'I only ever wanted to be a lawyer': Ellie's graduated with her dream degree

The Advertiser

18-07-2025

WHEN Ellie Jones was in high school, her careers advisor told her she shouldn't go into law because it was known to be a male-dominated field.
But she always knew she could do anything if she put her mind to it.
"I've only ever wanted to be a lawyer," she said.
On Thursday, July 17, the now 23-year-old crossed the stage of Newcastle City Hall to receive her Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts degree.
"I am beyond excited, it's been a long haul so I'm really stoked," she said.
Ms Jones majored in human geography and environment, adding a bit of "colour" to her degree.
"You have to do a double degree, so doing arts was just something that was a little bit different to law that's quite black and white," she said.
As part of her studies, she and her dad worked as facilitators in the Daughters and Dads program, helping local families encourage fathers to support their daughters' interest in sport and boost female participation at the community level.
"Not only did it bring me so much joy, but it gave me a different perspective on advocacy within the community," she said.
Ms Jones has always played high-level football and said it was nice to talk to primary school aged girls about the fact they shouldn't feel excluded in sports.
"It was really nice to have the opportunity to do something like daughters and dads and the whole motto is colours are for everyone, sports are for everyone, careers are for everyone," she said.
She said being a woman in a male-dominated field didn't scare her.
Ms Jones was admitted as a solicitor in September and offered a role at Rankin Ellison Lawyers, where she had been working as a legal assistant for the past three years.
"When I speak to people about law I try and not make it so hard and complex to understand. I try and make it a little bit more accessible. I'm excited to keep learning and to keep growing in the role," she said.
Ms Jones celebrated her education milestone with her family and fiance with lunch at Scratchleys following her ceremony.
More than 1200 University of Newcastle students were expected to graduate across nine ceremonies from July 16 to 18. The ceremonies have been held at city hall to mark 60 years of the university becoming autonomous and it reaching 200,000 graduates.
Students from the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing are due to graduate at the last day of ceremonies on Friday, July 18.
WHEN Ellie Jones was in high school, her careers advisor told her she shouldn't go into law because it was known to be a male-dominated field.
But she always knew she could do anything if she put her mind to it.
"I've only ever wanted to be a lawyer," she said.
On Thursday, July 17, the now 23-year-old crossed the stage of Newcastle City Hall to receive her Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts degree.
"I am beyond excited, it's been a long haul so I'm really stoked," she said.
Ms Jones majored in human geography and environment, adding a bit of "colour" to her degree.
"You have to do a double degree, so doing arts was just something that was a little bit different to law that's quite black and white," she said.
As part of her studies, she and her dad worked as facilitators in the Daughters and Dads program, helping local families encourage fathers to support their daughters' interest in sport and boost female participation at the community level.
"Not only did it bring me so much joy, but it gave me a different perspective on advocacy within the community," she said.
Ms Jones has always played high-level football and said it was nice to talk to primary school aged girls about the fact they shouldn't feel excluded in sports.
"It was really nice to have the opportunity to do something like daughters and dads and the whole motto is colours are for everyone, sports are for everyone, careers are for everyone," she said.
She said being a woman in a male-dominated field didn't scare her.
Ms Jones was admitted as a solicitor in September and offered a role at Rankin Ellison Lawyers, where she had been working as a legal assistant for the past three years.
"When I speak to people about law I try and not make it so hard and complex to understand. I try and make it a little bit more accessible. I'm excited to keep learning and to keep growing in the role," she said.
Ms Jones celebrated her education milestone with her family and fiance with lunch at Scratchleys following her ceremony.
More than 1200 University of Newcastle students were expected to graduate across nine ceremonies from July 16 to 18. The ceremonies have been held at city hall to mark 60 years of the university becoming autonomous and it reaching 200,000 graduates.
Students from the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing are due to graduate at the last day of ceremonies on Friday, July 18.
WHEN Ellie Jones was in high school, her careers advisor told her she shouldn't go into law because it was known to be a male-dominated field.
But she always knew she could do anything if she put her mind to it.
"I've only ever wanted to be a lawyer," she said.
On Thursday, July 17, the now 23-year-old crossed the stage of Newcastle City Hall to receive her Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts degree.
"I am beyond excited, it's been a long haul so I'm really stoked," she said.
Ms Jones majored in human geography and environment, adding a bit of "colour" to her degree.
"You have to do a double degree, so doing arts was just something that was a little bit different to law that's quite black and white," she said.
As part of her studies, she and her dad worked as facilitators in the Daughters and Dads program, helping local families encourage fathers to support their daughters' interest in sport and boost female participation at the community level.
"Not only did it bring me so much joy, but it gave me a different perspective on advocacy within the community," she said.
Ms Jones has always played high-level football and said it was nice to talk to primary school aged girls about the fact they shouldn't feel excluded in sports.
"It was really nice to have the opportunity to do something like daughters and dads and the whole motto is colours are for everyone, sports are for everyone, careers are for everyone," she said.
She said being a woman in a male-dominated field didn't scare her.
Ms Jones was admitted as a solicitor in September and offered a role at Rankin Ellison Lawyers, where she had been working as a legal assistant for the past three years.
"When I speak to people about law I try and not make it so hard and complex to understand. I try and make it a little bit more accessible. I'm excited to keep learning and to keep growing in the role," she said.
Ms Jones celebrated her education milestone with her family and fiance with lunch at Scratchleys following her ceremony.
More than 1200 University of Newcastle students were expected to graduate across nine ceremonies from July 16 to 18. The ceremonies have been held at city hall to mark 60 years of the university becoming autonomous and it reaching 200,000 graduates.
Students from the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing are due to graduate at the last day of ceremonies on Friday, July 18.
WHEN Ellie Jones was in high school, her careers advisor told her she shouldn't go into law because it was known to be a male-dominated field.
But she always knew she could do anything if she put her mind to it.
"I've only ever wanted to be a lawyer," she said.
On Thursday, July 17, the now 23-year-old crossed the stage of Newcastle City Hall to receive her Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts degree.
"I am beyond excited, it's been a long haul so I'm really stoked," she said.
Ms Jones majored in human geography and environment, adding a bit of "colour" to her degree.
"You have to do a double degree, so doing arts was just something that was a little bit different to law that's quite black and white," she said.
As part of her studies, she and her dad worked as facilitators in the Daughters and Dads program, helping local families encourage fathers to support their daughters' interest in sport and boost female participation at the community level.
"Not only did it bring me so much joy, but it gave me a different perspective on advocacy within the community," she said.
Ms Jones has always played high-level football and said it was nice to talk to primary school aged girls about the fact they shouldn't feel excluded in sports.
"It was really nice to have the opportunity to do something like daughters and dads and the whole motto is colours are for everyone, sports are for everyone, careers are for everyone," she said.
She said being a woman in a male-dominated field didn't scare her.
Ms Jones was admitted as a solicitor in September and offered a role at Rankin Ellison Lawyers, where she had been working as a legal assistant for the past three years.
"When I speak to people about law I try and not make it so hard and complex to understand. I try and make it a little bit more accessible. I'm excited to keep learning and to keep growing in the role," she said.
Ms Jones celebrated her education milestone with her family and fiance with lunch at Scratchleys following her ceremony.
More than 1200 University of Newcastle students were expected to graduate across nine ceremonies from July 16 to 18. The ceremonies have been held at city hall to mark 60 years of the university becoming autonomous and it reaching 200,000 graduates.
Students from the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing are due to graduate at the last day of ceremonies on Friday, July 18.