Frankii Davies - LL.B with Criminology
Frankii studied LL.B (Hons) at Derby
Without coming to Derby, I genuinely believe that my career would not have had the boost that it has. Derby has set me up for life, and I shall always be grateful for the skills I've learnt and the successful start to my career as a Barrister it has given me.
”Frankii studied LL.B (Hons) with Criminology at Derby
Why LL.B at Derby?
I chose to do Law because after studying it at college I realised it was where my passion lay.
Having been involved in a family court case as a younger child, I always said I wanted to help people like the solicitor and barrister helped me, my mum and brother.
Since I'd known for years I wanted to be a Barrister, the LL.B (Hons) degree was the quickest way for me to do this. I'd have struggled to enter this career otherwise.
The work has been so interesting. I have covered the core areas required to gain an LL.B (Hons) and my options were taken up through my Criminology modules. All basic areas of law were covered from Criminal to Tort law and European Law to Property Law.
My favourite module, by far was Skills 2. This module taught you how it was going to be in the real legal world and it was good to be assessed on what you would be assessed in after University, rather than just writing essays or sitting typical exams. We were assessed on CPD which is something all solicitors must undertake to remain practicing, questioned on our professionalism, assessed negotiations and assessed advocacy. It was enjoyable being tested on skills relevant to the career path ahead of us.
The lecturers are fantastic!
The Law and Criminology lecturers are fantastic, having been through a few problems at home they were very supportive and did everything they can to help out.
I was heavily involved in the Student Law Society, and managed to juggle this with my workload. It was a great way of meeting new friends, going out on nights out and other trips together. Halls was the best way for me personally to make friends. You're thrown a bit in at the deep end but without it, I believe it would have been very hard to have made friends. Also, the location of the halls set you near the centre of Derby so was able to see all areas of the city, and this allowed me to settle in to not only the course but the place as a whole.
Studying at Derby
Derby is an ideal place to study for a degree. It is the perfect place to settle in to, rather than being thrown in to a huge city. The staff are so helpful, and the courses are practical. The skills gained at Derby set you up for life rather than setting you up to just pass an exam. There is much more to life than memorising a text book. The application of your knowledge and understanding of the topic area is much more important at this University, and for those reasons not only would I recommend studying at Derby, but I would see our degrees as more valuable than many others.
The highs and lows
The hardest area of the LL.B is definitely the workload. The work itself is very interesting and fulfilling, but the quantity can be quite intimidating. When you get your grades back you know that the grades are thoroughly deserved, you know that not only did you have to work hard but you had to learn the balance of work and social life very quickly and apply it.
From Derby to the Bar Professional Training course
My knowedge and experience gained during my time at Derby are benefitting me in lots of ways. I recently was awarded a £7000 Benefactors Scholarship from Middle Temple. This is a massive achievement, and I was selected from a large number of applicants who all went for an interview down in London.
Due to my experience, such as the assessed interview I did in Skills 2, I was prepared for this. I went in to the interview calm and confident in my ability. This must have conveyed well to the interviewing panel!!
Also, in the interview I was able to give examples of my ability to succeed through my other commitments at Derby, for example being on the Committee for the Law Society and being involved in Mooting Competitions and the Legal Triathlon.
The opportunities the University of Derby gave me helped me to show my true ability in interviews and on paper. I have also recently been accepted on the part time Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) at BPP Law School in Leeds. I was accepted in the first round and accepted my position immediately. Again, my skills gained at Derby filled my application form, and I believe that the chances at Derby to allow you to succeed are half the reason why I have recently been so successful.
Without coming to Derby, I genuinely believe that my career would not have had the boost that it has. Derby has set me up for life, and I shall always be grateful for the skills I've learnt and the successful start to my career as a Barrister it has given me.
