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This paper investigated the extent to which the engagement levels of a self-selected cohort of students enrolled in first-year law programmes at three New Zealand universities varied according to ethnicity. When viewed in the light of factors identified within the international literature as having a bearing on student engagement and, in consequence, academic success and retention, no significant differences were identified in the ways students of Pakeha (European), Maori, Pasifika, Chinese and Indian descent interacted with the law school at which they were enrolled. This was despite some identified differences in students' backgrounds and motivations for study and in the external factors having an impact on their study. Nevertheless, the identified differences between the ethnicities in relation to personal and external factors can be utilised to enhance and/or improve the engagement of particular groups of students. Overall, the findings indicate a need for law schools to focus on student engagement in first-year programmes with a view to improving the engagement levels of students across all ethnicities.

This paper investigates cross-sectional and longitudinal trends in data collected from a self-selected cohort of law students enrolled at three New Zealand universities. From the beginning of their first year of study to the end of their third year, students were invited to complete questionnaires that documented a range of expectations, perceptions, and attitudes. Analysis was carried out to better understand students' interest in a legal career, satisfaction with law school, and psychological distress across their first three years at law school. Using descriptive and inferential statistics, we found that students' academic self-efficacy (i.e. perceived ability to be successful in law courses) and attitudes towards assessment emerged as noteworthy contributors to the law school experience. Students who persevered across three years of law school remained stable in their career interests and satisfaction with law school. However, two out of three students appeared at risk for mental health difficulties and we document an increase in psychological distress from the beginning of law school to the end of second year. Discussion focuses on how law schools might respond to these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]