Student and Alumni Profiles

Eleanor Gill

BA Law with French and French Law

What made you choose the School of Law?

I must admit that going into secondary school I was set on studying French and only French at university. However, all that changed when I joined my school's Citizenship Foundation Magistrates' Mock Trial team. When our team won the national finals at Manchester Magistrates' Court, I knew that I wanted to learn more about the law.

It was for this reason that I decided a degree in law with French was the perfect fit for me - what better way to continue studying my two favourite subjects? This considerably narrowed down the number of universities I could apply to, however Nottingham was always my first choice. On paper, the School of Law's strong reputation for excellent teaching, as well as the fact that Nottingham offers an introductory course to French law and to civil law before sending its students to France made it stand out from the other universities I had considered.

Seeing the University for myself on an open day convinced me that my first impressions were well founded. I was struck by the friendliness of the students, the enthusiasm of the professors and the beauty of University Park Campus. Looking back on my time at Nottingham now, I can definitely say that I made the right decision in choosing to study here!

What is the best part of your course?

What I like most about my degree is that I get to study not only law but also French; both very different to each other, but both subjects I am equally passionate about. I relish the fact that I can be sat in a seminar on propaganda in the French Revolution one hour, and then take part in a tutorial on Trusts Law the next. If anything, my degree has made me realise that there's truth in the saying 'variety is the spice of life'!

What has been your highlight of your time at Nottingham so far?

The highlight of my time at Nottingham has without a doubt been the year abroad. The third year of my course is spent studying law in France alongside French students. I chose to study at the Faculté de Droit in sunny Toulouse, la ville rose. The experience of living in a different country, of learning in and speaking another language almost every day, and of meeting students from across the world has been one of the most fulfilling and worthwhile experiences of my life.

Have you joined any societies or taken part in any other extracurricular activities?

Another great thing about Nottingham is the wide variety of societies and activities to get involved in. There really is something for everyone: outside of law, my personal favourites include the University Choir and Nottingham Debating Union. For law, I'd recommend joining the Nottingham Law Society (the bi-annual Law Ball is not to be missed!), Bar Society, Mooting Society and giving legal journalism a shot through Advocate magazine.

You could even give something quite unique to Nottingham a go, by singing, dancing or acting alongside fellow students and School of Law staff in the annual charity Law Revue - though as this year's director, I must admit that I am somewhat biased!

Connor Griffith

LLB Law

What made you choose the School of Law?

For me, it was the combination of excellent academic rankings, a wide range of module choice, social life and the beautiful campus.

What is the best part of your course?

The modules have been far more interesting than I ever would have imagined. Personal highlights include Criminal Law and the balancing of privacy rights of individuals and the expression rights of the media in Advanced Tort.

What has been your highlight of your time at Nottingham so far?

Definitely the opportunity for a fresh start, meeting loads of new people and being able to join societies for things I didn't even know existed. There is something for everyone here.

Have you joined any societies or taken part in any other extracurricular activities?

After trying out a few sports in first year, I've become the Workshop Manager for the Negotiation Society, which trains its members in how to professionally and effectively negotiate with one another, providing head starts for future careers.

My Tran

LLB Law with New Zealand Law

What made you choose the School of Law?

There were two main reasons for my decision to apply to the School of Law at the first place. One is the school's reputation for quality teaching, and two is the extensive study abroad programmes it offers. To me, the latter demonstrates the school's international outlook and global network: the opportunity to go abroad to study the law of another jurisdiction really appealed to me.

I then attended an open day and absolutely fell in love with the campus! The greenery here was a big plus for me, as was the variety of clubs and societies.

What is the best part of your course?

Spending a year in New Zealand has been the best part of my course. I travelled, made new friends, experienced a different culture and was able to take modules that are not offered at Nottingham (such as Media Law or Natural Disasters and the Law). The school was supportive both during the pre-departure period and throughout my year abroad.

Another thing that I really enjoyed about studying law at Nottingham is the annual Law Revue. I always had a great time watching the performances put together by staff and students. The revue seems to highlight the strong sense of community that is always present at the school.

What has been your highlight of your time at Nottingham so far?

As cliché as this might sound, my highlight has been the people I've met. I'm very lucky to have a very diverse friendship group and my university experience would be nowhere near as enjoyable had I not met them. The teaching staff is also supportive and inspiring. They are a great source of career advice and have helped me study the law from a practical perspective and see the real-life relevance of the course.

Have you joined any societies or taken part in any other extracurricular activities?

Currently I am a committee member of the Human Rights Film Series, a student-led initiative at the school's Human Rights Law Centre. We organise weekly screenings, which usually feature an introduction by a guest speaker and a post-screening discussion, to raise awareness for contemporary human rights issues.

Last term I helped out with the collaboration between Pro Bono's Aspire and Into University. We taught school children from a disadvantaged background about human rights through games and activities.

I have also been volunteering as an English tutor to refugees in Nottingham. This is part of the Tuesday Night Project ran by STAR (Student Actions for Refugee).

Jessica Allen

BA Law with French and French Law

What made you choose the School of Law?

Aside from the beautiful campus and the school's stellar reputation, I chose Nottingham because of the international opportunities available here. There are a number of law with language degrees on offer, all of which are qualifying, as well as a list of exchange universities in Europe and beyond - pure wanderlust! Perfect if you want to stand out from the crowd with a law with South East Asian law or law with New Zealand law degree.

As I study law with French and French law, I particularly like that my course includes optional French modules (unique to Nottingham when I applied) as well as language classes across all years of study. Studying for a year in Toulouse was an absolute dream!

What is the best part of your course?

The rigour and depth of content, though daunting at first, is a really valuable asset of the School of Law. We spend a whole year on the qualifying law modules, so we are given the time to absorb and understand the subject material. Of course, this is also reflected in the people who teach it: we have such a breadth and wealth of expertise at our fingertips!

What has been your highlight of your time at Nottingham so far?

Before gallivanting around Europe on my year abroad, Holi on the Downs at the end of my first year exams was probably my university highlight. You'll be surprised how quickly friendships can develop when you're throwing neon powder around on a huge patch of grass! Our campus is stunning, my friends are amazing, and with the School of Law, I felt sure for the first time that I was finally in the right place.

Have you joined any societies or taken part in any other extracurricular activities?

I am an active member of various law societies - we are so lucky to have so many on campus! From mooting and negotiation, to sports clubs and socials, there is a little something for everyone. Before my year abroad, I wrote and edited articles for Advocate magazine, with some time spent volunteering for our incredibly active Pro Bono Society.

Most students now know me as the Co-Founder and President of the European Law Students' Association (ELSA) Nottingham, through which they can access a vast international community. To occasionally escape the law bubble (which we all need to do), I go bouldering in the city centre each week with the Climbing Society.