LLB Law, 2017
“In the future I hope to complete the professional requirements needed to become a solicitor or a barrister and practise law”
Jack is vice president of the Student Law Society and hopes to use his Law degree to enter legal practice and then carve out a career in the military legal service.
After my A levels I had no idea what course I wanted to study at university. It was the Director of my Sixth Form who turned to me one day and asked if I had ever considered doing a law degree. I went away, did some research and was hooked immediately; it was as if I had struck gold! The intellectual stimulation that a law degree provides, the breadth of subjects and the real life application of the knowledge you gain is incredible. A law degree allows you to be analytical, critical and teaches you the importance of being concise. I was always convinced that a degree was simply another period of academia but a law degree is so much more than that – it is as much a vocational qualification as it is academic. I wanted a degree which would give me a great start in life where I learned real skills and my degree in law provides me with that.
The Oxford Brookes’ course is highly regarded within the legal profession and the staff are truly supportive. My Academic adviser Marc Howe is not only an interesting and engaging lecturer; he has taken the time to get to know me on a personal level. He is always willing to meet with me, regardless of how small the matter at hand may seem, and he works tirelessly to provide the students at Brookes with opportunities to enhance their employability, such as by setting up the partnership with Blake Morgan LLP. He was also the person to encourage me to apply for the role of Vice President in the Brookes Law Society.
I like that my course has no prescribed method of learning– It is for the students themselves to decide on how best to digest the information given to them. Employers want well rounded individuals who have a bit of ‘something’ about them. The course at Brookes encourages students to develop a wide range of interests in order to enhance their employability and they offer careers opportunities to support this. The Oxford Brookes Law Fair, held each year in November, invites a whole host of chambers and law firms from the local area to come and meet with the students and provide information on a range of contracts and pupillage opportunities. I was recently selected by the Law Faculty to attend an insight day at Clifford Chance LLP, one of the ‘magic circle’ law firms in London. This gave me the opportunity to network with other students and meet trainees at the law firm to gain a greater understanding of what life is like as a trainee in London.
In the future I hope to complete the professional requirements needed to become a solicitor or a barrister and practise law. After gaining a few years of practical experience, I hope to then use this experience to join either the RAF or Army Legal Service. The lifestyle of the military is greatly attractive to me and would allow me to practise in a breadth of legal disciplines whilst also being an officer in the British Armed Forces. This could allow me to advise the chain of command on the law of engagement or be the prosecuting counsel in a court martial. I would also be able to take part in frequent adventure training exercises too, something not offered in private practice.
For anybody who is looking for an intellectually stimulating degree, taught by inspiring lecturers with real life practical experience, in a beautiful city, then Brookes is the place to come. I wholeheartedly endorse Oxford Brookes and would recommend everyone to visit during an Open Day.