‘I’m helping to fight against miscarriages of justice.’

Don’t get me wrong, it’s been tough studying and working from the same space every day, but despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, I’m still gaining the vital experience and knowledge I need to become a successful Criminal Law barrister. 

Being a barrister has been my dream since childhood. I’ve always been active in speaking out about important issues and it’s important that I can use my voice to help others defend their case. 

The LLB Law course is helping me to do just that, with classes on the fundamentals of law practice in the UK and specialist modules around concepts of criminal liability and developing an enquiring attitude towards the practice of criminal process. 

I had the opportunity to apply for a pro-bono case as part of my degree, working with a real law practise to provide legal representation in high impact innocence cases. I worked with a team to review police transcripts, statements and documents, and investigate the things that didn’t make sense, to help the defendant appeal their case. 

It was really helpful to work on a live case and put into practise what I’m learning in my degree. I got first-hand experience and a better understanding of the work that goes on behind the scenes of a criminal case. 

I was even able to participate in the Nuremberg Moot Court Competition, where my team prepared a case and presented it in an international criminal court. It was an incredible experience, even if we couldn’t take full advantage of travelling to Nuremberg in the midst of a pandemic. I was still able to learn a lot and received advice from judges at such a high level in their careers. 

My experiences on the LLB Law course have exposed me to many shortcomings of the current criminal justice system and I want to continue to use my voice to rectify miscarriages of justice and ensure that all my clients are given every opportunity for a fair trial. 

It's been great to know that everything I need is just a click away, including all the course material I need, access to articles and blogs, and any help I might need while I'm working from home. The support I’ve received from my Personal Tutor has been really helpful. I know I’m getting the same support I would if we were on campus. 

I'm confident that my degree from Sheffield will give me all the skills and knowledge I'll need to become a successful lawyer and make a real difference in my career.'