Ariel Shuyin Ma

Registered Legal Executive, Martelli McKegg
Bachelor of Laws

She would highly recommend AUT’s law degree to people who are interested in law and want to give it a go, says Ariel Shuyin Ma who completed a Bachelor of Laws in mid-2023.

“This is a great opportunity to build connections with people who will work in the same field with you. The AUT Law School is an academic environment where you can meet peers with different professional backgrounds.

“Students may be in different stages of their life, and there are many people here doing their second bachelor’s degree, either to change their career or to learn law out of interest. Their unique experiences add more insights and help you understand law in a more practical way. Your classmates could be your future colleagues, supporters or project partners, so never underestimate the power of networking.”

While she had many highlights throughout her studies so far, there is one particular achievement Ariel was particularly proud of.

“I was especially proud of receiving the top grade for the Law of Contract course in 2021 and being awarded the Law School Prize for Law of Contract.”

The right next step
With a background as a registered legal executive, Ariel already had some experience with the legal profession before she decided to become a lawyer herself.

“I had been working as a registered legal executive for many years, so I was sure that law is the area I want to work in. It’s a natural progression and a law degree helps me achieve my goal of becoming a barrister and solicitor. I’m finishing my Professional Legal Studies Course at the moment and intend to be admitted to the bar in early 2024.”

There were many reasons why she chose AUT as the university to study law.

“What I liked about AUT was the high level of the academic staff. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to have a good lecturer who can develop your interest in a particular area of law and lead you to work in that field. I was also impressed by the efficiency of the student services, the flexibility of the law programme, and the fact that I could take classes at either the AUT City Campus or the South Campus.”

Advice for other students
Ariel has some great advice for other students who are only at the start of their university journey.

“Learning could start with challenges, but the ones with enough perseverance will eventually get it through. All the effort you spent will become the skills you grasped, which will benefit you for your work and other aspects of life.”

Her other piece of advice is to plan ahead.

“Set study routines for each subject and each semester, and follow your study plans. Study smart and form study groups – you’ll be surprised by how much you can learn from your peers.”