Fotini Kypraios: With legal training comes great responsibility
50 Years / 50 Voices: Learning law and changing lives is a commemorative volume marking the 50th anniversary of the ongoing Monash Law Clinical Program, a pioneering initiative in clinical legal education undertaken by the Faculty of Law at Monash University. 50 alumni of the Monash Law Clinical Program shared their story with 50 current students of the same program. This is an excerpt from the book.
Read more about 50 years of Monash Law Clinics and buy 50 Years / 50 Voices here
For Fotini Kypraios, clinical legal education has played a significant role in her career trajectory, enabling her to hit the ground running as a young lawyer. During Kypraios’s final year of study at Monash Law, she completed the Professional Practice unit, giving her hands-on experience with real clients and leading to an extensive legal career in criminal law, family law and litigation.
Today, Kypraios is the managing principal of Prisma Legal, a corporate and commercial firm she established. Prisma Legal is one of the few law firms in Australia that have a B Corporation certification – for businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.
Kypraios’s perspective on the value of practical legal experience is shaped by her time both as a student and later as a supervisor in the Professional Practice program.
Kypraios also serves as the Board Chair of the Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, offering a mentorship program for young people. Her volunteer work is further evidence of the value she places upon building connections and learning from experienced professionals.
Monash Law Clinics played a pivotal role in shaping Kypraios’s transition from theory to practice. During her time as a student in the Professional Practice program, Kypraios learned how to manage files, take instructions and appear in court. Unlike regular classes, clinical legal education offered a glimpse into the legal industry and the reality of a career as a lawyer. It offered more than just practical skills: it brought the law to life and left a lasting impression. Kypraios describes it as the most meaningful unit of her degree.
In 2001, Kypraios was invited to return to the clinic as a supervisor and practice manager of Springvale Legal Service. At just 25, she stepped into a leadership role that allowed her to mentor young lawyers and guide the next generation through the same formative experience.
Read more about 50 years of Monash Law Clinics and buy 50 Years / 50 Voices here
In 2020, her journey came full circle when she was invited to establish and lead the Startup and Innovation Law Clinic at Monash University. Through this role, she introduced students to the practice of commercial and business law, continuing the tradition of equipping law students with the tools and confidence they need to serve the community through meaningful, practical legal work.
Through her unique experience as both a student and a supervisor, Kypraios has gained a deep understanding of, and serves as a testament to, the value of clinical legal education.
Driven by a passion to share the beneficial impact of the program, Kypraios proposed the idea of introducing clinical legal education in Europe. With determination, she drafted a proposal for her former clinical teacher, Ross Hyams. She secured a small grant from Monash Law, and travelled to Germany and Denmark to meet with universities and legal educators. Her efforts to expand clinical legal education internationally demonstrate her commitment to ensuring that law students have access to hands-on legal education.
For Kypraios, the clinical program instilled a deep sense of social responsibility that aligned with her personal moral code. It reinforced her belief that as lawyers, there is a professional obligation to make the legal system more accessible and fairer for those who are otherwise unable to access it. This sense of duty and the concept of paying it forward has remained a guiding principle throughout Kypraios’s career, and she attributes her experience during her time in Professional Practice as planting that seed.
Despite working within the commercial law sphere, Kypraios’s passion for social justice, and access to justice continues within her work at Prisma Legal. Through offering legal support for disadvantaged communities and collaborating with not-forprofit organisations, Kypraios uses her privilege and knowledge to give back.
‘Clinical legal education ensures students are able to navigate the legal system more readily,’ Kypraios says. For Kypraios, participating in the program was more than an academic opportunity – it was a chance to engage directly with people in need. The program not only refined her technical legal skills, but also taught her how to make the law work for real people. It was a shift from thinking theoretically to practical application.
Even years later, Kypraios recalls being recognised by barristers as a Monash Law graduate, not by name, but by the readiness, experience and confidence that she carried. Her advice to future law students is simple yet powerful: every student should undertake a clinical placement. It makes you a better lawyer, and more importantly, a lawyer who is able to connect with real people.
Read more about 50 years of Monash Law Clinics and buy 50 Years / 50 Voices here
Get involved with Monash Law Clinics
Monash Law Clinics combine legal education with real-world impact, supporting access to justice while equipping students with practical, ethical and professional skills.
If you are a student interested in undertaking a clinical unit as part of your studies, explore the available clinical placements and elective options.
Whether you’re an alum, practitioner or organisation keen to support the clinics through hosting placements, partnerships, volunteering or funding, there’s a way to be involved. To learn more, contact Emily Collard, Industry & Alumni Engagement Manager, at emily.collard@monash.edu.