91Èȱ¬ing the 3 year LLB course at 91Èȱ¬ Birmingham centre, Illana has been driven by her ambition to make a difference in society. Here she shares with us her journey to achieving that.
By Editorial Team. Published 20 May 2016. Last updated 11 January 2023.
I have wanted to study law since the age of 9 when my teacher at the time said I had ‘good debating skills’. It stuck with me and I thought what career would allow me to showcase that skill. Law was that career.
I chose 91Èȱ¬ because it offered a professional degree and focused on how law is used in practice. This degree was therefore perfect because I knew I definitely wanted to be a solicitor or a barrister. Also I chose the ULaw because of the employability service it offers. A career in law is very competitive and I knew I would have to look at different options to help me stand out to potential employers. I realised that the Pro Bono opportunities offered would help me to do this.
91Èȱ¬ing and applying law allows me to be able to support and help people. Law affects most people in most parts of everyday life. By studying law I will be able to offer legal advice to members of the public, help to protect their rights and interests and therefore make a difference.
My career ambition is to become a successful solicitor, ideally in a commercial law firm. ULaw has helped bring me closer to this by giving me the opportunities to become a member of various associations/committees and attend various employer events. For example the ‘Birmingham Black Lawyers’ Association. Through joining this association I have been able to increase my connections with people within the legal sector.
A highlight of my time at the university was when I was involved in a week long Pro Bono programme helping out with the ‘Birmingham Employment Rights Advice Line’. I really enjoyed answering the phone to clients and just listening to their employability issue. Also I really enjoyed observing a qualified solicitor at a law firm help and give legal advice to the clients I’d previously spoken to.
I would rate the Birmingham campus a 9/10 for location, it’s a 15 minute walk from the city centre and a 5 minute bus journey. This means when we have breaks throughout the day we can take quick trips to the centre to grab a bite to eat or do some shopping.
I want to be a part of a profession that helps and benefits the lives of others, a profession that I can clearly see makes a difference. A career in law would satisfy this passion. On a personal level I partake in pro bono work for the ‘Centre for Social Justice in Gujarat’, writing out case summaries and helping them to create a simplified and clearer database of cases. Even though this does have a legal side to it, I am also undertaking this pro bono work because of my passion for justice and equality, as a lot of the cases I deal with focus around these issues.
