Keith Mack
When it comes to applying to study law in the UK, extracurricular activities can make a real difference to your application. While academic grades are important, extracurriculars can demonstrate to admissions officers that you're a well-rounded individual with a genuine interest in law. From mock trials and public speaking events to volunteering and sports, there are many extracurricular activities that can boost your application and help you develop useful skills for a career in law. So, what extracurricular activities should you consider and how can they improve your chances of getting into law school?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Requires substantial time commitment | Shows dedication and commitment |
| Develops relevant skills | Critical thinking, rhetoric, leadership, communication, public speaking |
| Demonstrates genuine interest in law | Mock trials, political activism, legal research |
| Shows community involvement | Volunteering, pro bono work |
| Enhances academic readiness | Knowledge, skills, and experience |
| Demonstrates legal interest | Social activism, campus politics, research assistance |
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What You'll Learn
Sports teams
Joining a sports team is an excellent extracurricular activity for aspiring law students in the UK. Sports teams often require multiple weekly practice sessions, which demonstrates a substantial time commitment. This can be a great way to showcase your dedication and discipline to your university of choice. Furthermore, sports teams foster a sense of community and teamwork, which are essential skills in the legal profession.
When highlighting your participation in sports teams in your law school application, be sure to emphasise any leadership roles you undertook. For example, if you were the captain of your football team, this demonstrates your ability to lead and motivate a group, which are valuable skills for a lawyer.
Additionally, sports teams can provide a platform for personal growth and the development of soft skills. For instance, being part of a sports team can enhance your communication skills, conflict resolution abilities, and time management skills. These transferable skills are advantageous in a legal context and can set you apart from other applicants.
It is worth noting that universities value well-rounded applicants who can contribute to the university community beyond academic achievements. Therefore, your involvement in sports teams can showcase your ability to balance academic pursuits with extracurricular commitments, making you a more attractive candidate for law programmes in the UK.
Lastly, if you are passionate about sports and plan to continue playing at the university level, consider researching and mentioning specific university sports teams related to law. For example, Lancaster University has football and netball teams that compete against teams from law firms, providing an excellent opportunity for networking and connecting with legal professionals.
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Volunteering
Types of Volunteering Opportunities
There are various volunteer options available for aspiring law students. These can be categorised into two groups: volunteering within the legal field and general volunteering.
Legal Volunteering
- Pro bono work through organisations such as the National Pro Bono Centre, which provides students with practical training and the opportunity to work on real cases under the supervision of qualified legal officers.
- Volunteering with law firms, legal non-profits, government offices, or political organisations to gain exposure to the legal profession and demonstrate your interest in law.
- Mock trials and public speaking events to develop essential skills such as persuasion and quick thinking.
- Research assistance for a faculty member in a law-related field, which can provide valuable experience in legal research and writing.
General Volunteering
General volunteering opportunities can include:
- Social activism and community service, such as volunteering for a religious organisation, an animal shelter, or a community centre, which demonstrates your commitment to helping others.
- Volunteering abroad in developing countries, which showcases your dedication to serving others and your willingness to step out of your comfort zone.
Benefits of Volunteering
- It demonstrates your commitment, passion, and willingness to go beyond what is required.
- It allows you to develop and showcase essential skills such as leadership, teamwork, communication, and time management.
- It provides you with valuable experiences and insights that can make your application more compelling and help you stand out to admissions officers.
- It can help you build a network and make connections within the legal field, which can be beneficial for future internships and job opportunities.
Tips for Volunteering
When considering volunteering opportunities, keep the following in mind:
- Look for opportunities that align with your interests and passions. This will ensure you remain engaged and motivated throughout your volunteering journey.
- Prioritise quality over quantity. It is better to deeply engage with one or two volunteering activities than to spread yourself too thin across multiple commitments.
- Start early and be consistent. Law schools value sustained and long-term contributions, demonstrating your dedication and perseverance.
- Reflect on the skills and experiences gained through volunteering and articulate them effectively in your personal statement and interviews.
