Law with Criminology LLB(Hons): After you graduate

"I decided to fulfil a long-term ambition to be a solicitor, having returned from living overseas and getting divorced. I applied to Kingston because I liked the look of the course and the Law School campus. It was also driving distance from my home, which was important because, as a mature student and single parent with two boys at school, I had a lot of balancing to do.

"I loved every minute of my degree. They were, without doubt, the best years of my life. I enjoyed the studying, I enjoyed the fantastic younger friends I made, I enjoyed the discussions and debates, the challenge, and the fact that I was finally doing something I really wanted to do. It was demanding and hard work, but great fun as well.

"Being much older than many of the other students, I had been nervous about how I would fit in. One of the highlights for me was the fact that everyone – staff and students alike – made me feel extremely welcome. I formed numerous long-term and on-going friendships.

"I went on to complete my Law Society Finals and a two-year training contract with a firm of solicitors. I am happy to say that I qualified, and progressed to associate and then partner.

"I am currently head of Phillips Solicitors' Employment Law Department and a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and Law Society Civil Litigation Section. My main speciality is employment law, overlapping with other corporate work. I advise companies and individuals in respect of both contentious and non-contentious matters.

"I enjoy the client contact and helping people to obtain what they want to achieve: whether it is bringing or defending a claim, negotiating settlements or ensuring that they are complying with the law to protect themselves from risk.

"My LLB(Hons) from Kingston changed my life. It gave me a complete change in direction and the opportunity I needed to fulfil previously unfulfilled ambitions. It made my career as a solicitor possible.

"Looking back, the best thing I ever did was to submit my application to Kingston. I gained a great deal of knowledge, which is still useful to me today, made many new friends and ignited a career that I really enjoy. If anyone is considering applying, my advice has to be 'do it!'"

"I wanted to be a barrister and chose Kingston because the Law School had a good reputation. Once there, I thoroughly enjoyed the course. One expects a law degree to be academically challenging but, in addition, it was extremely practical.

"Mooting (debating legal argument) and client interviewing took place frequently. These are skills practised by a solicitor or barrister every day of their working life. I also found this aspect of the course really helped when I went to Bar School, where advocacy and interviewing assessments counted towards my overall final grade.

"The highlights of my time at Kingston include going to America for the summer to work at the Public Defender's Office, winning the internal Client-Interviewing Competition and the annual Law Society balls (it wasn't all hard work!).

"I graduated with a 2:1, and this enabled me to get into the Inns of Court School of Law. While there, I obtained pupillage at 29 Bedford Row chambers, which was a mixed civil and family set where I developed a real interest in family law. In 1994 I moved to One Garden Court, a specialist family law chambers, and I have been here ever since.

"The areas of my practice include ancillary relief, residence, contact and care, and adoption. I enjoy the variety of my work. Every case is different and everyone has a different story to tell. I like the contact with clients from all walks of life and the human aspect of family law (rather than acting for corporate entities). Also, life in chambers is extremely sociable.

"The course gave me an excellent start to my legal career and I would certainly recommend the law degree at Kingston to anyone who wishes to enter legal practice."