Life-changing internship for Pasifika advocate
Simran Bechan, a fifth year Pasifika law student from Fiji, has recently returned from Geneva where she worked as an intern at Sidley Austin LLP in the International Trade and Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono team.
Professor Petra Butler helped Iain Sandford, a partner at Sidley Austin, offer and promote this paid internship opportunity to Pasifika law students at Te Kauhanganui Tātai Ture―Faculty of Law.
Simran was curious about how international law firms operate and how this internship related to the Pacific, so she applied. “It’s just amazing to have such an opportunity,” she says. “I am an advocate for uplifting Pasifika voices—we’re a minority group who come from a lower socio-economic background, and I thought this opportunity was beautiful.”
Simran’s parents, who are based in Fiji, were very excited for her: the youngest of six siblings, she is the first to have an opportunity to travel to Europe.
The day she landed in Geneva, Simran walked around her new neighbourhood to take it all in. She says this was a real ‘pinch me’ moment. “Europe was very different to anything I had experienced before—it was snowing, actually! I’m an island girl, I’ve never seen snow before.”
Her first impressions of Geneva were of a busy, focused city that is constantly ‘on the go’. Although Simran speaks Mandarin, Hindi, and English fluently, she was surprised at the dominance of the French language in everyday interactions. “I speak no French, but I did get around to learning how to order food, how to say the basics like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’,” she says.
By contrast, there were no language barriers in the Sidley offices, where all business is conducted entirely in English. The prestigious US Law firm employs a diverse workforce so “it was very easy to socialise and understand people’s cultures,” she says.
Simran was determined to make the most of every opportunity, “I bugged everyone for a one-on-one coffee catch up so I could find out how they got to where they are now, and why they decided to do law.”
Simran found these conversations inspirational and is reassured to know that life does not have to always be planned out. “Some people started off as musicians and now they’re lawyers,” she says. “You just need to keep up the hard work, grit, and determination to get to where you want to be.” These are values that resonate with Simran who says that “in the Pacific way of doing things, you never give up”.
Sidley Austin launched the Emerging Enterprises Program in 2012 which covers over 55 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Simran’s role as an intern was to reach out to emerging enterprises that meet UN sustainability criteria, are starting out on their exporting journey, and require legal services. “They had not yet reached out to the Pacific Islands," says Simran, “this is where I come in.” She found it rewarding, using her knowledge of Pacific cultures, to engage with clients directly, to hear their stories, and to make recommendations to Sidley about which companies needed legal assistance. It was challenging coming up with a shortlist.
“If you want to find a business that’s sustainable and meets the criteria in the Pacific, often they may not have an online presence because everything is still run face-to-face.”
Another rewarding aspect of the internship was the connections she made through visits to the UN, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), and meeting representatives from the Pacific Island Forum in Geneva (PIF). Her discussions with PIF Ambassador Mere Falemaka—also from Fiji—gave her insights into the scope and impact of PIF at the UN and the trade problems faced by Pacific Island nations. “We follow each other on Instagram actually!” she says. “I’ve made a lot of connections.”
Simran plans to keep in touch with her new connections and use this experience to inform her Laws 389 Thesis next year. This is an independent research paper where Simran will focus on key trade issues affecting Pacific Island nations.
For anyone looking at applying for a similar opportunity, Simran says, “just do it”. Working for an international law firm has given her a different perspective on how things are done outside of New Zealand. “As a Pacific law student, you should try to seek out as many opportunities as you can,” she says. “I definitely got a sense of direction for where I want to take my law degree.”
“For me, it’s advocating for Pacific voices. After this experience, I definitely know I want to be in an international space”.
Simran believes there aren’t enough scholarship opportunities for Pasifika students out there, especially international students like her who are on a student visa. “Most opportunities require applicants to have a residency visa or New Zealand citizenship,” she says. “I was happy that this was available as an international opportunity for Pacific students.”
What meant the most to her about being in Geneva was “knowing that I am worth it, as a Pacific person, representing my people, my culture and my family”.
Simran is very grateful to Ian Sandford and the team at Sidley Austin for this opportunity. She also extends her thanks to the Faculty of Law for covering her air fares, and to Professor Butler and senior lecturer Hai-Yuean Tualima for their pastoral care during her time away.
All efforts are currently being made to continue this opportunity.