Education and Qualifications
2010 – 2014
Northumbria University
M Law Exempting (2:1) – Masters in Law and LPC
First year: Crime, Litigation and Evidence; Introduction to Property Law; Foundations of English Law and European Law; Contract Law
Second year: Tort, Litigation and Evidence; Constitution, Administration and Human Rights Law; Land Law; Trusts and Equity; Civil Rights in Practice
Third year: Student Law Office; Law of Business Associations; Advanced Property Law and Practice; Jurisprudence; Child Care
Masters: Medical Law (68); Family Law (66); Student Law Office (72); Dissertation (63)
Lexis Library Online Research Certificate
2003 – 2008
Cramlington Community High School and Sixth Form
A Levels: English Language (B); Government and Politics (B); Business (B); History (D)
GCSEs: English Language (A); English Literature (A); Mathematics (B); History (B);
Health and Social Care (BB); ICT (Merit); Religious Studies (B); Humanities (B);
Science (CC)
Legal Work Experience
2014
Winn Solicitors Ltd
I currently work as a Legal Clerk at Winn Solicitors within the Clerks MOJ Portal team. My role involves valuing, negotiating and settling claims with the Defendant Insurers. Many of my files are litigated meaning I have experience in drafting court documents, briefing Counsel and attending court on a regular basis. At present I have a workload of approximately 270 clients and I personally manage the Legal Assistants within my department. I have great leadership skills and enjoy training others. The role gives me great responsibility and independence.
2014
Legacare (UK) Ltd
After graduating I volunteered at Legacare, a legal charity that works with terminally ill patients. They specialize in Wills and Probate, inheritance tax and so on but also deal with other issues the client may have such as employment matters. Whilst on placement at Legacare I completed numerous tasks such as visiting clients (both old and new) to receive instructions on the making of a new will or amendments of an old one, writing up the attendance notes from meetings with clients, carrying out research on relevant cases and general admin work. This experience was very important as I got to work closely with patients and sometimes under pressure when, for example, producing a will needed to be completed within a relatively quick period
2013 – 2014
Student Law Office – Northumbria University
During my final year at Northumbria I worked within the Student Law Office in the Housing Firm. I was responsible for multiple clients’ cases covering issues such as landlord/tenant disputes and tenancy issues. The work involved opening and closing client files, interviewing, researching legal matters and hopefully finding a satisfactory outcome. We had weekly firm meetings during which client cases were discussed and ideas shared. This experience enabled me to enhance numerous skills including organization, communication, both written and oral, legal writing, time management and professionalism.
2013
Irwin Mitchell Solicitors
I completed a work experience placement within the Clinical Negligence department of Irwin Mitchell. I prepared and updated witness statements, questions for client interviews/meetings, wrote the narrative and submission for an inquest and researched diseases to evaluate whether potential clients should be taken on. I attended the weekly New Client Meetings where new clients are discussed and the team decides whether the claim should be taken on. I found this most valuable as I was able to see and hear firsthand how solicitors come to decisions and what they consider to be important.
2007 – 2008
Northumbria Police – Disclosure Unit
My role as Support Services Administrator was to carry out computer based and administrative activities connected to vetting, providing required information to authorized enquiries whilst ensuring the information was accurate and complied with the appropriate legislation. The checks were carried out for the Criminal Records Bureau for members of the public who wished to work with vulnerable adults or children. Daily duties entailed operating and interrogating local force systems so as to provide the required information to ensure the applicant had no previous convictions that would make them unable to work in such a field. I also carried out general administration duties includes scanning, photocopying, filing, faxing and using the telephone and email system.
Non-Legal Work Experience
2011 – 2013
Homes for Northumberland
Within my role as Area Neighbourhood Assistant I carried out general administrative duties including updating paperwork, photocopying, scanning and filing. I answered telephone queries from tenants and the general public, made home visits for numerous reasons including introductory reviews and pre-termination inspections, carried out property viewings and signed up new tenants. Having so much contact with a wide variety of people made me conscious as to how to effectively communicate with them. I have found this skill very useful, especially within the Student Law Office. Other duties included working on rent accounts, transferring money to accounts where it was owed, and chasing up rechargeable repairs which tenants left when they moved out of their property.
2009 – 2011
Tiger Tiger
Duties as a bar tender included serving customers efficiently, handling money, opening/closing the bar and cleaning.
Skills
I have many skills which are desirable within the legal profession including working on my own initiative and as part of a team, problem solving, great communication skills, flexibility within my job role and computer skills. I am competent in using legal research websites such as Lawtel, Westlaw and Lexis Nexis. I am a very adaptable individual and enjoy new challenges.
Interests And Activities
Sport – Keeping fit and healthy is extremely important to me. I love attending my local gym, mostly on a daily basis, and I attend numerous classes. I also keep active by walking my dogs.
Travelling From September 2008 to May 2009
I took a gap year during which time I went travelling. I spent six weeks travelling around Thailand, visiting small villages and schools and experiencing how the locals lived their daily lives. I then travelled to Australia, where I rented an apartment and worked for six months in Sydney. I finished my year in Fiji where I was able to visit some of the most remote islands and experience how people cohabit in such climates. This experience made me much more independent and enhanced my confidence in knowing that I could live alone, find accommodation and employment as well as making new friends.
