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Four of The University of Western Australia's top law students have been selected to serve as Associates to the High Court of Australia.

Hayden Teo is one of four UWA Law graduates who are to be Associates to High Court Judges over the next two years.  He will succeed Laurentia McKessar who will take up a position as Associate to Chief Justice French from February 2011.

Lawyers Weekly Icon Awards Law Student of the Year , Clare McKay will serve as an Associate to High Court Justice Susan Crennan in October 2012 and Jackie McArthur will become Associate to Justice Susan Kiefel in 2012.

Hackett Foundation Honours Scholar, Hayden Teo, was ranked as the second-best advocate in the world at the 2009 Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Washington DC. Later this year, he will undertake a native title internship with the Aurora Project.

"Serving as an Associate to Chief Justice French will provide an invaluable foundation for a career as an advocate.  During my time at the High Court, I will be privileged to assist the Chief Justice behind the scenes, while gaining exposure to some of the most outstanding and important legal work in Australia.  Having this opportunity is a dream come true," Hayden said.

The Dean of the UWA Law School, Winthrop Professor Bill Ford attributed the latest appointments to the high standards of the UWA Law School and its students.

"This most recent round of appointments of Associates to the High Court of Australia continues the extraordinary record the UWA Law School has established for producing young graduates of quite exceptional ability.  Their success reflects great credit on them and on the student body of the School and this University more generally.  The Hon Robert Shenton French, the present Chief Justice of the High Court, is of course himself one of our most distinguished graduates," Professor Ford said.

Before taking up his position at the High Court, Hayden Teo will complete a graduate year of ‘articles' in the Melbourne offices of top-tier commercial law firm Allens Arthur Robinson.

Media references

Hayden Teo (+61 4) 19 197936
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716