“Awesome” mentors led a Brisbane student to study law and their encouragement has culminated in him winning an Australian Insurance Law Association student prize.
Corey Cavanough said two schoolteachers, one of whom was a former lawyer, recognised his potential during legal studies at high school and “nudged” him towards his chosen career path.
He received the AILA student prize for achieving the highest marks in insurance law subjects at Griffith University (GU).
Mr Cavanough, 23, will graduate this year with a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Commerce (Financial Planning) degree. Apart from the AILA student prize, he has received three GU academic excellence awards, and is a member of the Griffith Business School’s Academic Excellence Society and the Golden Key International Honour Society, which recognises high-performing students.
AILA presents student prizes, each worth $500, to the top students in insurance law subjects at several universities around Australia annually to encourage graduates to seek careers in the insurance industry.
Mr Cavanough said the law was attractive because there were “thousands of different ways to achieve the result a client wants”, as opposed to, say, mathematics, where there was always only one correct answer.
He elected the double degree because the dual qualifications would “open more doors and be more useful in the job market”.
Mr Cavanough is currently doing a part-time placement at the Brisbane office of insurance law specialist HBA Legal.
“It’s made me realise the many ways that insurance is involved in the claims process.” He enjoys the variety of claims he’s been involved with, from a hospital medical negligence case to a supermarket slip and trip. “It’s different every week.”
The double degree has also enabled him to see insurance from the perspectives of both lawyers and their clients.
Engagement with AILA, which offers educational and networking opportunities, will enable Mr Cavanough to continue to benefit from wise mentors.
“I am grateful to AILA for its support for young aspiring insurance lawyers and the opportunities to meet a range of people in the profession and the insurance industry,” he said.
AILA Queensland President Sarah Tuhtan, who presented Mr Cavanough with his prize at the Griffith University Law School’s (GULS) annual awards ceremony, said it was “wonderful to see such a bright cohort being recognised for their achievements”.
She also praised GULS Dean Therese Wilson for recognising insurance law as a distinct subject from contracts and torts law. “While both are foundational, they don’t really capture the critical role insurance plays in the commercial world,” Ms Tuhtan said.
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