Michael completed his Bachelor of Science with a Chemistry major in 2018 and has since gone on to commence a Juris Doctor at Melbourne Law School. Michael has surprised his family and friends with this somewhat unconventional decision. “I can confidently say that the question I have been asked most in the last 12 months is ‘why law?’” he jokes. “Once the surprise of the change is out the way they have all been very supportive”.
Michael sees the decision as a necessary and natural progression: “I think as society becomes more and more technical the interaction between law and technology will become increasingly important. We are currently in a very interesting time for the junction between science and law”. Michael predicts that new and existing laws, such as copyrights, patents and trade secrets, will increasingly need to evolve to effectively cover the rapidly growing number of new inventions and applications of technology, such as artificial intelligence.
Combining his two degrees will give Michael the broad knowledge base that he needs to address these issues and make effective contributions to the changing field. “In my view a working understanding of the underlying principles, i.e. through a scientific background, is crucial to effectively [address] these issues,” he states. He plans to apply the technical expertise he gained from his undergrad to allow him to better meet the needs of his clients. “This may range from simply [having] a better understanding [of] the legal needs of persons within these fields, to providing detailed technical insight into, for example, chemistry patents or copyrights associated with computer programs”.
When he’s not busy studying, Michael finds time to decompress by running, training for and participating in frequent races. “You'll find me out running somewhere – twice a week in Parkville at the Uni's Rawlinson Track or Princes Park and out and about the local neighbourhood nearly every other day. Running is a great way to relax but also an opportunity to push myself”.