Harriet Baylis LLB Law, 2017

Paralegal at Parker Bullen LLP

Attending employer events developed my interviewing and networking skills which in turn meant I was able to get a training contract in my final year.

Southampton Law School is a fantastic place to study, it has many green spaces and peaceful surroundings to study,  staff are friendly and held many events to help students settle in. One of the highlights of the course was the compulsory moot, which significantly improved my self-confidence to do well on the rest of the course and become attractive to employers.    The Law School enabled me to achieve my ambition; I wanted to get a training contract to become a solicitor and I have been able to achieve this.  

A highlight in my career to date is the regular face to face client contact from my very first day at the office and contributing significantly to my department's work. I have also become involved in marketing my firm's services by developing a greater social media presence. Now I aim to progress through the firm to establish a senior role and to become involved in various pro bono activities, developing my own ways of assisting those less fortunate and helping disadvantaged students enter the legal profession.

My advice to students would be to ensure you choose modules that you are interested in. Be pro-active in terms of thinking about post-university life - careers will not choose you, you must choose them! Find work experience with local firms and chambers which will allow you to establish whether a career in law is compatible with you. Having placements/internships/graduate schemes in place whilst you are still studying will ease your anxiety about the future and help concentrate on your final exams.

I also recommend watching court proceedings from the public galleries - this will give you a flavour of everything about law and shows initiative to future employers. Think about working during your university holidays instead of during term time and take advantage of the university sports clubs and societies.