Hong Kong Cocktail Event

EMMA HENDERSON
Volume 1, Issue 5 (Originally Published 26 March 2012)
 
This year’s Hong Kong Law Fair did not include a cocktail networking event following feedback from firms that they were dissatisfied with the event.
 
In response to allegations the firms were disappointed with the calibre of students at last years cocktail event GLSA Vice- President Tom Ho said the GLSA do their best to please the students and the firms.
 
“It’s always a difficult balance. On one hand you want to say to students you’re welcome as long as you are enthusiastic and have a passion for working in Hong Kong ... we’re here to represent all students not just the top 10 per cent of students. Then on the other hand you have to be completely sympathetic to what the firms are thinking. It’s not cheap for them to come over to Melbourne and they want to poach the best Australian students.”
 
Mr Ho said the GLSA, in partnership with the Careers Office, attempted to better prepare students for the fair with a seminar held prior to the event and a GLSA-produced fact sheet.
 
“We tried to answer some of the common questions students have before the fair so when the firms come the students have the basics down so they can get straight into asking what are your practice areas, what are you good at, what do you look for in students,” Mr Ho said.
 
But Mr Ho said it is important that the fair is open to all students even those who are mildly curious about working in Hong Kong.
 
Mr Ho said students didn’t miss out as the fair and the cocktail event served the same purpose: networking opportunities.
 
He said the GLSA was looking into providing a complementary event to the fair next year that served a different purpose.
 
“We’ll always be looking to improve,” Mr Ho said.
 
Emma Henderson