Personal Statement:Law 8

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Law Personal Statement

Throughout my A level studies I have become increasingly attracted to the study of Law and wish to pursue a degree in this subject to reinforce and develop my knowledge and understanding of the legal system. For me, a Law degree is not purely vocational. Indeed I am very interested in the theoretical and philosophical aspects of the legal process, especially how the development of common law affects the Criminal Law, potentially changing an entire area of law through a single judgement

This year I am taking a gap year in order to gain useful work experience and to travel around Europe, sampling a variety of different cultures. Over the next twelve months I plan to do work experience in all possible aspects of the legal system, recognising that law is a diverse area, comprising of much more than simply barristers and solicitors. I am spending a month researching social policy for the Citizens Advice Bureau, a chance to do useful first-hand exploration into the effects of new legislation that may not have been appreciated by the Government. To understand both aspects of the effects of new legislation and the work that goes behind it, I am also planning to spend a month working for an MP in the Labour Party's headquarters in London. I also have the opportunity of shadowing an MEP in Brussels, which will further enhance my appreciation of law by introducing me to foreign legal systems

Recently I spent two extremely interesting weeks at the Old Bailey shadowing His Honour Judge Michael Hyam, the Recorder of London. I observed various cases from murder to police brutality and was introduced to the staff who contribute to the daily running of Central Criminal Court and their wide range of duties. This gave me incredibly useful insights into the legal process in practice such as the difference between conducting trials involving adults and children, insights that are not usually included in learning the purely theoretical aspects of law. The experience also taught me to appreciate how each of the different areas of the legal system are closely interwoven in a criminal trial, from the interaction between the prosecution and police detectives to the relationship between the Judge and the court clerk

Apart from work experience, I am actively extending my knowledge of law by reading The Times weekly law supplement. I have also spent a day with the Head of Graduate recruitment at Allen and Overy, learning about the various training routes available to Law Graduates in the commercial sector. Aside from study, I enjoy participating in many extra curricular activities. I am currently learning Japanese and find both the language and the culture fascinating. I have also recently started a Latin GCSE course with the intention of honing the logic and reasoning skills essential to the study of law. As a keen musician I play first bassoon in the Reading Youth Orchestra and piano. In addition I enjoy creative writing and am intending to complete a trampoline-coaching course which I hope to put to use at university

Overall, a Law degree is a great opportunity to immerse myself in the legal structures and rules that shape our modern society and form part of the history of this country. I look forward to studying this challenging and stimulating subject while being able to make full use of all the extra-curricular activities and facilities a university offers and hope to pursue a career in law in the future.

Comments

General Comments:

This PS needs improving: it falls into the trap of wanting to be a lawyer and explaining that, rather than their interest in the theory/background/academic side of law. The statement needs to be more specific, expanding on the vague points mentioned. It’s not really clear why the applicant is interested in studying law, which is important for admissions tutors, who want applicants to be interested in the subject for 3 years. There is also too much focus on the applicant’s gap year plans, which don’t add a lot to the statement.

Comments on the statement:

Throughout my A level studies I have become increasingly attracted to the study of law The applicant should elaborate on this by explaining what, during their A levels, attracted them to the study of law. However, it’s not the most exciting way to start a PS and wish to pursue a degree in this subject to reinforce and develop my knowledge and understanding of the legal system. This needs explaining as well: WHY do they want to know about law and want to understand it, why is it so interesting? For me, a law degree is not purely vocational. This seems a strange point to make, as law degrees are not, by their very nature, purely vocational – it doesn’t lead directly to a career. Indeed this is too informal for a PS I am very interested in the theoretical and philosophical aspects of the legal process, especially how the development of common law affects the criminal law, The candidate states an interest in the "philosophical aspects of the legal process" before attempting to expand on this point with an unrelated legal process! A mention of a philosophical aspect of law, i.e Jurisprudence and why it interests the candidate would add more weight to this reasoning potentially changing an entire area of law through a single judgment The applicant needs to expand on this to say why they are interested in this idea. It would be good to discuss extra reading related to this in the subsequent paragraph.

