UQ Law Students Explored Legal Pluralism and Law Reform in Samoa

In June 2026, UQ undergraduate law students Immaculate Vuciri and Tamika Dalby travelled to Apia, Samoa, to undertake a four-week internship hosted by the Samoa Law Reform Commission. The internship formed part of LAWS5233: Transnational Perspectives in Law, an elective offered within UQ’s Bachelor of Laws program. The students received academic credit for the placement, which was supported by funding from the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan Mobility Program.

Coordinated by CPICL Fellow Professor Emerita Jennifer Corrin, the course promotes interjurisdictional learning between Samoa and Australia and helps students develop the cross-cultural competencies required to engage effectively with different legal systems, institutions and traditions. The placement closely aligns with the work of CPICL’s Legal Pluralism Program, particularly its Aspects of Legal Pluralism in the South Pacific project. The Program examines legal issues arising within Pacific legal systems, including the relationships between state law, customary law, local institutions and the social and cultural contexts in which law operates.

During the internship, Immaculate and Tamika were each assigned a supervisor and mentor at the Samoa Law Reform Commission. This allowed them to observe the Commission’s work and gain first-hand insight into the law reform process in Samoa. The students also undertook comparative research on an area of law referred to the Commission by the Government of Samoa. Drawing on the approaches adopted in different jurisdictions, they examined possible reform options and presented their research to Commission staff.

Their learning extended beyond the Commission’s offices. Immaculate and Tamika had the opportunity to immerse themselves in Samoan culture and visit several of the country’s legal and governmental institutions, including the Parliament of Samoa. As parliamentary proceedings are conducted in Samoan, the students were accompanied by a member of the Commission’s staff who assisted with translation. The visit provided a valuable illustration of the relationship between language, legal institutions and public participation in Samoa.

While in Apia, the students also met CPICL External Fellow and former Director of the Samoa Law Reform Commission, Dr Lalotoa Mulitalo. They discussed several dimensions of law reform in Samoa, including the significance of language and the importance of ensuring that legal reform is accessible, culturally informed and responsive to the communities it serves.

Through their research, institutional visits and engagement with Samoan legal professionals, Immaculate and Tamika experienced how law operates within a legally and culturally plural society. The placement also demonstrated the value of comparative legal education in encouraging students to look beyond their own jurisdiction and appreciate the diverse ways in which legal systems respond to local circumstances.

Further information of the course is available here.