Awen Edwards
Opportunities at Bangor helped secure my role in an international company.
Awen Edwards
Law with Welsh (LLB), 2020
Trainee solicitor at DAC Beachcroft LLP
My time in Bangor was absolutely essential to securing the role I am in today. A huge part of this is the fact that the classes are small. As a result, the lecturers and academic staff had the time and dedication to be able to help each student individually.
Why did you decide to study at Bangor?
I decided to study at Bangor because I wanted to continue my further education through the medium of Welsh. The Welsh department in Bangor is second to none, and attending lectures by specialists in their field was an extremely valuable experience. Unlike the Welsh language, I didn't have much legal experience before starting University (apart from minor work experience) - but I was interested in devolution and the work of the Senedd, and the Law School in Bangor is leading the way in research on devolution.
Because of the academic reasons, and having the opportunity to enjoy the lively social life of the Welsh society in Bangor - studying here was an obvious choice!
Why did you choose your particular course?
The main reason for choosing my degree course, Law with Welsh, was my great interest in literature and Welsh drama. Welsh was a familiar subject to me, a subject I really enjoyed at school, and so it was an obvious choice. Law, on the other hand, was relatively new to me, but I was interested in politics, and I enjoyed public speaking. I also knew that I would want to work with people in the future, and Law is a world that revolves around people and their problems and questions. Law offered me the opportunity to learn about completely new subjects which was also very appealing. Since starting in the world of work, I realise how valuable the combination of Law with Welsh language is. With more areas being devolved, lawyers who can speak Welsh professionally are very attractive to employers.
What did you enjoy most about your time in Bangor?
Without a doubt, the highlight of my time in Bangor was the lifelong friends I met there. I'm still best friends with the group I was lucky enough to meet on my first day at John Morris Jones Hall of residence, even though I moved away to London after graduating.
There is an extremely lively social life available to students in Bangor. Some personal highlights of the social life for me were the annual Intercollegiate Eisteddfod ('Rhyng-gol'), the Urdd Eisteddfod, freshers week and finals week.
How did Bangor help you on the way to the job / career you are doing now?
My time in Bangor was absolutely essential to securing the role I am in today. A huge part of this is the fact that the classes are small. As a result, the lecturers and academic staff had the time and dedication to be able to help each student individually.
Personally, I was lucky enough to take part in work experience, including a summer internship in the High Courts of Ireland, work on the Infected Blood Inquiry, experience with the Commission on Justice in Wales and help to get a place in several assessment centres, open days and legal summer plans.
In particular, the Law School was a huge help to me in applying for, and accepting, my first post after graduating - a position as a Research Assistant at the Law Commission for England and Wales. There, I was working on a project related to Decentralised Tribunals in Wales - and the public law education I received in Bangor was a core part of succeeding in this work.
The process of receiving a training contract to qualify as a lawyer in an international company is extremely competitive, and I have no doubt that I would not be working in my current role if I had not had all the opportunities to build my CV in Bangor.
What kind of work does your current role involve?
As a trainee lawyer, I am on a 'training contract' for two years. During the two years, I will complete six months in four different departments within my company. At the moment, I work in the Property department, focusing specifically on residential development. The company represents Britain's largest property developers - which means that a large part of my work focuses on buying large tracts of land. Examples of my day to day work are scrutinising land to detect any problems on it, drafting contracts between the developers and builders, property buyers or affordable housing agencies, registering applications with the Land Registry, coordinating money payments between various parties and dealing and tax elements when buying and selling land.
As it is a transactional field, it is required to be able to work confidently as part of a team, to be able to hold meetings with the lawyers who represent the other side, and to negotiate.
How did your experiences in Bangor help shape you as a person?
I was fortunate to be chair of Aelwyd JMJ, the University's Welsh choir, for two years during my time at Bangor. The role offered me the opportunity to develop various skills including leading, working in a team, being responsible for money and being organised. To this day, interviews for jobs have focused so much more on the skills I acquired as Chair of Aelwyd JMJ than on any legal question!
When entering the world of work - everyone applying for a job will own a degree - but it's those extracurricular elements that make an application stand out. At Bangor, I had the opportunity to develop many skills beyond the classroom, whether through clubs and associations, volunteering with the Union, or socialising with friends. Those skills have shaped me as a person.
What would you say to someone who is considering studying in Bangor?
Go for it! I really loved my time in Bangor. The staff were fantastic, the lectures and extra-curricular opportunities amazing, and the social life second to none. One of the best things you can do at university is commit to as many different opportunities and events as possible. Three years fly by, so make the most of your time at Bangor while you're there!
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