By Ameena Hussain, Sheffield Hallam Law Student
Introduction
It’s all about experience as a student. Although the content of a Law degree will sharpen your mind, there’s nothing like practical opportunities that help students further develop their skills. SHU Law does just that- it provides all undergraduate Law and Law and Criminology students with a chance to see the law in action. Working alongside several solicitors from the SHU team, who assist with supervising legal work, gives students a taste of the real world of work. Post-graduate Law students also work beside the SHU team, as part of the LLM in Legal Professional Practice.
Areas of law covered by SHU Law.
SHU Law deals with criminal appeals, commercial disputes, employment law, personal injury, prison law and small claims. Students can experience difference sectors in law which may help clarify an area of expertise for students interested in a legal profession. Working on a range of different claims will guide them in deciding and a hands-on approach shows students what suits them. As a non-profit law firm, SHU Law’s client base can be broad. This provides students with a chance to come across a range of different people, and further widening their opportunities.
A professional working environment for students.
SHU Law is a fully regulated law firm; therefore, it is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. This means it has a high standard of service to maintain to the public. There are codes of conduct all staff, solicitors and students working within SHU Law must follow, as set out by the SRA Code of Conduct and the SRA Principles.
The codes of conduct must always be followed in SHU Law. It includes maintaining trust and acting fairly, conflict of interests, confidentiality issues and many more set out by the SRA website. The SRA Principles state that you must act: in a way that upholds the constitutional principle of the rule of law, and the proper administration of justice; in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the solicitors’ profession and in legal services provided by authorised persons; with independence; with honesty; with integrity; in a way that encourages equality, diversity and inclusion; and, in the best interests of each client.
My thoughts on SHU Law.
I am a second-year law student who was anxious about having to deal with actual legal issues in the future. SHU Law is the perfect solution for me to ease into working life and gain confidence for the workplace. The supervising solicitors make sure that all work is thoroughly checked and provide feedback which helps with future tasks set.
What if I am not interested in a legal profession?
Even if you are a student who is not planning on pursuing a legal career, SHU Law provides opportunities to develop transferable employability skills. This is through challenging students to progress and expand skills that are recognized in real life working environments. The realistic professionalism of SHU Law’s workspace gives students a practical experience of the world of work, irrespective of their future career plans.