10 reasons to study law, as told by Leeds Law School students

You’ll join an industry full of critical thinkers, strong reasoners and analytical problem solvers, whose motivations to study law are wide-ranging; some might want to delve deep into human behaviour and society, others might be fulfilling a lifelong purpose to fight injustice.

Reasons to study law are varied and vast, and depend on the individual’s personality more than anything. We asked 10 different students at Leeds Law School, past and present, why they chose to study law at university.

What are your reasons? Please get in touch to be featured.

Rachel Mews

“I was inspired to study law after studying Ethics at GCSE, where we would regularly debate a range of world issues such as animal rights, human rights and prejudice. I decided to study law because I wanted a subject that would apply to everyday life, challenge me, and provide a range of career opportunities upon obtaining my degree.

“Studying law teaches a range of transferable skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, public speaking, analytical skills, time management, and working as a team.

“When I started studying law, I didn't realise how many different areas of law there were. It's been good to delve into all its different fields and then narrow down which areas of law I might want to pursue in the future. Law is a rewarding subject as you learn about justice and how legislation is constantly evolving in order to protect society and vulnerable individuals.  There are so many career routes available because there are so many fields of law, as well as careers in a wide range of professions such as the police force.

“Choosing to study law allows you to learn about the legal system, policing, and society, providing the knowledge, skills, and foundations for a successful legal career.”

David Thompson

“You don’t need any legal knowledge prior to studying a law degree, and you don’t need a background in academia either. I left school at fourteen with no qualifications, and I now have a First Class LLB Law (Hons) Degree with Placement Year in Industry.

"The best thing about Leeds Law School is the lecturers, who are experienced Solicitors, Barristers, Drs of Law, etc., and are experts in their fields. They’re also decent, approachable people who want their students to succeed. Another game changer for LLS students is being able to access hundreds of OUP textbooks online via Law Trove.

"Having the opportunity to study at LLS and taking full advantage of it has changed my path in life. So if you’ve chosen to study Law at Leeds Beckett, you’ve made a good decision in my opinion.”

Niamh Burke and Sophie Turner

“I chose to study law as it was something I really enjoyed at A-Level. There are definitely challenges but it’s worth it. It is such an interesting and vast subject to study. A legal career is something I continue to work hard for as it is so rewarding.”
Niamh

“I’ve always wanted to study law, and I chose my A-Levels with that goal firmly in mind. I think the great thing about studying law, and one that not enough people realise, is that there are so many careers you can go into afterwards – people think it’s all about becoming a lawyer or a barrister or a solicitor, but there are other options to explore.

“Having a knowledge of law is relevant to so many parts of life, and it will always need humans to do the job - that appealed to me because we won’t be made redundant by robots. People are reassured by people, and I’m very much a people person which is why law was a natural choice for me.”
Sophie

Agata Kowalska

“I originally joined Leeds Beckett as a Journalism student, but when I did the Law module in the first year, I liked it so much that I quickly knew law was actually what I wanted to do.  I changed over from the Business School to the Law School because I knew that the Law degree was where I was meant to be.

“I chose to study law because I’m so fascinated by critical thinking. There are two sides to an argument, and you have to challenge yourself to reach the best conclusions. Studying law teaches you hard work, how to handle pressure, and resilience, which you will need in abundance in the industry."

Danielle McGrath

“I first experienced studying law at A-Level, where I just chose it on a whim; but within a few months on the course, I realised that I was actually finding it really interesting and I was doing well. It ended up being my best grade at A-Level.

James Shipton

“I originally applied to join the Law LLB course as I wanted to be intellectually pushed and develop the foundations for a career. I was split between wanting to be a sports lawyer or a legal academic. Respectively, one sounded more flashy, the other sounded more intellectually fulfilling!

“Retrospectively, I realise I also really wanted a space to develop as a person. I had academic skills but wanted to create my own informed, personal opinions on global events, policies and processes. From my research, the Law LLB course seemed to focus on the critical writing skills that I developed at A-Level so I felt I could excel, and the broadness of the expertise/module options at the University could support my growth as a person and professional.”

Brad Graves

“I chose to study law because it was intellectually stimulating, reading and learning cases and understanding the arguments as to why the law operates the way it does. Habeus Corpus! It also gives you many life skills; understanding the mechanics of the law arms you with the ability to stand up, step back and be ready for anything that is thrown your way, be that dodgy landlords or unwelcome PCNs. This course will teach you how to deal with these and also why it’s important.

“A life in law is also filled with intrigue, from the clients you meet, to the stories you'll get to tell. It's a course that will set you on a good career path. I was an estate agent before and used my skills and knowledge in my job and applied it to my course in property law. It’s aided me very well.”

Nykki-Marie Smith

“I originally studied law because I wanted to become a politician. However, I thought instead of studying politics it would be better to study law because you’d have a better background of the system which underpins the UK constitutional system. Also, a lot of politicians are from a legal background. 

“I also had a strong passion for animal law before starting university and another career path I was interested was prosecuting for the RSPCA (a career I’m still hoping to pursue). To prosecute for the RSPCA, I knew I had to qualify as a lawyer. I specifically wanted to go down the barrister route with regard to this.

“I also knew that Leeds was an upcoming capital of the North and it is also one of the main legal hubs outside of London.”

Tahrem Tania

“I chose to study law as I enjoyed it during A-Levels. I never knew much about it, but during sixth form I found I wanted to study it further. I find law really interesting, and I think you should choose a course you find interesting because you will enjoy studying it.

“In law, you get to learn about recent cases and apply your knowledge of the law in real life scenarios - a bit like trying to win a case or advise a client.