Law degree personal statement example (3d) Warwick, Cardiff offers

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

I aspire to make a difference to people's lives; to be the mouth when they have the words, but no voice. I want to be a barrister, and that is why I wish to study Law. It is a polycentric, analytical discipline, which appeals to me but it is also highly practical, being both universal and tangible.

I believe I am suited to a Law degree because of my intellectual leanings: I thrive on textual and oral communication, but also make use of my intelligence efficiently in order to overcome difficulties. Not only this, but through participating in several specialised programmes such as "PathwaystoLaw" and a Villiers Park Criminal Law Residential, I have engaged with the Law on a personal level, which has expanded my view of how it functions in society.

To gain another perspective on Law I read "Letters to a Law Student" and "Understanding Law". McBride's helicopter analogy particularly engaged me; I now see Law as a varied landscape as opposed to the moral plateau above illegality as I saw it before. The Law is not aloof, but detailed and highly involved with everything in society.

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

I am continuing English Literature, History, Religious Studies and Spanish to A2 level. Last year, I studied Bentham and Mills' Utilitarianism in Religious Studies, which grabbed my interest in how philosophy is used in the creation of laws. This has been built upon this year through the study of conscience and Natural Law, which has had a large bearing on how I view the Law. In History this year, I have been looking at German responsibility for The Great War. This particularly interests me as I feel that the post-war settlement and Treaty of Versailles were too harsh on Germany, and in today's world, would probably not be tolerated.

Whilst at the "PathwaystoLaw" conference in Warwick in July this year, I took part in a presentation on "The Legality of International Conflict" to three hundred peers and John Wooton, President of the Law Society. Some of the issues we touched on have been helpful in my determining Germany's culpability for WWI. I find that studying English Literature deepens my selective and analytical skills and Spanish gives me an appreciation of cultures different to my own, which will be useful when encountering clients from different backgrounds. My chosen subjects have developed my communication and evaluative skills, as well as honing my ability to present a strong, balanced argument.

My Extended Project on the recent phone-hacking scandal and the issue of superinjunctions considering the conflict between press and privacy affords me a deeper insight into current legal issues. This will prepare me for independent study at Higher Education, where I will be undertaking similar work on a regular basis.

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

Varied work experience in the legal system has let me view its workings; time spent in solicitors' firms [where I live] and [a city near to where I live] and with barristers at a Crown Court trial highlighted their relationship. Undertaking different tasks with both taught me basic practical legal processes, and dealing with clients alongside barristers showed me the role of counsel as professionals and sources of information and support to their clients. This helped confirm my decision to study law.

Membership of the [Place where I live] Youth Wind Band and two choirs ensures I work well in a group setting, whilst simultaneously following specific instruction. Holding the position of Competitions Secretary at the [place where I live] Photographic Society involves extensive organisation and I also help to run my school's Christian Union. I am interested in the way religion is dealt with in law, such as in the recent cases of the Johns and the Bulls, and hope to explore this further in the future.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that I am capable and determined enough to undertake a Law degree and would relish the opportunity to do so at a demanding university.

Universities applied to:

• Exeter (M102 - LLB Law)
• Nottingham (M100 - LLB Law)
• Warwick (M103 - LLB Law with Law Studies Abroad)
• Cardiff (M100 - LLB Law)
• Oxford (MM100 - BA Jurisprudence)

Grades achieved:

• History (AS/A2) - A in AS, A* in A2
• English Literature(AS/A2) - A in AS, A* in A2
• Religious Studies (AS/A2) - B in AS, A in A2
• Spanish (AS/A2) - B in AS, B in A2
• EPQ (AS) A

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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