This year I am taking a gap year in order to gain useful work experience and to travel around Europe, sampling a variety of different cultures. The point about experiencing Europe and different cultures is clichéd and vague, thus it seems unlikely to benefit the candidate's personal statement. Over the next twelve months I plan to do work experience in all possible aspects of the legal system, recognising that law is a diverse area, comprising of much more than simply barristers and solicitors. Once again, this is too vague and doesn’t really add anything, as they’ve got nothing relevant to talk about. I am spending a month researching social policy for the Citizens Advice Bureau, a chance to do useful first-hand exploration into the effects of new legislation that may not have been appreciated by the Government. This is, by far, the best sentence in the personal statement thus far: a point that is relevant to the study of law, expanded further by mentioning the duties that will be undertaken, and rounded off with why this interests the applicant. To understand both aspects of the effects of new legislation this is overly wordy and the work that goes behind it, too informal I am also planning to spend a month working for an MP in the Labour Party's headquarters in London. I starting two sentences in a row with ‘I’ doesn’t flow well also have the opportunity of shadowing an MEP in Brussels, which will further enhance my appreciation of law by introducing me to foreign legal systems. This explanation of gap year plans is too long – the space would be better utilised talking about the applicant’s interest in particular aspects of the law, rather than just describing what they’re going to do. At the moment, the explanation is too vague to add anything really useful.

Recently I spent two extremely interesting weeks at the Old Bailey shadowing His Honour Judge Michael Hyam, the Recorder of London. The addition of "extremely" seems entirely unnecessary, as is the name dropping I observed various cases from murder to police brutality and was introduced to the staff who contribute to the daily running of the Central Criminal Court and their wide range of duties. This needs to be related to their academic interest in law (rather than ‘I want to be a lawyer’), to explain why they want to study it at university. This gave me incredibly useful this is too informal insights into the legal process in practice such as the difference between conducting trials involving adults and children, insights that are not usually included in learning the purely theoretical aspects of law. This needs to be related more to do with their interest in the theoretical, academic side of law as otherwise the universities will wonder if they're the right student for them. The experience also taught me to appreciate how each of the different areas of the legal system are closely interwoven in a criminal trial, from the interaction between the prosecution and police detectives to the relationship between the Judge and the court clerk. This is too focused on the ‘being a lawyer’ rather than the applicant’s interest in the theory of law.

Apart from work experience, I am actively extending my knowledge of law by reading ”The Times” publication names need quotation marks around them weekly law supplement. Although this is a good sentence, it would be improved by a specific reference to a point of law or a case that was read which was of particular interest and explain why. I have also spent a day with the Head of Graduate recruitment at Allen and Overy, learning about the various training routes available to law graduates in the commercial sector. The applicant should focus more on getting the degree than what they’re going to do afterwards. It is not compulsory to mention career aspirations in a PS. Non-related stuff should be in a separate paragraph Aside from study, this phrase isn’t needed I enjoy participating in many extra curricular activities. I am currently learning Japanese and find both the language and the culture fascinating. Overused word in PSs. Also, it’s unwise to describe another subject like this. I have also recently started a Latin GCSE course with the intention of honing the logic and reasoning skills essential to the study of law. How? This needs expanding on. As a keen musician, I play first bassoon in the Reading Youth Orchestra and piano. It is not entirely clear whether the author plays piano in the Reading Youth Orchestra or simply for his own enjoyment. In addition, I enjoy creative writing and am intending to complete a trampoline-coaching course which I hope to put to use too informal at university. If space is low, some of this can be removed.

Overall, not a good way to start a PS a law degree is a great opportunity for me to immerse myself in the legal structures and rules that shape our modern society and form part of the history of this country. I look forward to studying this challenging and stimulating subject while being able to make full use of all the extra-curricular activities and facilities a university offers and hope to pursue a career in law in the future. The point about the subject is fine, however, the subsequent points would be improved by affording them separate sentences (or not mentioning university in general) and a bit of explanation, simply because they are both important (especially the latter).