De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) alumna Kate Brooks was 30 weeks pregnant when she decided to “dip her toe into the water” and change her career.
Following her successful 14 year career in Marketing, Kate was ready for a career change and decided to try Law as a mature student. She explained: “I was struggling with the travel required for my job and wanted a career change. It was a stab in the dark but I wanted to see if I liked it.”
So in September 2002 she stepped onto campus for a tour of the university.
“I had a young child and was pregnant with my second child, I had to think about childcare and needed a university close to where I lived in Stratford upon Avon,” she said.
“With this in mind, I chose DMU because it was local and affordable.”
Kate decided to do a 2-year distance learning Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) in 2002. This is the conversion course for graduates in subjects other than Law or those who have a non-qualifying Law degree but intend to become solicitors or barristers.
The distance learning was ideal for Kate, she was able to work, study and look after her young children at the same time.
She said: “I was delighted to find that there were other mature students like myself on the PGDL who had either got a degree or were legal executives.
“DMU advised us to get applications for a training contract before doing the Legal Practice Course (LPC).
“I began the course in September and started applying for a training contract in December. I applied to two firms in Stratford upon Avon and secured a training contract during the PGDL.
“I enjoyed the PGDL so much that I decided to stop working and stayed on for the LPC in 2004.
“The LPC was very flexible, the course guaranteed for us to attend 4 days a week between 10am – 4pm. This was ideal as I could drop my eldest child at school and my youngest at nursery. The timetable at DMU was childcare friendly which no other university did.
“The support was there, I got on with the tutors, and there was model answer assistance and help on how to deal with exams.”
In 2005 Kate completed her LPC and began her training contract. She qualified as a Family Law Solicitor in 2007. In 2010 she moved to Woolley & Co, Solicitors and is based in Northamptonshire.
Kate’s message to students is: “It is worth making applications for a training contract before the LPC. I would happily recommend doing the LPC at DMU.”
Posted on Wednesday 5 September 2018