LIV Awards Indigenous Bursary to Outstanding Koorie Woman

Law Institute Victoria – Monday 29 March, 2010

A fifth year law student with extensive experience in indigenous education activities has been awarded an LIV Indigenous Bursary to enroll at the College of Law.

LIV President Steven Stevens said Mrs Helen Christensen had overcome significant hurdles to continue her law degree.

Mrs Christensen is a mother of five children who, since starting her law degree in 2004, has experienced deaths in her family and separation from her husband for work reasons. She has worked part time to support her family while studying a Bachelor of Law Degree at the Institute of Koorie Education, Deakin University.

“Helen has a life long commitment to Koorie education, both in her own family and her wider community. She is an active member of her local community in Geelong and has worked in many roles for the Victorian Government Solicitors’ Office, Catholic Education Office, Victoria Legal Aid and for a politician in the Northern Territory,” Mr Stevens said.

“We are pleased to be able to assist her to fulfill her goal of becoming a legal practitioner and we know she will bring valuable life skills to her practice of law,” he said.

Mrs Christensen is originally from Darwin and also has cultural links to the Tiwi Islands. Her son, Allen, has been drafted to the Geelong Football Club. 

The bursary will allow her to undertake the College of Law course which, on completion, makes her eligible to be admitted to practice. 

This is the second year the bursary has been offered by the LIV. Last year, the LIV and Victorian Bar also adopted a policy aimed to increase Indigenous briefing and support for indigenous legal practitioners.

“We want to make the law a more attractive career option for Indigenous Australians,” Mr Stevens said.