LCN Blogs

We've got a crack team of bloggers reporting back from the front line of legal study and work. You'll hear straight from the horses' mouths how they juggle their studies, job search, work, finances and social life. You can save blogs to your MyLCN account by clicking the 'Bookmark' button on the blogs page.

Blessing Mukosha Park

Blessing is a BPTC graduate from The City Law School and former Director of the School Exclusion Project. She is author of BLESSING AT THE BAR, the blog for aspiring barristers, and is also a vlogger for LCN. She has published work on youth violence, County Lines and racial discrimination in policing and the criminal justice system and plans to practice public and property law at the Bar.

Latest post:

Protecting your mental health during pupillage application season

Blessing Mukosha Park

Overall, around six months of your life will be taken up by pupillage applications, interviews, rejections and offers. It is going to be a tough experience and those who are applying for the first time (and even those going at it for another year) could benefit from advice on how to protect and manage their mental health during this difficult period of their career.

Irina M

After two years of studying law at university, while gaining legal work experience in London, working in legal tech and volunteering, I am ready to embark on my final year and capture the ups and downs here on my blog!

Latest post:

Can EU competition policy keep up with digital markets?

In recent years, large tech firms have increasingly been on the European Commission’s radar for infringements of Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. A report released earlier in 2019 sets out the commission’s position on digital markets and includes several interesting findings.

Christianah B

Hello! I’m Chrissy. I am an undergraduate student studying my LLB at a London university. I will be publishing blogs and vlogs with a personal and academic account of what it means to study law, while sharing tips on how to make the most of your experience at university.

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Don’t let the muggles get you down: what I learnt as a Potterhead

The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling is considered one of the most beloved of all time, and not just to the Potterhead community. It’s hard not to fall in love with the characters, storyline and writing of the series. Not only is it entertaining, it also teaches priceless life lessons that can be carried from elementary school all the way into adulthood. From The Sorcerer’s Stone to The Deathly Hallows, here are eight life lessons that law students can learn from the famous adventure.

Chantal Elian

I’m Chantal and I am currently an undergraduate at the University of Leicester studying English and History, entering the final year of my degree! I am beginning my applications to undertake the GDL after graduating and working towards gaining a training contract in the near future. I am keen to help other non-law students and hope that I can achieve this by sharing my experience whilst navigating the legal world without a law degree!

Latest post:

Checking over your applications

Sometimes, checking back over your applications can be just as difficult as writing them the first time around!

Kat C-W

Hello! I’m currently studying at University of Sheffield, although I have also studied law with the Open University so I will be imparting some distance learning insight too. I’m figuring out university as a mature student and will be sharing some of my experiences juggling life, work and education.

Latest post:

How to get over the winter semester slump

The November slump is real. If you are ready to throw those brand-new textbooks out the window, here are a few tips to collect yourself and get back on track for the weeks ahead.

Bethany Barrett

A second-year law student at the University of Bristol, I hope to eventually work as a solicitor in a Birmingham or Manchester-based firm. Through this blog, I want to share my experiences of applying for vacation schemes and training contracts, and also give a voice to those students who want to work in cities outside of London (it isn't always for everyone you know!).

Latest post:

How to deal with the university strikes

Bethany Barrett

Between Monday 25 November and Wednesday 4 December, lecturers and support staff at over 60 universities are striking over disputes concerning rising pension costs and worsening working conditions. While the universities themselves are working to minimise the impact of the strike on students, it is inevitable that some – if not all – lectures, tutorials and seminars will be cancelled. So what can you do to ensure that the strike doesn’t unduly hurt your studies?

Matthew Dow

Hello! I am Matt, I completed my undergraduate in History and Politics at Oxford in 2014. I have pivoted to law after spending the last few years working in mobile marketing for King, the makers of Candy Crush. I have just finished the GDL and LLB extension at the University of Law, Bloomsbury. Finding a legal role is a meandering experience. I am keen to pass on any lessons learned.

Latest post:

Tailoring your application

Almost every graduate recruiter has told me that the secret to vacation scheme success is tailoring your application form. What recruiters mean by this is specifically focusing on the firm to which you are applying in your answers.

Juliet

Hi! I’m Juliet, and I will be entering my second year studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics at the University of Oxford in October 2019. I’ll be blogging about my experiences finding out about the legal profession, and also about how politics, economics and current events relate to the law.

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Situational judgement tests - do they actually work?

