Protégé: The hidden benefits of slowing down your law degree

While some law students may believe that rushing through their degree offers a competitive advantage, this might not be true. Instead, taking a more measured approach to your studies can be beneficial.

In this episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Grace Robbie speaks with Charlotte Carles, a young ambassador for UNICEF Australia and the founder of Gen Z Abroad, about her initial ambition to pursue a legal career, how her deep dive into the mental health challenges facing law students sparked her passion for advocating for a slower approach to completing a law degree, what this approach looks like in practice, and how this mindset has enabled her to undertake a traineeship with UNESCO in Jakarta and an international internship in Tahiti.

Carles discusses how taking a more measured approach can significantly enhance a student’s professional development, identifies the valuable skills they can gain that they wouldn’t from the classroom, outlines the personal benefits of slowing down, including improved wellbeing and the opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends, explores how this approach can better position students for a smoother transition into full-time legal practice, examines whether universities should actively encourage this measured approach, and outlines strategies for law students interested in implementing this approach in their academic journey.