Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
One year on: Successful Leeds Law School graduate praises course for its career opportunities
Graduation has officially started at Leeds Beckett University, with the classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 coming together to celebrate their achievements as they say goodbye to university. Nykki Marie Smith, who graduated in 2021 with a first-class LLB Law degree from Leeds Law School, talks about her experience as a student and how it helped her secure a dream job.
During my time at university, I was involved in a wide range of practical work activities. The school offers a mentoring scheme, which allowed us to work with a legal professional, who would happily answer any of our queries. The legal professionals that sign up to the scheme are very happy to assist, and if they cannot help you with a specific area, they provide you with valuable connections in that area, who are better placed to help you. It really does expand your legal network, which in turn, opens a lot of other doors.
Leeds Law School has a great Dean, who always makes time for the students and is willing to help them when needed. He really makes the students feel heard and appreciated. My experience on the course was very positive. The course was very career-focused. I was offered a placement while I was still in university, with a large defending PI/RTA law firm. This gave me great insight into the legal sector, specifically on what it means to be a legal assistant/paralegal. At the end of my placement, I secured a part-time role at the firm, which was a key step forward in my career.
To further strengthen my work experience skills, I completed the CILEX Legal Executive Practice modules, during my final year. This allowed me to build further practical skills to take into legal employment and develop specialist knowledge around specific areas of the sector. The university also offers networking opportunities through talks and lectures, which I was keen to attend during my course.I wanted to be as prepared as possible to find a job after graduating, and all the practical sides of the course meant that I managed to enter the legal sector quite quickly.
In terms of my legal journey, my proudest moment to date is completing university. I encountered some personal challenges during university which had a massive impact on my physical and mental health, and there were moments where I wasn’t sure if I would finish my degree. Especially as I have never considered myself academically smart, I was extremely proud to have obtained a first-class degree.
The greatest challenge for me was finding the right legal area in which I wanted to work. During my time at university, I was a big advocate for animal rights, and I was very interested in human rights. So, it seemed appropriate to move into a role that has the potential to help others. I obtained a role as a paralegal in the only legally aided housing law firm in Leeds.
At present, I advise and assist people in difficult situations every day. I mostly work with people who are at risk of being evicted from their properties, or people who need help in dealing with anti-social behaviour matters from possession proceedings to injunction and committal proceedings, and other legal housing queries.
I would advise aspiring law students to remember everyone was in your shoes at one point, so don’t be afraid to ask questions and always be keen to learn more.
Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. The only way to become more comfortable and understand the legal sector is to get involved in it. A textbook can only take you so far.
Bring the law to life at Leeds Law School. Using state-of-the-art facilities, we offer a practical, modern approach to a subject that affects all of us. You'll start building your network from day one in a city that's vibrant and full of opportunity. To find out more about our courses, visit our website.
