Year 12 students in with the Law

Cornish sixth formers have the opportunity to meet and work with academics from the School of Law at the University of Exeter’s Cornwall Campus (officially known as the Tremough Campus) to gain a genuine taste of what it might entail to study Law.

The one day conference on Thursday 3 July aims to enthuse young people with a sense of the excitement of legal study, the dramatic debates and important issues covered by the law, from life and death issues to those of freedom and rights.

Is graffiti a form of art, or criminal damage? Should the period of detention for questioning those suspected of involvement in terrorism be extended? How can the law support medical care, education and the unemployed?  When should a person be judged to be not responsible for their actions? This is just a tiny sample of the many questions linked to the law that affect everyday life. A taster lecture and link into the activities based around a case study concerned with intention to murder will take place. Participants will be encouraged to use the resources available from the extensive law library using journals, books, online law facilities and group discussion with assistance from Law undergraduates.

The School of Law in Cornwall is headed by Professor Melanie Williams who comes from a background of Cornish tin mining and is keen to promote Law as a subject area, she says ‘Here in Penryn we have access to top class facilities and experts in their field. We aim to provide a taste of the kind of independent research experience available to students studying Law. Studying Law is tough but also immensely rewarding. It has an incredibly broad scope; you can help your community or apply law to wider fields. Law is an exciting subject providing opportunities to develop good analytical skills as well as a broad knowledge of social and political affairs. It is intellectually challenging, linking directly to history, politics, philosophy, science and the humanities.’

Sixth Formers will also get advice from The Law School’s Director of Admissions, Dr Karen McAuliffe on applying for Law courses, including a discussion on what to say in personal statements and how to prepare for the LNAT test, the supporting document for students who apply to Law degrees.

Students from the first Law degree cohort have just completed their first year final examinations for the qualifying LLB, the academic stage of legal study in which they learn about the legal system and profession and are given the opportunity to see the law in action. 15 students on the Law degree course are Cornish and great advocates of attending university in their home county.

Reputation is as important as location for Fay Lyttle who was born and has lived in Cornwall all her life, she said, ‘I chose this Law course firstly because of the excellent international standing that the University of Exeter LLB has, and secondly because it allows me to study in the County that is my home. This also makes the daunting prospect of years of student debt much more manageable. Also it’s a fantastic opportunity to encourage young people to train in Cornwall in order to promote economic growth and social regeneration.’

Kayleigh Richards was positive about the transition from sixth form to University she said, “I enjoy every aspect of the course especially how you are treated as an adult and the element of independent research. My favourite aspect of the campus would have to be its location.  It is arranged in such a way that students become one big family and at the same time Falmouth is easily accessible.”

Truro born Greg Szutowicz chose to stay locally, and when asked if studying in Cornwall was important he said, ‘Near-essential. I was originally going to read at Exeter's Streatham Campus, though due to changes in family circumstances I found myself tied to Cornwall to a far greater degree than I anticipated. Then Law came to the Cornwall campus and it seemed the ideal solution.’

The Law School offers a qualifying LLB as well as ‘joint honours’ BA courses in History and Law and Politics and Law.

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