Edward Armitage

What is your current role or position? What does it entail?

I am a future pupil barrister at Pump Court Chambers and I am currently working as paralegal for a criminal defence firm specialising in all aspects of serious and violent crime.

What motivated you to pursue the LLB Law?

I think what motivated me was that I recognised how much the law governs not only our day-today interactions with the world but also our wider systems of government.

When I was younger, I did not have the language to utilise in situations where I felt someone had been wronged, so I wanted to be in a position where I could explain and understand what was going on around me, and to have some impact (however small) on decisions that were being made.

I was not sure what I wanted to do after university, but I knew that the LLB Law degree would serve as an excellent foundation to move onto many different areas of work.

What opportunities and experiences did City, University of London offered you whilst you studied, or still offers you?

I was heavily involved in sport at City and the Students' Union. I played for my university rugby team for three years and I captained the first team for the latter two years. Playing sport meant I met loads more students and I got to represent the university on a weekly basis.

The friendships I made on that rugby team are still my best mates today. My participation in sport progressed onto campaigning to become the Sport Officer for the Students' Union. Here I ran campaigns in all sorts of areas with a notable focus on mental health awareness that picked up nationwide recognition and success.

My role as sports officer also afforded me the opportunity to ask Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, what her favourite Smiths song was!

The City Law School is a very active department at City. You could really get involved with so many different types of academic activities that related to law such as debating and mooting societies and essay competitions.

We would receive a weekly email from the department outlining all the different opportunities that were available. It was so helpful and built my CV up tremendously. I was fortunate to be offered work by City on two separate occasions to work as a research and administrative assistant for senior academics at the university.

They were very exciting roles working alongside experts in their respective fields. Research jobs are hard to come by but The City Law School were really good at helping students break into academia.

How did you find studying in London?

I took two years out from sixth form before I started university at the age of 20. I felt slightly more prepared arriving and being away from home because I had travelled on my own before term commenced.

I know friends who had that initial difficulty with meeting people, but City was very welcoming and I got involved with what the university had to offer from the start which was very rewarding.

Being in London was both very exciting and quite overwhelming. There is so much to see and do in London, but from an academic perspective, what was so beneficial was that there was every type of work experience you could think of right on your doorstep. And of course, the nightlife and social scene was excellent, albeit a bit expensive. Looking back, London was the exact place I needed to be for my studies and young adult life.

Did you find our London location to be advantageous during your time with us?

Unquestionably. I have touched upon this in an earlier answer, but London really is the central hub of the legal world and City is placed right in the heart of it all. You have the four inns of court, hundreds of solicitor firms, the Old Bailey, the Royal Courts of Justice, and so many law related organisations.

To be able to walk around so freely in halls and courts where the most important decisions have been decided is just inspirational. Whether you fancy entering the commercial world or criminal law and human rights, London really does have that opportunity for you.

I found it really beneficial to be living in London and be only 20 minutes away from where I had obtained work experience.

How would you describe the academic and pastoral support you received during your studies with us?

Where to begin. My personal tutor, Sanmeet Kaur Dua, was just fantastic. She helped me so much with my academic work but also with guidance on what opportunities I should pursue and where I should place myself in the legal world.

I will never forget when I had a meeting with her in my second year and she advised me to pursue a career at the Bar, which up until that point I had not considered. But I phoned my mum after the meeting and told her that is what I was going to do, and I haven't looked back. I owe so much to the support Sanmeet offered me whilst at City.

My dissertation supervisor, Dr John Stanton, was also extremely supportive with my studies, and I know many City Alumni will agree on what a true gent he is.

Writing a 15,000 word thesis can be quite intimidating at the best of times, but Dr Stanton made the process really engaging and it motivated me to pursue further study due to the support he gave me through my studies.

I did suffer a personal tragedy during my first year at City, and there was concern I would drop out. But I was given excellent support again through my tutors who helped me gain the help I needed at the counselling service at City who were extremely kind and professional.

The Students' Union is also full of wonderful people who genuinely care for the wellbeing of students at City. I would not class myself as a particularly religious man but Reverend Ian Worsfold in City's Chaplaincy was always a delight to speak to.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone considering studying the LLB?

Studying law is a full on degree. Obviously, it is not like that all the time, but there can be a lot of reading and there is a lot of new information that I certainly had not come across before.

Do not let that sway you because any university degree is challenging if you are engaged on the topic. So my advice would be: choose the LLB if you want to question, challenge, and argue everything that is put in front of you. It is a great period of growth that you will take forward with you into your adult life.

Another piece of advice to someone considering studying the LLB would be to prepare get involved in every aspect of your life as a student at City.

You will never find another place where there is such a wide range of activities available in one place. Ask your tutors questions about your work, about little areas that interest you, and ask them for guidance on how to approach your career.

They are fountains of knowledge and are there to help you, so speak as much you can with them. So if you are ever nervous about getting involved, that is absolutely natural (I was too!), just don't let it stop you.