100% Legal: Recent Episodes
Aberdeen University Law Society
Join your new host, Justine, for this brand new episode of the 100% Legal Podcast, joined by special guest Jamie Allison. Jamie graduated from his DPLP at Aberdeen last year, and shares with us some advice for those just starting in their Legal journey up to applications for Vacation Schemes and the DPLP. Enjoy!
***Welcome back to the 100% Legal Podcast. Today we have an exciting episode made in collaboration with our sponsor Travers Smith. Today Jakub is joined by Hugh Hutchison, an alumni of the University of Aberdeen, who is a Partner at Travers Smith.
Hugh will talk about his journey from Aberdeen to a Silver Circle law firm in London. Join us as we discuss a myriad of topics, from his role as a Partner to his cross-border M&A work with infrastructure funds. Importantly, Hugh provides an insight into how Travers Smith operates and how the firm has helped him develop his career.***
In honour of International Women’s Day, join Jakub and Anabia for a powerful and inspiring episode featuring the Lord Advocate. As the highest legal officer in Scotland, the Lord Advocate brings a unique perspective, sharing her experience and discussing her work. We discuss a myriad of topics, which provide an inspiring conversation on International Women’s Day. The conversation also touches upon violence against women and the importance of praising the bravery of victims who stand up to share their stories. The Lord Advocate talks about the corroboration rule change and the further work she is undertaking in this regard. At the law society, we would like to wish all women across the world a Happy International Women’s Day.
TRIGGER WARNING: Themes of domestic abuse including physical, emotional and sexual abuse and gender inequality.
**Megha and Christy are joined by Louise Johnson who is a Legal Issues Worker at Scottish Women’s Aid (SWA). Louise talks to us about the work that SWA carry out to protect women and children who have experienced domestic abuse and how they campaign for change at a national level. We talk about the different forms of domestic abuse and the impact that the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 had on prosecutions and convictions of these crimes. We spoke about the effect of COVID-19 and the current cost of living crisis on women and how SWA continues to support women through these tough times. Louise also shares how we can get involved and support our local Women’s Aid group and make a real difference to the lives of those in need.
TRIGGER WARNING: Themes of domestic abuse including physical, emotional and sexual abuse and gender inequality.**
Scottish Women’s Aid website – www.womensaid.scot
Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline – www.sdafmh.org.uk
HMICS Thematic Inspection of Police Scotland Handling of Domestic Abuse - https://www.hmics.scot/publications/hmics-thematic-inspection-domestic-abuse-phase-1
Research into implementation of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act - https://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/news-events/news/domestic-abuse-victims-find-justice-process-traumatic
If you or anyone you know has been affected by this conversation please reach out to Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline on 0800 027 1234.
Megha is joined by Lubna Shuja, the President of the Law Society of England and Wales. Lubna is the first Asia, first Muslim and seventh female to become President. We talk about Lubna’s legal journey and the barriers she overcame to get to her position today and why diversity is so important in the legal world. Lubna shares her views on how law firms can create a more diverse and inclusive workspace and what future lawyers should look for when applying to firms. We talk about how diversity is an all-encompassing concept and how far the legal profession has come in this regard. Lubna also shares her top tips for those who come from under-represented backgrounds and how they can successfully navigate through their legal career.
Megha is joined by Dr Jean Wilkie who is the DPLP Director and Professor Susan Stokeld who is the Director of Education at the University of Aberdeen. They talk about the structure of the DPLP, the assessment criteria and how admission to the programme works. Dr Wilkie and Professor Stokeld also emphasise that securing a trainee contract is not a prerequisite for getting a place on the DPLP and they discuss the array of alternative paths out there for students to take after finish their LLB.
Find out more about the DPLP here :https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/256/professional-legal-practice/ and the application process here: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/law/courses/application.php
Megha and Melina are joined by Claire Mitchell KC. Claire shares her legal journey into how she was called to the Bar and how she persevered through many rejections and hurdles on the way. Claire talks about her caseload and why Public Law interests her. She shares her top tips for advocacy and the structure she follows when speaking in Court. Claire also shares insight on her ‘Taking Silk’ experience and how her career has changed since becoming a KC. Claire also discusses her incredible Witches of Scotland campaign where she has advocated for justice to be served and pardons to be given out to those convicted of witchcraft in earlier centuries.
