Close

Mentoring

If you want to develop a legal career and secure a training contract or pupillage after graduation, it is essential that you have some insight into practice and experience of a legal environment. The School of Law and Social Sciences addresses this by offering both in-house and external mentoring schemes.

Blake Morgan Partnership

The Blake Morgan partnership is a solicitor mentoring scheme whereby solicitors and staff from the firm act as mentors for Oxford Brookes students. On average, 35 students a year receive a personal mentor and are given guidance on anything from discussions on areas of practice, CVs, application forms, application strategy and interview preparation through to wider career management issues.

The Blake Morgan scheme also focusses specifically on offering mentors to students who do not have existing links into, or experience of, the legal profession.

Clifford Chance open day

Clifford Chance, one of the ‘magic circle’ law firms in London, run regular insight days offering students the opportunity to meet some of their senior partners and trainees at the firm, and network with other students from across the country. This valuable experience gives you an insight into what life is like as a trainee in London, and every year Oxford Brookes select a handful of their top students to attend. 

Naoise Tan, LLB Law 2017

“I was fortunate enough to be selected as one of four Brookes’ students to attend an open day in December with Clifford Chance, one of the world’s top law firms. Not only was the day incredibly helpful, but we were given guidance on writing applications for placements, taken through practice case studies and given talks from partners in the firm on commercial law. My law lecturer also took the time to help me prepare for it, in order to ensure that I made the most out of the day.”

Naoise Tan, LLB Law 2017

Barrister mentoring

Our barrister mentoring programme is for students wishing to pursue a career at the Bar and who are facing the intense competition that exists for pupillages and tenancies. Andrew Kopkin, Senior Lecturer in Legal Skills and Practice – himself a barrister – set up the scheme with the assistance of members of the Bar. It aims to match students with practising barristers in their areas of interest, to offer advice, support and professional networks.