What is ALSA?

ALSA sets out to ensure that law students have a representative voice at a national level to the tertiary sector, the legal profession, government, and the community. In doing so, ALSA fosters partnerships with other national and state law associations, as well as international partnerships with bodies such as Asia LSA and ELSA.

ALSA is committed to the educational development of law students by providing valuable resources on matters relating to their law degrees, such as information on the legal profession, practical skills training, legal education and current affairs.

ALSA advocates for the interests and concerns of Australian Law Students through thought leadership, awareness raising and educational initiatives. The Patron of ALSA is the former Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC.

History

ALSA was founded in the early 1970s. At that time, it consisted of informal meetings of Law Student Society presidents. As word spread, these meetings grew, and the Presidents decided that a formal national structure would be an ideal opportunity to engage in knowledge sharing and pit their best mooters against each other. From this, our National Conference was born. The first competition was held in Melbourne. Shortly afterwards, the New Zealand Law Student Societies were invited to participate within this national framework.

In 1978, the name ‘ALSA' was given to the structure and Law Student Societies from the Southeast Asian region were invited to become part of the association. In 1979, the annual mooting competition and Presidents' meeting was expanded to include social functions and law students from involved universities were invited to attend.

In 1986, ALSA became an incorporated association. The late 1980s and early 1990s represented great change in the Australian higher education system. As a result, new law schools were opened in Australia, leading to a rapid increase in the number of organisations affiliated with ALSA. There was an increased demand for ALSA's services, which gave rise to the need for advocacy regarding legal education and professional admission.

Since the 1990s, ALSA has taken the lead in representing law students' interests in forums regarding higher education, admission and legal practice. ALSA has expanded its publishing services, including producing an Academic Journal, an International Careers Guide, a Judges Associates Guide, a Global Scholarships Guide, a biannual magazine and an LSS Wiki Manual. The Australian Legal Education Forum was established in 1998, which has since been rebranded as Speakers’ Forums.

2026 will mark a year of consolidation and renewal for ALSA, as we embark on drafting a long-term strategic vision to guide the organisation for decades to come. We are currently developing a Strategic Plan that will articulate a ten-year vision for ALSA — one designed to reinvigorate the organisation, enhance the services we provide, and strengthen our role as the peak representative body for all Australian law students.

This Strategic Plan will build upon ALSA’s strong foundations and focus on achieving the following key objectives:

  • Ensuring the organisation’s long-term sustainability;

  • Enhancing ALSA’s relevance and impact as a national body;

  • Fostering greater communication and collaboration between the ALSA Executive, Committee, Council, Member Associations, and other stakeholders;

  • Strengthening ALSA’s advocacy capacity as the national voice for law students; and

  • Driving the organisation’s growth and expansion to meet the evolving needs of the legal education landscape.