event;
Donating to the Ngalaya Scholarship Fund, to support First Nations law students through small (~$1000) scholarships in times of need;
Employing a Ngalaya Cadet as an ongoing Paralegal or Research Assistant at your organisation, or funding a Ngalaya Cadetship at a community legal organisation;
Contracting Ngalaya for research work, to be conducted by First Nations lawyers and law students; and
Partnering with Ngalaya for law reform submissions.
If you or your organisation are interested in working with Ngalaya to support the next generation of First Nations law-makers, contact Jason O’Neil, Chairperson to arrange a discussion.
