The Brief:
Ashurst Perkins Coie, Clayton Utz and G+T launch Launchpad 2 Law for rural and regional NSW students.
The program offers school visits, mentoring and nine $10k scholarships a year.
Ashurst Perkins Coie, Clayton Utz and Gilbert + Tobin have teamed up to launch Launchpad 2 Law, a program opening up the legal profession to students in rural and regional NSW.
The team behind it includes Ashurst Perkins Coie’s Tony Damian and India Becroft, Clayton Utz’s Kirsten Webb and Lauren Judge, and G+T’s Hiroshi Narushima and Christopher Flynn.
The idea is simple. Send lawyers into regional classrooms and give students a clear, supported path into law.
The lawyers run presentations sharing anecdotes about their own upbringing and how they made it.
“We talked about doing deals and travelling and all those sorts of things,” Damian said.
How it works
Regional and rural students with strong marks are less likely to go straight to uni than their city peers. So the program tackles that gap in five parts:
School visits: each firm will make at least five visits a year. Visits have already kicked off in Wagga Wagga, the Hunter, Bathurst and the South Coast.
Scholarships: nine $10k scholarships a year for rural and regional students enrolling in a NSW law degree.
Mentoring: ongoing support throughout their studies.
Resources: a free hub on uni entry pathways and scholarships.
Scholars’ Day & Dinner: an annual Sydney event, kicking off in February 2027 with a keynote from NSW Chief Justice Andrew Bell.
What they said
In a joint statement, the firms said:
“Many students in rural and regional New South Wales have limited opportunities to meet practising lawyers or see a clear path into the profession. Launchpad 2 Law aims to change this by sending our people directly into these communities, and by supporting that commitment with school visits, scholarships, and mentoring initiatives.”
It’s a rare chance for rival dealmakers to work together.
“It’s definitely different when you’re not trying to get a win over the other side, and you’re pulling towards a common objective,” Narushima said.
Source: Ashurst Perkins Coie, Clayton Utz, Gilbert + Tobin, AFR