Current LPC LLM student Neuza DaSilvaBarata joined our Manchester campus in 2020. Neuza hasn’t let the global pandemic stand in the way of her career ambitions. We caught up with Neuza to discuss her dreams for the future and how ULaw has supported her journey to achieve her ambitions.
By Cara Fielder. Published 19 November 2021. Last updated 13 October 2022.
I chose to study at ULaw because I felt the university where I studied my LLB did not provide me with the support I needed or gave students the opportunities to increase their professional skills and develop their legal experience.
While researching The University of Law, I noticed their values and goals were different and exactly what I needed. When I received my offer and spoke on the phone with a member of the faculty, I felt that the University really cared about the future of its students; that they would help me achieve my goals.
For example, before accepting my offer, I needed some assistance to pay my acceptance fee and advice on how to accept my offer. The response to my emails was extremely fast, which was a shock. My previous university would take days to reply, or sometimes I would not even receive a reply.
The fact that ULaw has smaller class sizes compared to my previous university was also a factor when choosing where to study. I believed it would allow me to get a more ‘personal’ teaching experience even with Covid and have more assistance if needed. This has, without a doubt, been proven right so far. I could not be happier with the teaching and assistance provided by the tutors and staff from ULaw.
My career ambitions are to finish my LPC, obtain a training contract and become a solicitor. Another ambition that I had and achieved was to study law in the UK. I also obtained my LLB (Hons) degree and was the first person in my family to attend university. More recently, I wanted to gain professional experience so I applied for several different opportunities, such as pro bono, work experience with Slater and Gordon and the Legal Apprentice competition and was accepted to participate in all of them. I like to believe that by achieving my goals and my ambitions will inspire someone else to follow in my footsteps.
Most of the students that I have met at ULaw have the same or very similar ambitions to me. I have had the opportunity to work with several different students that are not only studying the LPC but are studying the GDL, and it has helped me a lot because we all support and help each other. It feels like we have our own community.
ULaw has allowed me to expand my network and has given me several opportunities to expand my practical skills through pro bono, work experience and competitions.
Many students doubt themselves and their choices at the beginning of their studies, which can be very stressful. I would advise them not to listen to what other people might say as I did. They should trust their choices, enjoy themselves and be assured that they have made the right decision in choosing ULaw.
If I could give any advice to my younger self, it would be to keep going, stop doubting myself and stop comparing myself to others. I think I can achieve the same and more than the people that I compared myself to.
Discover how we’re supporting our students’ ambitions with a range of different study options.
