Kingston University London

Gaining an LLM takes hard work and dedication, here’s what some of our alumni have to say about the experience

“My interest in law stems from the bizarre and very frightening experience of being held up and robbed whilst working in an off-licence! Instead of letting this experience undermine me I decided to put it to use, and with the encouragement of the Victim Support Team, I set off on a journey into the legal profession and higher education. It started with my working for the Citizens Advice Bureau whilst still looking after my young family of three children. Their help and encouragement, and that of a tutor in my local college, planted the idea of a career at the Bar. The first step was my LLB at Kingston Law School, a hugely enjoyable experience which encouraged me to move on to the Bar Vocational Course.

“At Bar School I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only did some students already hold Master's degrees, but that we were being actively encouraged to gain a further degree as a means of distinguishing ourselves for our future practice. My contact with senior members of the profession convinced me that a postgraduate qualification was of increasing importance. The potential for research into a field I was fascinated by was tremendously appealing to me, as was the freedom of choice of an MA by thesis.

“The great thing about the Kingston MA in Legal Studies is that it lets you work completely independently on your thesis, allowing you to continue in practice as you study. The supervision and the support is first class as is the quality of the teaching and supervision staff at the Law School. But then I would say that wouldn’t I, now that I am a full time member of staff myself, and enrolled for my PhD! For me, the lure of the academic life was too strong to resist. My children are nearly all grown up now, with one at University herself, but the MA opened yet another door for me. For the moment I am very happy to continue to explore my research before considering practice again.”
Nicola Aries, lecturer at Kingston Law School and non-practising barrister

“The LLM in Business Law has been a tremendous opportunity for me to continue compulsory professional development in my personal fields of practice, whilst bringing real benefits to my firm. Howell-Jones Partnership has a good record of providing exemplary service to both commercial and private clients in a wide variety of areas of law. The practice is thoroughly progressive and innovative, and therefore regards the continuing education and training of all who work in it as paramount in the pursuit of excellence.

“Exposure to the innovative and practical course at Kingston has allowed me to see new opportunities in the way we should manage and develop our practice. It has allowed me time to reflect and consider my own fields of interest and expertise in a very pleasant and relaxing environment. I have really enjoyed the convivial company of my fellow students and as a bonus I made a host of friends and learned a lot from them too.

“It has been a very pleasant experience to return to studying and to the collegiate environment at Kingston Law School. Whilst I enjoyed the usual CPD courses, the LLM has given me that extra time to consider issues of law which can sometimes be overtaken by the demands of business life. The staff on the course are completely in tune with the needs of the profession and have expertise in practice themselves to draw upon. Many are practising solicitors or barristers, and some have part-time judicial appointments.

“My professional colleagues at Howell-Jones Partnership all agree that they have benefited from the highly relevant academic work I have covered. In fact, the most surprising gain was to see the Management Team galvanised by my Development Plan for the firm. This was based on the assignment I did after a brilliant module on Practice Management with a most stimulating lecturer from the Business School.

We might see improved profits from our six offices yet!”

Keith Howell-Jones, solicitor

“Commercial clients can be very demanding. Achieving results for such clients requires an understanding of the range of techniques available to resolve any particular dispute. As no two disputes are the same, there is no magic formula and a broad-based but in-depth knowledge is needed. To achieve this I spent some time looking at options to widen my knowledge and became a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. I also found that Kingston was starting an LLM course ideally suited to my needs.

“The staff had a wide array of professional and practising experience, were enthusiastic and committed to helping us to get the most from the course. They appreciated that many of us had full time careers which our studies had to fit around. The reliance on coursework rather than exams made this possible and, I believe, allowed a far more detailed examination of the topics to be undertaken in a way which will not be forgotten.

“My work is all about looking at commercial issues from more than one side. The LLM gave me a tremendous breadth of legal knowledge to draw upon, as well as increasing my expertise in the practical issues of concern to my clients and those with whom they are in dispute. It has also enabled me to be elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. The understanding I gained on the LLM has undoubtedly boosted my value to the firm and to its clients and consequently to my career development.”

Robert Horne, solicitor at the City firm, Theodore Goddard

“I’ve had such a good experience doing my postgraduate degree at Kingston that I just wish I had done it earlier! Coming to England for the first time since I was a tiny child was a daunting prospect, but I’ve found everyone so helpful and encouraging that I really didn’t need to worry.

“I chose the General LLM in order to take advantage of the wide choice of options. In particular I’ve discovered a real interest in Family Mediation. My previous employers in Trinidad have shown much interest in taking me back after the LLM course, and at the moment I’m planning to take the Bar Vocational Course in London and then returning to Trinidad to complete my professional qualification. I’m now determined to make a career using the experience and knowledge I’ve gained from the course, which has equipped me to offer either a large or small practice some very valuable skills.