Leeds Law School students travel to the Bronx to teach law

Dr Rachel Dunn, Director of Employability and Pro Bono at Leeds Law School, explains: “We pride ourselves on practical learning at Leeds Law School, and the New York trip is just one example of the incredible, life-changing opportunities that our students are exposed to during their time at Leeds Beckett, helping with real legal issues and public legal education.”

Kitty Lambert, LLM Legal Practice (LPC)

“In July 2023, myself and three other students travelled to New York City on the Street Law programme. Our apartment was situated in Harlem just north of Central Park - an area rich with culture and an easy commute to both the Bronx and the tourist hot spots. The views of the city were breathtaking, and we spent the first few days settling in and exploring.

“We then attended training at New York Law School (NYLS) with other NYLS university students and prepared to deliver lessons to high school aged children in the Bronx. These lessons were centred around important legal topics, such as book banning, voter ID rights, gun laws and the rule of law. We taught the lessons 9am-12pm Monday – Thursday and were free to explore the city once we had finished."

“I found it incredibly rewarding to teach these lessons in the Bronx, as we were equipping young people with fundamental legal knowledge that will help them throughout their lives. Some of the students even said that they would like to become lawyers in the future, and this was touching to hear! I found the trip to be very inspiring and it made me excited about my own legal career and the difference that I could make to the lives of others.

“I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to live in New York for a month. I gained so many skills from the Street Law programme, made some great friends and loved giving students in the Bronx important legal literacy. These things together made it the trip of a lifetime.”

Alex Hornby, LLB (Hons) Law

“As part of the Street Law programme, we were given the amazing opportunity to travel to New York and deliver sessions for soon-to-be high school students about the role the law plays in their daily lives and engaging in debates about the morality of certain laws. The students made new friends and grew in confidence as the weeks progressed, culminating in a mock trial on the final day."

“New York Law School were extremely helpful and supportive throughout, and we had fantastic daily support. Alongside teaching, the trip gave us the opportunity to visit the offices of Schulte Roth & Zabel and to meet and have workshops with former Leeds Beckett student and law firm partner, Bernard Armoo. We also visited the United Nations Headquarters and went on tours of the museum of natural history, New York public library, and many more places.

“As well as the educational trips we also saw all of the amazing sights of New York and even attended a classic American baseball game.”

Amy Wallace, Assistant Professor of Law, New York Law School

“This summer we were joined by four incredibly dedicated law students from Leeds Beckett. The students were an amazing addition to the Street Law programme, exposing the high school students to different ideas and perspectives. It was a very successful exchange and I hope to incorporate the programme again this year.”

Ian Doerfler, Senior Lecturer, Leeds Law School

“I had the pleasure of accompanying our students on the New York exchange this summer, where they partnered with American students to develop lesson plans for delivery on the Street Law programme. They made an excellent impression and were a credit to Leeds Beckett University."

“We also undertook law-related tours, including a visit to the 9/11 museum, the United Nations HQ and a Harlem Civil Rights tour. It was noticeable how the students’ independence and confidence grew whilst we were there, helped by meeting a former Leeds Beckett student who is now a partner in a New York city firm.”

Keep an eye on the Law School enrichment programme for upcoming opportunities.