Kate Aldridge - LL.B
If you are willing to aim higher, achieve more, and succeed then you will have everything you need from the University of Derby.
”Kate studied the LL.B (Hons) and now works as an Investigator for the Legal Ombudsman.
My career
After graduating from Derby I worked for the Ministry of Justice, specifically for the Claims Management Regulator in the monitoring and compliance team. After a year there I moved to a local law firm working as a family law paralegal before finally joining the Legal Ombudsman.
I now work as an Investigator for the Legal Ombudsman in Birmingham. We are an independent complaints handling organisation that deal with service complaints about lawyers in England and Wales. Our stakeholders range from consumers of legal services to regulators such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board.
I realised that having a degree in law did not necessarily mean I had to become a Solicitor or Barrister. There are so many opportunities available for law graduates and whilst I may decide to practise one day, I was eager to experience the law from a different perspective.
Studying such a variety of legal subjects at Derby has assisted me in my career, as I regularly handle complaints about conveyancing, criminal, family, immigration, litigation, and probate law matters. I employ dispute resolution, negotiation, and investigative skills every day and deal with a broad spectrum of people. I use my legal knowledge to understand the context and specifics of legal complaints. Without the skills and knowledge I gained from my time at Derby I would be unable to do my job.
A varied and interesting course
The LL.B was consistently varied and interesting as there were always opportunities to develop my learning and understanding, both above and beyond what the programme required. The course recognises that students will undoubtedly want to study areas of law that are specific to their own personal interests. The course highlights the importance of being able to supplement legal knowledge with essential legal skills such as drafting, interviewing, and negotiation.
Clinic
Derby offer a fantastic year long 'Clinic' module, where you get the opportunity to work within the immigration team at the local Citizens Advice Bureau and Law Centre. The opportunity allowed me to work alongside specialist immigration lawyers, attending to and interviewing clients, researching their matters and even attending tribunals with counsel.
The experience the Clinic module provides to an undergraduate is exceptionally rare and I think anybody would be hard-pressed to find an equivalent opportunity at another institution. The practical skills I developed whilst on the clinic module were invaluable, as without it I would not have understood the very controlled and specific way in which law firms operate.
The final word
I hold the University of Derby in high esteem. Studying there has allowed me to experience a variety of excellent opportunities within a flexible and friendly environment. If you are willing to aim higher, achieve more and succeed then you will have everything you need at the University of Derby in an encouraging, friendly, and supportive environment.
