An evening of networking with legal professionals and Kent Law School alumni at a barristers’ chambers in London enabled more than 35 undergraduate law students to gain expert advice and support on their individual legal careers.
Attendees at the annual event, hosted this year by leading international barristers 7BR (Seven Bedford Row), were all mentees and mentors engaged in Kent Law School’s Professional Mentoring Scheme.
The Scheme was established by Kent Law School’s Young Alumni Fundraising Group with the aim of helping students to make career choices, understand the legal working world or to navigate the application process for both work and study.
Kent alumna Madelaine Power, a Barrister at 7BR and founder of the Scheme, said: ‘I started the Scheme four years ago by pestering my alumni friends to become mentors. When I was a student I had no family or friends who worked in the legal sector. I felt like everyone knew lawyers except me and had work experience and careers advice on tap.’
Now in its fourth year, the Scheme has grown to include mentors drawn from both alumni and lawyers based in Kent.
Madelaine said: ‘In our first year the Scheme had 25 mentors; most of whom are still mentoring this year. In 2015/16 we’ve grown to 75 active mentors who derive from preeminent organisations including magic circle law firms, award winning regional firms, leading Chambers and international organisations such as the United Nations.
‘I know the mentees have found the advice, support and often work experience invaluable. It is a clear demonstration that Kent Law School has trained, and continues to train, the very best and brightest who have gone on to be excellent lawyers and people willing to help others get a foot in the door.’
The networking evening, held last month, included a talk and intensive networking training session delivered by Alison Kemp, Director of Switchvision.
Madelaine was delighted with the success of the event: ‘The turnout was fabulous. The student feedback was great. All students who have made it on to the Scheme this year were enthusiastic, driven and soaking up advice from willing Kent Alumni. It made me very proud to see how far we have come in four years.’
Second-year LLB Law student James Mapley said: ‘The evening provided an excellent opportunity for me to engage with legal professionals and understand their pathways into Law. They were all very understanding of our position and offered useful advice for progressing our legal careers.’
Charlotte Simpson, another second-year LLB Law student at Kent, said: ‘Although I was nervous at first, the helpful training about networking we received allowed me to develop genuine conversations during the evening. I made a really useful contact that has since kept in touch with me.’
All the students who took part in the event were also rewarded with points as part of the University of Kent’s Employability Points Scheme which recognises active engagement in extracurricular activities. Employability Points Assistant Helen Davies said: ‘It was such a great event and it was really productive. I definitely noticed a change in the confidence of the students after the training compared to before, so I think it was beneficial to the students.’
Both the Professional Mentoring Scheme and the annual networking evening in London, are coordinated by Kent Law School’s Employability, Career Development and Alumni Relations Officer Jayne Instone. Jayne, who is keen to develop the Scheme, said: ‘In addition to alumni and mentors working within the legal profession, we would be delighted to welcome new mentors from amongst those working in careers with close links to the law such as Government organisations and NGOs.
‘I’m also keen to hear from international alumni who have returned to their home countries to work in the legal profession or who have stayed in the UK to qualify. We have a particular need for mentors in Canada, Hong Kong and Nigeria.’
If you would like to get involved in Kent Law School’s Professional Mentoring Scheme, please contact Jayne via: e.j.instone@kent.ac.uk
