Future lawyers win placements with top barristers

Two Law students from Birkenhead Sixth Form College have earned prestigious work experience placements with highly-respected barristers’ chambers in Liverpool.

Hannah Bendrey and Alex Earley head to Chavasse Court Chambers and Oriel Chambers respectively, spending a week shadowing the expert lawyers both inside and outside of the courtroom.

The pair of lawyers-to-be were selected by the chambers based on applications that they submitted, and did extremely well to beat the competition and claim places on the placement scheme.

“My teachers, Adam (Hall) and Paula (Blakemore), have been fantastic. They’ve helped me decide the career that I want to get into for life and set me up for doing really well in my A Levels.”

Alex Earley, second year Law student

First year, Hannah, said: “I’ve never done anything like this before. Honestly, I had no idea I would be so interested in Law before I started at the College. Now, I just love it. You have to be enthusiastic about it. If I didn’t enjoy it and wasn’t passionate about it, I don’t think my application would have been accepted.”

Both students were part of the College’s Bar Mock Trial team in November, which sees students act as barristers, trying fictional cases but in real court rooms in front of real judges at Liverpool Crown Court.

Hannah heads to Chavasse Court Chambers

Hannah continued: “The Bar Mock really sets you apart too – people recognise the commitment that you would have put into the whole process and the enjoyment you took from it. It was a great experience and I loved acting as a barrister, so it made me want to look into it as a career. I’m thinking about studying it at university, going down the criminal law route.”

On why she wanted to be part of the placement scheme, Hannah, who also studies Drama & Theatre Studies and Psychology, explained: “I’m not totally sure what I want to do as a career, and I thought that having some hands-on experience is the best way to find out if it really is for me. I know I want to do something that I really enjoy and Law is really high up the list.”

Having applied to study the subject as university, second year student Alex is certain that Law is the career path for him.

He said: “I’ve applied for Law in all five of my UCAS university options, with Sheffield and Liverpool being my top choices. I need to get really good grades to get in, and I’m making sure that I’m putting the work in to do it!”

Alex's placement is at Oriel Chambers

Alex continued: “The opportunity to apply for the chambers placement was one I couldn’t miss. There were a set of questions you had to answer in the application, and I think I managed to convey how passionate I was about becoming a barrister.

“You get the chance to find out what it’s really like to be a barrister and the kind of work they undertake. You go to court and see how they advocate, and just soak in everything they do.”

Like Hannah, Alex discovered his passion for Law since choosing it for A Level when joining the College. He has taken advantage of opportunities such as Law days with the Social Mobility Foundation, and he points to the teaching he has received being the reason he enjoys the subject so much.

Alex said: “My teachers, Adam (Hall) and Paula (Blakemore), have been fantastic. They’ve helped me decide the career that I want to get into for life and set me up for doing really well in my A Levels.”