2006 1st prize

Imagining law?

Samantha Davey (University of Essex)

Samantha won the £100 first prize in the 2006 competition.

Law is a central part of all of our lives, as are the questions that arise from it; whether we realise it or not. Even if we are only exposed to these issues by the media. Should assisted suicide be decriminalised? Should property owners have increased rights to defend their properties? Are there situations where the preservation of one life should take precedence over another?

After my interest had been ignited through studying Law at A-Level, it seemed like an obvious choice to undertake an LLB. I felt it would challenge me, that I would learn in depth about other areas of the Law and that I would further develop my analytical skills.

However, I expected it to be daunting due to having to conduct work independently and because I thought there would be a less student-orientated approach towards teaching. The latter idea being based on a non-Law lecturer informing me that educating students was the least important function of a university, with research taking precedence.

My actual experiences have differed from my expectations. Aside from the legal textbooks being more expensive than I had anticipated, reality has proved to be better than expectations. An LLB is challenging, demanding and time-consuming, but it is intellectually stimulating and engaging in a way that I cannot imagine would be the case with other subjects.

At the university I attend, the lecturers have an enthusiasm for their subject which is contagious and adopt a more student-orientated approach towards teaching than I had anticipated. Students who have questions are encouraged to speak up in tutorials and lectures, or if a query arises outside of lectures, via e-mail, or by arranging to see lecturers for one-on-one appointments to ask questions or discuss legal issues.

We are taught to think critically and by doing so, gain independence and learn the ability to be able to answer our own questions. Lectures often end in debates on current legal issues (e.g. terrorism v. human rights) which makes you feel as if you are involved in your learning rather than being passive listeners, as the lecturer rattles off a speech which you make notes of.

Even in moments where lecturers speak and we students make notes, I feel involved in the sense of not just listening passively to what a lecturer has to say, but making sense of it, anticipating what the answer to the underlying question is. For instance, during one of my first contract law lectures where auction contracts was the topic, I was not furiously scribbling away, I was thinking ahead about what would constitute the offer and acceptance components of the transaction.

Handouts are supplied for lectures and visual aids such as diagrams and Power-Point presentations are favoured by some lecturers. These make lectures easier to follow and it lessens the need for making notes in lectures. As a result, you do not feel as though you are making incomplete notes by focusing on what the lecturer has to say, rather than writing extensive notes.

What did surprise me about lectures is that in addition to being educational and interesting, they can be entertaining and humorous. One of my lecturers teaches us important points in an amusing way, which makes them more memorable to me and thus, I am more likely to remember them without intense revision. They also show us that whilst legal principles can often be complex, that this is not always the case, and use examples such as current events and novels to help us learn these principles.

I like tutorials because they create a relaxed atmosphere where issues can be discussed in smaller groups. They are a way of building on what has been learned in lectures and through reading. They are also useful in terms of learning how to approach legal issues, for example, acting out the role of a solicitor and deciding how you would advise your client. I feel as though I am not just learning and being taught critical thinking skills that will be useful to me in the future, but skills that are of direct relevance to a future job/career, particularly in the legal profession. My only objection in regard to tutorials is that I feel that we should have more of them! At my university, they occur once a fortnight which means that there is not enough time for all of the big issues taught in lectures to be discussed.

I think that approaches towards assessment could be improved. It is difficult to know exactly what is expected of you in coursework and in exams, in order to gain the best marks. In regard to coursework, you may have to submit an essay that counts towards your final mark, less than 2 months after starting to learn a subject. This does not seem to me to be enough time to give students a full enough understanding of the subject to obtain the best marks, which it is probable that they would be capable of, after 5 or 6 months. Extra coursework that is not counted as part of the final mark would be useful. I think that mock exams are useful as well, as it gives us an experience of what the actual exam will be like, and means that there is a chance to get some practice in before the real exam on timing and technique, and to gain valuable feedback which can be taken into account for the ‘real’ exams.

Whilst Law involves a great deal of reading for any of its modules, e.g. Contract and Criminal Law, the course can be made to feel daunting and difficult rather than stimulating and challenging if one lecturer assigns too much reading. This can lead to a choice between cutting corners with other subject modules, or not doing all of the reading for the subject in question and worrying that you do not know enough, or that there is no way you could possibly learn it all and panic!

Overall, I would say that a law degree is not a choice for the faint-hearted, but for those who have a great interest in the subject and put in the hard work, it is infinitely rewarding. My Law degree has not fulfilled my expectations; it has surpassed them. Undertaking an LLB has been one of the best choices that I have ever made.

Last Modified: 22 July 2010