"For me, the decision to pursue a career at the Bar was strengthened by my experience of mooting at Sussex. I started the Graduate Diploma in Law with an open mind as to whether I would go down the solicitor or barrister path. The
extra-curricular activities at Sussex offer plenty of interesting ways to assist you in making this choice. Having the opportunity to work on a novel problem and present an oral argument to a panel of senior lecturers and practitioners is an experience all intending lawyers would find rewarding.
The Senior Mooting competition is open to both undergraduate and postgraduate law students and the rounds are structured across the year in a knockout format. I was fortunate enough to appear in the final of the 2012 competition held in the Supreme Court, London, in front of Lord Wilson of Culworth. The problems are generally set on the core subject areas and are therefore not too much of a distraction away from exams.
Mooting brings the law to life, it can take you to interesting places and introduce you to a new way of thinking about a legal problem. I also had the opportunity to represent Sussex in an international mooting competition in Dublin. The experience of your first moot is as nerve-racking as it is exhilarating; however, it could be just the special ingredient needed to secure that elusive training contract or pupillage."
Liam Edwards
Dip (Grad) Law
I was attracted to studying at Sussex due to the real commitment it has to research: being taught by lecturers who are leading academics in their fields is incredibly exciting. The interdisciplinary approach within the Sussex Law School allows you to think outside the box and look at issues from different perspectives.
The opportunity to have total control over my study options in the final year of my degree was fantastic. I was able to pursue and deepen my knowledge in the areas of law I had been so intrigued by from the start of the course. A particular highlight was studying Competition Law of the EU and undertaking a dissertation in this area. I enjoyed the research and writing process so much, that I knew that this was something I wanted to further and replicate – doing a Masters at Sussex was the next logical step.
With the help of the Law School, I recently applied for and got a place on the ‘Middle Temple Access to the Bar’ scheme, which is designed to give students from non-traditional backgrounds a insight into what a career at the bar is like. Through it I was able to undertake a mini-pupillage at Essex Court Chambers, coupled with a week of marshalling with Mr Justice David Bean in the High Court. During this time, I had the opportunity to proof-read and provide full case references on an important observation being submitted to the European Court of Justice on discrimination. Another unforgettable experience was spending an afternoon at the Levenson inquiry surrounded by journalists furiously tweeting and blogging events as they were happening. This experience has helped me reach the conclusion that a career at the Bar is for me.
Ubah Dirie, LLM
