Kent Law School recent graduate Lilian Kamara has been awarded the Cassel Scholarship from Lincoln’s Inn, covering the full cost of her Bar training and helping her pursue her ambition of becoming a barrister. Having completed her Law and Politics degree at Kent, Lilian is now studying at the Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA).
She shares how the support of Kent Law School staff, practical advocacy experience and overcoming self-doubt helped her take this important step towards the Bar.
‘Hi, I’m Lilian. I studied Law and Politics at the University of Kent from 2023 to 2026, and I am currently studying Part 1 of the Bar Course at the Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA).
I grew up in East London and initially attended an all-girls comprehensive secondary school. For Sixth Form, I studied Music, History, and Politics at the Royal Hospital School, and this was made possible by a life-changing, 100% bursary from the Royal National Children’s Springboard Foundation, a charity dedicated to providing educational opportunities to young people from care-experienced and disadvantaged backgrounds.
I first heard about Lincoln’s Inn scholarships through the ‘Prep for Bar School’ course run by Darren Weir at Kent. He gave us invaluable advice on how to navigate the applications and demonstrate genuine passion for our chosen areas of law, which, for me, were Public Law and Equity & Trusts. Balancing a rigorous application process with the demands of my final year was incredibly challenging. However, it became much more manageable once I started seeking help from my lecturers. I received support from so many fantastic academics that I won’t name them individually for fear of leaving anyone out, but their guidance was absolutely crucial.
Aside from the questions about my motivations for pursuing the bar, I had to deliver a short presentation on an area of law I would reform and justify not only why, but what I would recommend.
I am quite pleased to say that I have been awarded the Cassel Scholarship from Lincoln’s Inn. Financially, this covers the full cost of my tuition and essential extras, making the Bar accessible to me in a way that simply wouldn’t have been possible otherwise; But beyond this, the non-financial benefits are arguably just as valuable. I am now part of a highly supportive community that offers incredible opportunities to develop my advocacy skills and confidence. Through the Inn, I’ve had the chance to practice networking and gain exposure to different areas of law. In fact, one of the best pieces of advice I received at a networking event was to remain open-minded; the practice area I end up in might be completely different from my original plan if I discover a passion for something unexpected!
My time at Kent Law School (KLS) truly set me up well, thanks to its strong emphasis on practical skills and experience.
I don’t think I would be where I am today if the Legal Skills module hadn’t stretched me outside my comfort zone. It taught me to embrace being challenged and to think on my feet, especially during moots, where judicial interventions forced me to respond quickly and exercise sound judgment under pressure.
Finally, my advice for current KLS students as cheesy as it sounds is that the sky really is the limit. You can only go as far as you allow yourself to. I say this because there was a point where I almost didn’t apply for this scholarship; I was battling massive imposter syndrome and worried that my newly diagnosed ADHD and Autism wouldn’t be accommodated at the Bar. I’ve since discovered that this couldn’t be further from the truth; the Bar increasingly recognises and values the unique strengths and perspectives that neurodiverse lawyers bring to the profession.’
Lilian is one of three Kent Law students to recently secure substantial Bar scholarships. Kent Law School wishes them all every success and thanks Lilian for taking the time to prepare this blog post.
