In a ceremony on Monday Wilson Hill was admitted to the Supreme Court of the NT. Congratulations!!
We did a quick Q & A with him about how it feels…
Q: How many years has your journey been from starting your studies to being admitted?
I first started studying in 2012, I did an undergraduate in Arts and majored in Philosophy and Australian History. In 2014 I studied in America for a year, and whilst I was over there I studied a lot of American history, and did a lot of courses on Abe Lincoln. After learning about his career, and seeing how his career in law had given him his advocacy skills, I realised I might enjoy a career in law as well, so I studied a Juris Doctor at Monash Uni in 2015 and graduated in 2018. Initially I started working as a conciliator because I enjoyed dispute resolution, and I liked speaking with people each day, but eventually I felt I needed to branch out my skills and broaden the scope of issues I could work in.
How does it feel to get there?
It feels like another step in the right direction. I’m very eager to get to work, so I don’t feel as though its over now or it’s the end of a chapter. I went through the admission process because I wanted to broaden the work I was able to assist in, so I really just feel motivated to get to work and to start rounding out my skills as a lawyer.
Can you describe the formalities that took place on Monday?
The Darwin ceremony is quite formal. I have never worn a wig and robe before so it did feel a lot more formal and traditional than I was expecting. It was nice to have a speech made by the person moving me (Hanna Daych), and it was intriguing to be in a court that was so full (every court I have been in has always been half empty).
What does this mean for the work that you do with NAAFLS?
It means I can start to work more directly with the people in the Katherine, Kalkarindji and Lajamanu areas. I am really eager to start speaking with people, and to try and offer my own brand of advice and communication. Ultimately it means I can hopefully start helping some people to improve their lives, if only a little.