At the height of campus recruitment season, I thought I might not be the only one in need of a break from being told how to become more employable. So for today’s blog, I wanted to steer clear of attempting to give advice, but still look at a subject very relevant to those of us currently applying for vacation schemes: situational judgement tests.

Joe Defries

I’m a first-year LLB student at the University of Bristol interested in commercial law and how technology is disrupting the legal profession. I maintain commercial awareness through reading the FT, listening to podcasts and running my own small business. In this blog, I’ll be discussing all aspects of my degree from the very start, with the occasional post relating to a current debate.

Latest post:

Barrister or solicitor: which career path is right for me?

If you’re a first-year law student interested in exploring legal career paths, here’s a guide to the two most popular routes. This guide covers how to become a barrister or solicitor, the main differences between the two professions and how to decide between them.

Violet

Hi I’m Violet, and I will be a final-year English & French student from September. Although I’m a non-law student, I am looking to pursue a career in law after graduating. I love writing – so blogging is the ideal way for me to get across my experience of the legal world from a non-law perspective, as well as other general musings that I have about the law!

Latest post:

How is the changing UK high street affecting law firms?

Almost every day there seems to be another headline about the demise of the high street. In the past few years, several clothing and restaurant chains have gone into administration and, with high street retailers facing high rents, low footfall and the ever-increasing use of online shopping, the future isn't looking promising.

Sian

Hi, I’m Sian; a second year Law student at UCL. With one year of my degree completed I am finally starting to find my feet within the field of Law and I’m excited to use this blog to share my highs, lows and everything in between as I continue my degree and get to grips with the hectic legal world.

Latest post:

Baby steps towards commercial awareness

As application season draws closer, the dreaded phrase ‘commercial awareness’ beings to haunt law students. In this post, I set out my top tips for breaking down your quest for awareness in order to make understanding commercial events a lot less daunting.

Ibrahim Ilyas

Hello! I'm Ibrahim, aspiring barrister and I've just completed the LLB at Birmingham City University. I'll be studying the Bar Professional Training Course LLM at the University of Law (Birmingham) in September 2019. After undertaking a range of both legal and non-legal experiences, I am keen to share with you my journey to a career at the Bar and all that it entails. I invite you to join me as we navigate through all the conundrums that is part of pursuing a career as a barrister, and more. Watch this space!

Latest post:

BPTC scholarship advice

Candidates applying for the Inns of Court BPTC scholarships can take a number of steps to prepare for the application and interview process. This guide provides personal insight on approaching the deadline for the scholarship application form.

Charlotte Hughes

I graduated from the University of Reading in 2015 and studied the BPTC at the University of Law graduating in 2017 with a Very Competent. I am currently undertaking my pupillage at East Anglian Chambers primarily in criminal law.

Latest post:

Things to do between the BPTC and gaining pupillage

Charlotte Hughes

As the pupillage gateway closes for another year, those who were unsuccessful face a long wait before the application window opens again.

Hayley Kwan

I studied Computing in Imperial College London and I will be starting the GDL at BPP in October 2017. Watch this space as I will be sharing my take on legal tech and tips on juggling part-time jobs, vacation scheme applications and studying full-time.

Latest post:

Global Legal Hackathon 2019

I recently took part in the Global Legal Hackathon – the world’s largest hackathon dedicated to legal technology and innovation. This year’s theme was increasing access to justice, so participants were expected to brainstorm and create prototypes of tools that would help the public better understand legal jargon and receive legal advice.

Paris Bradley

I am a mature student, undertaking an undergraduate law degree at a small university in the south. I am also a single mother to two fabulous children. I have just completed my first year and am eagerly awaiting the start of second year. This time I will be armed with a better idea of how to tackle common law student issues; something I will be sharing on here.

Latest post:

The time has come for me to leave LCN blogging. It has been an absolutely fantastic experience and a career-building opportunity. Here are my final thoughts for all potential and current law students.

Solinda Tracy

Hi, my name is Solinda. I graduated from the University West of England in 2017 and I am currently studying the LPC part-time at the University of Law. I am also full time Private Client Paralegal at an award-Winning national consumer law firm.

Latest post:

Identifying your side hustle

Even though working in the legal sector offers you the chance to have a great salary, it is important to spend time on other interests besides the law. Whether it’s selling specific items, doing odd jobs or expanding your social media presence, a side hustle can be a great way to generate multiple streams of income.