Paula Gerber
Faculty of Law
Teaching through a reform lens – improving the law and how it is used
Paula inspires the next generation of lawyers to see the law as a tool to improve lives.
What are you doing differently in your field that you believe is driving real change?
I am approaching the teaching of law through a reform lens. I don't just teach students what the law is, but also all its deficiencies and the role they can play in addressing these. For example, I teach my construction law students about the role that gender inequality in the construction industry plays in legal disputes and how we need to address structural problems, not just the superficial manifestation of the problem. This approach has been particularly welcomed by female students who have pursued a career in this male dominated sector, that they never considered possible before undertaking my classes.
How do you help students build confidence, not just knowledge?
I believe in them! I always start from the point that they can do anything they set their mind to. I give them lots of opportunities to apply their knowledge and I make sure they know that making mistakes, and not getting it right the first time is ok. But first and foremost, my belief in them, helps them to believe in themselves.
What legacy or ripple effect do you hope to leave behind?
To inspire the next generations of lawyers to see the law as a tool they can use to improve the lives of people, and to recognise the privilege and responsibility that comes with being part of the legal profession.
What does being a 'Changemaker’ mean to you personally?
It means being part of the solution. Recognising there is a problem, for example discrimination against LGBTIQA+ people, and working with others to address this, one step at a time. Systemic reform is never quick, but commitment and determination eventually pays off. As Martin Luther King Jnr said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
I hope to inspire the next generations of lawyers to see the law as a tool they can use to improve the lives of people, and to recognise the privilege and responsibility that comes with being part of the legal profession. ”
What motivates you to continue pushing boundaries in your work?
My students! Seeing how they respond to my passion for learning and my fight for justice, inspires me to keep on keeping on.
Also being a role model for LGBTIQA+ students. Often they’ve struggled with discrimination and hate, so me being a confident and proud member of a vulnerable minority, can provide strength and support to others who fear rejection and bigotry. [Learn about support for LGBTIQA+ students at Monash]
Was there a turning point that brought you to becoming an educator, or did you always know you'd end up here?
I was a lawyer for 20 years before I moved into education. I was frustrated by how little I could change the legal profession from within, and decided that a better way to improve the law and how it is used, is to educate those entering the profession.
Was there a moment you realised that your work as an educator goes beyond what happens in the classroom?
Yes - becoming a group leader on the Monash Global Immersion Guarantee (GIG) program, where I saw the dramatic way students' minds were opened and their horizons expanded by engaging in deep cultural learning in a country very different to their own.