South West teenagers graduate from prestigious programme designed to inspire a future legal career

Hard-working teenagers from across the South West have celebrated graduating from a prestigious course which gives them the skills and confidence to pursue a successful legal career.

Those who complete the programme are from a wide range of underrepresented backgrounds and are often the first generation in their family to attend university. The innovative and exciting course is designed to raise aspirations and confidence among high-achieving sixth form pupils in state schools and help prepare them for their next steps towards a career within competitive legal professions.

Pathways to Law is offered at 7 UK universities, including the University of Exeter and is jointly funded  by The Sutton Trust as a part of their work to improve diversity within a range of different university courses and career sectors. Participating students who have attended the programme at the University of Exeter enjoyed a celebration event to mark their completion of the programme.

The programme gives participants the chance to meet and work with those in the legal industry and gain valuable work experience and career advice. They visit local law courts and witness current cases in session and take part in a Discovery Day at the Inner Temple in London.

These young pupils attend lectures and seminars from Exeter Law school academics, learn how to network and conduct a legal client interview and attend a national residential conference. Participants are supported throughout the programme by law ambassadors who help to provide an insight into life as a student at university.

The activities are designed to extend their knowledge and experience in the world of law and ultimately to prepare them for their next stage in life, higher education, a gap year or entering the workplace.

Pathways to Law participant Ella Renhard, from Weston-super-Mare, now hopes to become a criminal barrister. After completing her A-levels in history, religion philosophy and ethics and English literature she is planning on starting a law degree.

Ella said: “The most useful thing about the programme is how it has enabled us to learn about the law as a career, the practical information about what it is actually like to work as a solicitor or barrister and the different types of law there are. This is information I couldn’t get as easily anywhere else. The work experience has been really good too. I spent time in a Government law department in Bristol.”

Pupils will also graduate as an Exeter Senior Scholar, which brings with it not only the prestigious title but also a wide range of transitionary benefits and scholarship opportunities at Exeter.

University of Exeter Law School Alumni have also contributed their time, resources and support, including financial donation, towards the Pathways to Law programme.

The ceremony took place at Reed Hall at the University of Exeter’s Streatham campus.

Leading the celebrations were Dr Leanne Smith, Deputy Head of Law School, Dr Claire Maton, Head of Employability Programmes at the Sutton Trust and Kate Blackmore, Pathways to Law and Outreach Officer. They were joined by Lee Elliot-Major, OBE, Professor of Social Mobility at the University of Exeter, Jack Matthews, Trainee Solicitor at Tozers LLP and Natasha Bellinger, Joint Head of Magdalen Chambers and law lecturer.

Dr Smith said: “Pathways to Law is one of the most important and rewarding things we do at Exeter Law School. The profession continues to be dominated by those from relatively privileged backgrounds. This is beginning to change but we need it to change further and faster.

“Every time people from different backgrounds enter the law profession it enriches it. Everyone needs to know the law profession is a pathway open to them if they want it. Our Pathways to Law participants have stepped outside their comfort zones and proven to themselves they can take on a whole new set of activities alongside completing their A-levels and they should be very proud of themselves.”

Law firms and organisations have provided work experience opportunities or delivered skills or other insight sessions to support the delivery of the Pathways to Law programme. These include:

Addleshaw Goddard LLP; Ashfords LLP; Browne Jacobson LLP; Causeway Education; Crown Prosecution Service; Environment Agency; Exeter Law Courts; Francis Taylor Building; Government Legal Department; KBG Chambers; Magdalen Chambers; Michelmores LLP; Mishcon de Reya LLP; Murrell Associates LLP; Pennon Group plc; Plymouth Combined Court; Santander; Stephens Scown LLP; The Family Law Company;  The Inner Temple; The University of Law (ULaw); Tozers LLP; Trowers & Hamlins LLP; Truro Combined Court; Wolferstans Solicitors LLP; Womble Bond Dickinson LLP and 39 Essex Chambers.

Forty students successfully graduated from the programme from twenty eight schools and colleges across the south-west:

Graduating students were:

Budehaven Community School – Libby Goodall

Callywith College – Bethany Lapham

Camborne Science & International Academy – Jacob Rule and Joshua Tucker

Colyton Grammar School – Molly Hanley

Coombe Dean School – Lanen Goma

Devonport High School for Girls – Phillippa Asante

Exeter College – Aisha Ozbek, Amelia Hammersley, David Edwards, Jess Draper, Katie Heale, Samuel Williams, Sophia Kilgour and Tamzin Benford

Exmouth Community College – Sammy Smallacombe

Hele’s School – Islay Black

Honiton Community College – Poppy Cregan

Lipson Co-operative Academy – Daisy Jane and Dominic Cowley

Liskeard School & Community College – Callum Pearce

Lytchett Minster School – Gracie Robson

Newquay Tretherras Chloe Taylor

Parkstone Grammar School – Ellie Beaton 

Queen Elizabeth’s School – Evie Brotherton

Richard Huish College – Radina Lilova

Sir John Hunt Community Sports College 

South Devon College – Serena Turk

St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School – Fergus McDonald

St Peter’s Catholic School – Georgina Reid

Teign School – Malika Bryant and Zoe Ayling

The King Alfred School – Charlotte Avery and Ella Renhard

The Thomas Hardye School – Tom Clifton

Torquay Academy – Lee Bruton

Torquay Girls’ Grammar School – Kaylee Potts

The Spires College – Emmanuel Bell

Truro & Penwith College – Callie O’Hara, Erin Williams and Porscha Sharpe