In conclusion, volunteering is a valuable extracurricular activity for aspiring law students in the UK. It demonstrates your commitment to serving others, enhances your application, and provides you with a platform to develop essential skills that will benefit your legal career.
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Mock trials
Participating in mock trials can help you gain legal research skills, teamwork experience, and in-depth knowledge of an area of law. These skills will enable you to talk fluently about your extracurricular activities in interviews and demonstrate your genuine interest in law to admission committees.
In addition to mock trial competitions, you can also participate in mooting activities, which are similar but involve arguing a point of law in front of an acting judge. Mooting is a great way to develop your public speaking and argumentation skills, which are essential for a career in law.
While mock trials and mooting activities are valuable extracurriculars, it's important to prioritise quality over quantity. Focus on a few extracurricular activities that you are genuinely interested in and can contribute to meaningfully. This will allow you to make a real impact and develop the skills and experiences that law schools are looking for.
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Public speaking
To improve their public speaking skills, law students can attend public speaking workshops, seminars, online courses, and join professional organisations. Practicing in front of a mirror or recording oneself can help individuals assess their speed, tone, and body language. Visualisation is another powerful tool to build confidence, as imagining oneself doing well can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
While public speaking is an important skill for lawyers, it is not the only factor considered in law school applications. Good grades, a thoughtful personal statement, and a demonstrated interest in law through extracurricular activities are also important. Volunteering, internships, sports, and other activities that require a substantial time commitment can also boost a law school application.
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Research projects
International and Comparative Law:
- The impact of GDPR on privacy cases.
- How are international treaties ratified in UK law?
- The rights of detainees in war.
- The impact of EU law post-Brexit.
- How does international law combat terrorism?
- The effectiveness of international criminal courts.
- Comparing civil and common law systems.
Criminal Law and Justice:
- The influence of public inquiries on criminal law.
- Wrongful convictions and the role of DNA evidence.
- How youth courts address juvenile offences.
- Hate crimes: how are they categorised?
Legal Research Skills:
In addition to choosing a specific research topic, you can also focus on developing your legal research skills. This can include exploring different research methods, learning how to analyse legal sources, and understanding the legal research process. You could also assist a professor or legal professional in their research to gain hands-on experience and make valuable connections.
Current Affairs and Social Media Engagement:
Engaging with legal news and developments on social media platforms like Twitter can provide you with a wealth of research topics and ideas. For example, the controversial Internal Market Bill and its potential breach of international law sparked much discussion. Following such debates, reading relevant resources, and even contributing your own insights can be a great way to develop your research skills and demonstrate your interest in law.
Remember, when choosing a research project, it's important to select a topic that sparks your interest and is relevant to today's legal landscape. This will make your research more engaging and help you stand out to admissions committees.
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Frequently asked questions
While extracurriculars are important, they are usually considered less important than grades and LSAT scores. However, they can make the difference between getting accepted or rejected. They can also be more important than work experience, letters of recommendation, or the college you attended. Law schools want to see that you're a well-rounded individual who is engaged in the world and has interests beyond your studies. Examples of extracurriculars that can help your application include:
- Volunteering
- Sports
- Playing music
- Joining clubs
- Reading books
- Online courses
- Blogging
- Tutoring
- Campaigning
If you want to develop legal skills specifically, you could consider the following extracurricular activities:
- Mock trials
- Public speaking events
- Political activism groups
- Social activism
- Volunteering in campus politics
- Research assistance for a faculty member in a law-related field
- Pre-law internships
Supercurricular activities are those that build on and enhance what you are studying. They are especially important for subjects like law, where most students do not take law at A-level. Examples of supercurricular activities include:
- University masterclasses and conferences
- Webinars and seminars
- Mentorship programmes
- Following legal news and developments on Twitter
- Reading resources and engaging in debates on social media
Extracurricular activities can help you stand out as an applicant by demonstrating certain characteristics and skills that law schools are looking for, such as:
- Leadership
- Communication
- Time management
- Organisation
- Creativity
- Research
- Critical writing
