Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
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Graduation only the beginning of Debbie’s two-decade law dream
Now, as she graduates from the LLB course at Leeds Beckett University twenty years later, she has a simple message: It’s never too late to follow your dreams.
Debbie, who balanced her studies with life as a working single mother, is taking the next step towards becoming a barrister – a lifelong goal that began with a viewing of A Time To Kill.
“After watching the film, I remember thinking then ‘I want to be a lawyer’, but I didn't really know what that truly meant, other than what I'd seen on the TV.” She says.
Debbie quickly decided to aim for a career in law, but due to personal circumstances at the time did not complete A Levels and instead went into full time employment. Debbie worked in a variety of front lines roles at Leeds City Council before finding herself working in policy at the start of 2018.
After a divorce five years ago, she decided the time was right to give her dream another shot.
She continues: “It was a really difficult time of my life and obviously there were big changes. You suddenly find yourself on a completely different path and I just thought ‘I'm at least going to try’. I think at the time I wanted to see if I was capable and if I could actually do it.”
As she weighed up where to study, Leeds Beckett’s Leeds Law School quickly became the standout choice.
“I’ve got two children, a house and a life already in Leeds, and I knew I wanted to do a degree in law. I spoke to a couple of people, both friends and family, who really rated their own experience at Leeds Beckett.” She adds.
After starting at the university, Debbie threw herself into making the most of her degree, taking advantage of Leeds’s standing as a major legal hub to gain all-important experience of the law sector and working directly on real-life cases as part of the school’s Leeds Law Clinic.
Debbie continues: “As I started the degree, I realised that actually I’m really quite good at this and that I’ve got a real knack for it.
“I was getting really good grades and I just thought ‘I've got a choice here, I can either really try and use this as a catalyst to fire me in the direction I want to go in or I can just carry on this same path in a job that isn’t really what I want to do.’”
As Debbie went from strength to strength on the course, she was also grateful for the flexibility offered by her lecturers as she juggled her studies with raising two children and a job.
“The uni were very accommodating. If I had seminars that were spread out over three days, they were able to condense it down to two days and would work with me on the timings to make sure I could manage and be available for my kids as well.
“It was challenging and it was difficult, but I'm not sure Leeds Beckett could have done anything more really to accommodate me, they were extremely understanding.”
After receiving a first-class LLB, Debbie is now heading to BPP University to complete the Bar course, and once qualified will look for pupillage as a barrister. After a hugely positive experience at Leeds Beckett, her advice for anyone considering taking a course as a mature student is to take the leap.
“I think you're actually more advantaged as a mature student because of the experience that you've got behind you. So, I'd say to anybody just do it. Absolutely do it. And just enjoy it. The time will pass anyway so if you have the opportunity grab it with both hands and use the time to fulfil your dreams and reach your full potential.”
Find out more about studying at Leeds Law School.