Megha is joined by Rahma and Nicola who are future trainees of Brodies and CMS respectively. They talk about their application processes and interviews and how they stayed motivated throughout. They give us some great tips on how to make applications stand out and give us some insight into what exactly these firms are looking for. They also share their summer placement experiences highlighting their favourite aspects and some challenges they faced. We also learn how the practical side of vacation schemes compare to the academic side taught at university. We also talk to us about their journey from gaining vacation schemes to securing traineeships and they reassure those who are on the path to securing direct traineeships.
Megha is joined by Nick Earles who is a regulatory lawyer and commercial adviser to the psychedelic industry and is one of the few dedicated legal consultants to the cannabis and psychedelic medicines industry. In this podcast, Nick talks about what drew him into the Cannabis Industry and we talk about the incredible growth and popularity of Cannabis at this present time. We also talk about the stigma surrounding cannabis and how Nick navigates through these negative opinions. We also talk about the Cannabis industries in other countries such as the USA and discuss whether the UK would ever follow suit. Nick also tells us what his hopes are for the future of the Cannabis industry.
Megha is joined by James Smith who is a Criminal Defence Lawyer who specialises in Prison Law and Parole at McGreevy & Co. We talk about the stigma and negative perception around prisoners and how this reduces their chance of fitting back into society. James also talks about the extent to which our prison system favours rehabilitation and how it compares to that of the USA and Norway. We also discuss why it is important that prisoners should have access to basic human rights and the controversial decision of the UK's ban on voting rights for prisoners. James also shares more information on his blog and social media presence and gives students some top tips for succeeding in a career in Prison Law.
Megha and Melina are joined by Ian Duddy who is the Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission. Ian talks to us about how his career at the Foreign Office developed his interest into International Human Rights. Ian also talks about his time as a UK ambassador and how he has had to make difficult decisions and how he deals with the aftermath of these decisions. Ian also talks about his strong belief about the retainment of the Human Rights Act 1998 and how he is campaigning and trying to influence the government to keep the Act in place. Ian also shares his proudest accomplishments, both professionally and personally and gives students who are interested in human rights some advice and insight into the job.
Megha and Melina are joined by Derek Parsons who is an Advanced Family Law Practitioner in International Family Law (IFL) with speciality in International Child Abduction, Child Law and Relocation. Derek talks about his legal journey and how his business module led him into a career in Family Law. He talks about how committed one has to be to succeed in this field as sometimes he finds himself on the clock 24/7, but he still emphasises the need to unwind and relax. Derek talks about what traits an inspiring international family lawyer needs to have and tells us how beneficial it is to be fluent in other languages. Derek also discusses how academically challenging IFL is as they talk about the significance of the Hague Conventions and other legal jurisdictions. Derek also discusses how he manages to keep a strong relationship with clients from all over the world and how he overcomes cultural differences. Derek also shares some advice for aspiring lawyers who want to venture into the realm of IFL.
Megha is joined by Lady Drummond who is a Judge in the High Court in Aberdeen. Lady Drummond shares how her transition has been from being an Advocate to being a Judge and explains some of the differences between the role of an Advocate and her new role as a Judge. As a Judge, Lady Drummond tells us what attributes she looks for in an Advocate to make them stand out and compares them to attributes a Judge is required to have to be independent and impartial. Lady Drummond also talks about if the law treats everyone equally and an area of law she would like to see be reformed. She also gives solicitors some crucial advice if they are looking to make this jump in their career
Megha and Georgia are joined by Edie Bowles who is the co-founder of Advocates for Animals. They discuss Edie’s love for animals and how this love motivated her to start the first law firm in the UK which was entirely dedicated to Animal Protection Law. They also discuss the issue of illegal dog farming and the recent advancements in Animal Welfare law and whether they provide adequate protection. They also talk about the controversial issue of how animals are regarded as property in the eyes of the law and how Edie and her firm are working to change this. Edie also tells us about the financial viability of going into Animal Protection Law and what students can do to get involved with Animal Law at an early stage. You can find more about the work that Edie and her firm are involved with on their website https://www.advocates-for-animals.com.
