Law degree personal statement example (2h)

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Ever since I was mature enough to start figuring out plans for my future, Law was always an option. Whilst at school studying A Levels, I realised that Law was the only subject I will settle for and will do my absolute best to succeed in. Coming from a foreign country and learning to speak English was, even though enjoyable, a challenge but with time I was able to develop creative problem solving and present well thought out, rational arguments with more ease. Based on the research I have conducted over the past two years I have found out that Law is a smart choice as it provides skills that can be used in many different Careers, not necessarily in the legal world, although with time I have decided that I want to become a solicitor. In addition to that I know I would very much enjoy studying something that has a clearly identified set of rules as these rules are a giant step forward when solving disputes between parties.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

I always aim as high as I realistically can and I always see room for improvement especially since I received an Arnold Foundation Scholarship to ***** School which to me was a great opportunity and I considered it a privilege. After joining the school, I have decided to capture and hold on to any opportunity that comes along. I keep up to date with current political, legal and business news. In my spare time I enjoy reading books most of which are politics, economics and history related. Some of my favourite authors include Harper Lee, Riccardo Orizio and Frank Partnoy. I also believe that studying Politics and Economics at A Level provided me with skills and knowledge that could help when studying Law for example, information about political institutions such as the UK Parliament, European Court of Justice and European Court of Human Rights. In addition, I believe that the Extended Project that I have completed as an addition to my A Levels helped me develop crucial research and writing skills.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

As to my professional life, ever since I was 14 years old, I have had summer and part-time jobs but the most rewarding work experience for me happened earlier this year. I had the chance to complete two internships at Allen & Overy LLP, an elite corporate law firm. The first internship was a one week placement in A&O’s London office and the second one was a one month placement at A&O Warsaw, Poland. This opportunity has provided me with more experience and information about Law than anything else I have previously done and I certainly made sure to make the most of it. I had the chance to work with some of A&O’s Senior Associates and Partners in both offices. I reviewed some of the firm’s previous cases including the takeover of Abbey by Banco Santander and found them to be very interesting. I also did plenty of research and, in particular, in the Warsaw office I verified many Polish-English translations of legal documents. I truly believe that my time at Allen & Overy was an absolutely tremendous experience.

I am currently working at a London restaurant as part of my gap year to earn money for next year’s university fees. I am also re-taking both of my A2 ICT modules in January to improve my grades and partly for personal satisfaction. Next year I am hoping to get involved with volunteer work in Africa providing assistance at orphanages, although this depends on my financial status at the time.

Back at school I was heavily involved in many musical, sporting, academic and social events. I took part in plenty of musical concerts ranging from rock to classical music. In terms of sports, I was a member of various school and house teams as well as participating in other individual sporting events. I was also a house prefect in my final year at school. These and other out of school activities have provided me with very valuable team-working skills and have created another life for me, outside of academia.

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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