Belonging, being, becoming: exploring the value of a statement of law student ideals

In 2017, the School of Law at the University of Wollongong commenced an educational 'experiment', designed to make an important symbolic message to students that their career as a legal professional starts from the day they begin their law studies. It invited First Year Students to commit to core values, attitudes and practices that are seen as important to developing a positive legal professional identity. As part of the evaluation and review process, in 2018 the original 'Pledge' was redesigned as the Law Student Statement of Ideals. This article reports on the learnings gained through adopting the Law Student Statement of Ideals and reflects on its impact, benefits and effects on shaping students' attitudes and understanding of their developing professional identity as future "lawyers".