Current student Erin Theobald joined us in 2019 to study an LLB at our Bloomsbury campus. We caught up with Erin to discuss the friendships she has made here and her ambitions for the future.
By Cara Fielder. Published 26 August 2022. Last updated 3 January 2023.
I chose to study at ULaw because of the great employability programme it offers, the high level of teaching and how friendly and welcoming the staff and students are. It’s also a bonus that I get to study in the heart of the capital, which I also call home.
My ambition is to become a solicitor in a city firm or go into journalism or publishing. A law degree offers so many transferable skills and allows me to be more flexible with my career choices.
My ULaw tutors have been so supportive. They are always there if we have any queries or concerns. They know exactly how to help or who to go to for further advice if needed. At ULaw, we can build a good relationship with tutors due to smaller class sizes. As a result, I am never afraid to go and ask for help, whatever it may be.
I used the ULaw Employability Service for an over the phone meeting with one of the staff who gave me advice on improving my CV. Before our meeting, I sent her the CV and she explained how to change it to appeal to employers and what things to add to help me stand out. She also found several law firms that specialised in publishing and sent them to me to look into. This was so helpful; now I have a strong CV to give to employers when the time comes for work experiences and schemes.
One of the things I love about ULaw is how diverse it is. There are people from all walks of life, different religions and ethnicities and even people who live halfway across the world. This diversity creates such a rich learning environment as we all value our differences and similarities. I learn just as much from my peers as I do from my lecturers.
In my foundation year, I became good friends with a girl who moved here to study from South Africa. She was my best friend at university throughout my foundation year and returned home when the year ended. Due to Covid-19, she has not been able to return to the UK for her studies yet and is doing her degree online instead. We spend hours on Facetime, frequently helping each other with our work and discussing topics we are covering. Even though she lives halfway across the world, she is still one of my closest friends, and I cannot wait to see her again.
ULaw has improved my confidence greatly by being so welcoming. I can now present in front of my peers well and I am not afraid to get answers wrong in class. As well as this, I am confident in meeting new people. The confidence I have gained from studying here is definitely something I will take into the working world. The legal knowledge and skills I have already learnt, including reading statutes and advising clients, will be crucial when working as a solicitor.
My advice to new ULaw students is to throw themselves into the environment. Do not be scared of judgement or people’s opinions; everyone is in the same position as you. It is ok to get things wrong in class or in your work. You are there to learn and almost everyone is on the same level of learning as you will be. Do not be shy to ask when you need help or are struggling. A degree is not easy. It will be challenging but that is what makes it interesting. Do not be afraid to go to your peers and ask for advice as they are going through the same thing as you.
Don’t put your dreams on hold. Discover how ULaw can support your ambition now.
