Case study

Changing Lives: Opening up the Law

21 Mar 2017

Law has traditionally been the preserve of people from more privileged backgrounds. However, London South Bank and other modern universities have been doing what they can to enable a more diverse range of entrants into the profession.

Before starting her degree Hannah Short had been a professional dancer, running her own business for two years as part of an international dance group. Her experience of arranging overseas work in LA, the Philippines and Dubai sparked her interest in commercial law and the desire to work with companies on an international scale.

On the advice of her friends Hannah applied to LSBU because of its reputation for accepting students from “non-traditional” routes like Hannah who had not studied A-Levels. Hannah was delighted to receive an offer, but accepting the place was a big decision. As a child of four of a single parent her mother would not be able to help her financially during her studies. With LSBU’s support Hannah applied to the National Scholarship Programme and was awarded a full scholarship. In addition to taking internships with Fisher Meredith and Ronald Fletcher Baker she was also able to develop her skills, working alongside fully qualified solicitors and barristers at LSBU’s on-campus Legal Advice Clinic, giving legal advice to drop-in clients. Hannah was awarded a First Class Honours Degree and secured a training contract with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer – a top tier ‘Magic Circle’ law firm beating over 3,000 applications to secure one of only eighty positions.

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