Portfolio Feature: Social Justice & EQUITY
- Priyanka Sharma
- May 4
- 5 min read
Updated: May 13
Communications Officer Diya Matthew, in conversation with Director of Social Justice & Equity, Benjamin Smith
Last week, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Ben Smith, the Director of Social Justice & Equity (‘SJE’), to discuss the important role the portfolio plays within the Deakin Law Students’ Society (‘DLSS’), the impact of recent initiatives, and the exciting opportunities their upcoming events offer to law students.
To start off, tell us a bit about yourself and what you're passionate about outside of DLSS?
Outside of DLSS, I enjoy music, I play guitar and sing in a band and have also started diving into bass guitar, which has been a lot of fun. I’m not the strongest lead guitarist, but I’ve been loving bass a lot more than I expected.
Alongside music, I’ve always had a strong interest in fashion, which first started when I began working in retail. Even though I now only do one shift a week after taking on a role at a law firm, fashion is still something I really enjoy.
When I’m not busy with work, uni, or music, I must admit that I’m a bit of a massive nerd too. I love Dungeons and Dragons, a tabletop role-playing game, and I’ve also been playing Baldur’s Gate, which is set in the same world. Lately, I’ve been getting into Magic the Gathering as well, which has been a lot of fun.
Through it all, my biggest passion has always been law and making a difference through my degree once I finish uni. That’s what keeps me motivated.
What inspired you to get involved with DLSS, and what drew you specifically to the Social Justice & Equity Portfolio?
This is my second year on the DLSS. I first applied because I thought it would be a great way to meet people and be more connected to my degree. Law school doesn’t naturally offer many opportunities to interact with classmates, so DLSS seemed like a good way to get involved, come to campus more, and hopefully make friends, which I definitely have. Even if you're not on committee, the society runs lots of social events that are great for making connections.
As for why I chose the SJE portfolio specifically — I’m really passionate about social justice. I was College Social Justice Captain in high school, and it’s an area that’s always spoken to me. I looked at all the portfolios and whilst they were all great, SJE felt like the one that really fit. I also wanted my role on the society to reflect my desire to make a difference, both within DLSS and in the wider community. SJE provides opportunities to represent voices that often aren't heard, which is so important to me. After a great year as an SJE officer, I decided to come back as a director to build on past events and introduce some new ones.
What do you love most about working within the SJE portfolio, and what are some key goals you’re hoping to achieve this year?
Working within the SJE portfolio gives you a unique perspective. Unlike some other portfolios that are focused more on tangible outcomes like career pathways, SJE is focused on spreading awareness and educating people on important social issues and how these tie into the law. I love the intersection between politics, social justice, and the law. It’s fascinating to think about how lawyers can create change, and SJE really highlights that.
As for my goals, I was excited to introduce new events this year, one being the Accessibility in Law Panel, which is currently the biggest online panel the DLSS has ever ran, which is a really proud moment for me as a director. Another was the Queer Mixer, which was a new event I introduced this year, and whilst I believe there is definitely room for growth of the event, getting it off the ground was really rewarding.
Overall, my goals were about expanding the portfolio's initiatives, laying the groundwork for future directors, and ultimately spreading awareness to help create a more inclusive and equitable society.
Can you give us an overview of the Intersectionality Panel, what it’s all about, and why it’s such an important event for law students?
The Intersectionality Panel is one of the two big continuing panels for SJE, alongside Volunteering in Law. The focus of the panel is on representation, but more importantly, it aims to provide a space for people from diverse backgrounds to share their experiences.
The panel allows individuals to discuss how their intersecting identities, such as cultural background, gender identity, and sexuality and many more to shape their experiences within the legal profession.
Representation within the legal field is essential. Seeing and hearing from people who look like you, who have similar life experiences, can be really powerful, especially in a profession that historically hasn’t been very diverse.
Intersectionality is about understanding how multiple identities interact, for example, how being a woman and a person of colour creates a different experience than being just one or the other.
The panel helps law students become more educated about these nuanced experiences, and I think that’s essential for building a more understanding and inclusive profession.
Et Cetera, DLSS’s flagship publication, created by the Communications Portfolio, will be launching alongside the Intersectionality Panel. How do you see it complementing the themes and conversations from the panel?
Et Cetera is a perfect complement to the Intersectionality Panel because it captures and expands upon the discussions that will take place during the event. Panels are such a fleeting moment, and often we only get to hear a few perspectives quickly. Et Cetera allows us to record those insights and create a lasting resource that attendees can revisit and reflect upon.
What’s exciting is that the publication provides a deeper dive into the issues of accessibility and intersectionality, topics that are inherently complex. While the panel brings these issues to life through conversation, Et Cetera offers more space for contributors to explore their thoughts in greater detail. The collaboration with the Communications Portfolio allows attendees to hear from the panellists live and then explore those ideas further in the publication afterwards. Having two panellists who contributed to Et Cetera adds another layer of depth, as attendees can delve into their written work for additional insights after hearing them speak.
The SJE portfolio has already hosted some incredible events this year — what are you most proud of so far? And what should students keep an eye out for in the coming months?
I’m proud of how the SJE portfolio has progressed this year, especially with the two new events we introduced. The Accessibility in Law Panel was a huge success, both in terms of turnout and the quality of the discussion. It really opened important conversations about accessibility within the legal profession, and I’m so proud of how the panellists and attendees engaged with the topic. It felt like we tapped into something truly special there, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
The Queer Mixer was another standout for me. It was our first time hosting this type of social event, and I think it was important to provide a space for people to come together, especially since the DLSS hadn’t done something like this before. I’m proud that it helped to foster a sense of community in a way we hadn’t explored before.
Looking ahead, students should keep an eye out for more initiatives that build on the success of our previous events. We’re focused on expanding and deepening our efforts, particularly in creating spaces for meaningful discussion and fostering community engagement. One event I’m especially excited about is the upcoming Volunteering in Law Panel as it aligns perfectly with our mission to create more inclusive and impactful opportunities for law students. This Panel will be be both inspiring and informative, and I’m confident it’s something everyone will benefit from. There’s so much to look forward to as we continue to grow and develop new events in the future!
Want to Learn More?
If you have any questions or would like further information, please feel free to reach out to Benjamin, Director of Social Justice & Equality, at director-sje@deakinlss.org