Megha is joined by Krista Johnston who is the solicitor member of the Scottish Sentencing Council. Amongst other work, the Council develops sentencing guidelines for the courts. We talk about how sentencing guidelines are developed and the extensive process behind it. Krista explains the importance of various sentencing purposes and factors including rehabilitation and mental health when developing sentencing guidelines. We discuss the Council’s new sentencing guidelines which can be found on their website at https://www.scottishsentencingcouncil.org.uk and learn about the ‘sentencing young people’ guideline (https://bit.ly/3yHKFMa) in detail. We also gain insight into why the law in Scotland allows offenders to get a reduced sentence when they admit their guilt.
Megha and Chiara are joined by Robbie Wilson who is the Head of Medical Negligence at Anderson Strathern. Robbie talks about how he became interested in medical negligence and how he deals with cases involving cerebral palsy, birth injuries and consent. Robbie explains how many years can be spent on individual cases and how rewarding his job is when his clients finally receive their desired outcome. Robbie also talks about the challenges he personally faces and compares them with the challenges the hospitals face in medical negligence litigation. We also discuss some of the personal and professional achievements Robbie has made in his career.
Megha and Rahma are joined by Deputy Director Denise Mckay. Denise talks about how she started working for the Scottish Government and her daily life in her managerial position. She also talks about the abundance of cases the Scottish Government handles daily as well as the Government’s role and position in the Ukrainian Conflict. She also has an open and honest conversation on the struggles she has faced as well as finding the right family and work balance.
Megha, Georgia and Rahma are joined by celebrity guest Shaun Wallace who discusses his journey in becoming a barrister, highlighting the key skills and attributes and mindset one needs to be a criminal barrister as well as the challenges he has faced along the way and how he has overcome these obstacles. He also gives speaks about the advice he would give to the younger generation.
Katy and Amy are joined by Cat Burton, Chair of the Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES), to discuss the work that GIRES do to support transgender and gender-diverse communities, the legislation which affects those within these communities and further issues which affect transgender people.
Follow us for more episodes and get in touch if you would like to get involved!
Check out the GIRES website at gires.org.uk and also check out Mermaids, who work to support gender-diverse kids, young people and their families at mermaids.org.uk
Euan is joined by Andrea Fraser a Civil Justice lawyer at JUSTICE and will be discussing human rights law and the work of JUSTICE to defend said law.
Victorie-Anne and George are joined by Conor Hume and Jacob Webster, two associates from Bird & Bird’s Sports Group, who advise on various matters including regulatory and sports-related commercial issues.
Conor and Jacob discuss about Bird & Bird's application process, how to stand out, the life of a sports lawyer, the variety of their work and the clients they work with as well as tips on how to become a sports lawyer.
Katy is joined by Amy Shand, personal injury solicitor at Digby Brown, to discuss her work, and key developments, within the personal injury sector. Follow us for more episodes and get in touch if you would like to get involved!
Applications for Digby Brown’s summer placement open on 3 January 2022, with the closing date being 31 January 2022. Applications are open for anyone in at least 3rd year of the LLB or 1st year of the accelerated degree. This placement is a potential career pathway to a traineeship in 2024.
The link for Digby Brown’s summer placement is https://www.digbybrown.co.uk/careers/summer-placements
Amy and Melina are joined by Beverley Addison, a family lawyer at BTO Solicitors who specialises in modern families. To hear about Beverley's journey and what this area of law entails, stay tuned!
Beverley is a Senior Solicitor and trained Collaborative Practitioner within our Family Law team. Beverley is experienced in dealing with all aspects of family law including financial provision on separation and divorce, claims on the cessation of cohabitation and cases relating to children. She has experience pursuing all types of family actions through both the Sheriff Court and the Court of Session, and also in resolving matters amicably away from court via negotiation and the collaborative process.
Beverley is also a well known specialist in Fertility Law in Scotland, and regularly advises both individual clients and organisations about matters such as surrogacy, assisted or donor conception, adoption and parenting for LGBTQ+ couples through our Modern Families practice unit. She is a real pioneer for all kinds of Modern Families and has helped numerous clients fulfil their dream of becoming parents.
Beverley's instagram: @the.family.lawyer Beverley's email: bea@bto.co.uk
Euan and Katy are joined by Geoff Fogg, President of SOLAR, to discuss the ins and outs of being a public service lawyer and why us as fellow law students should consider it as a avenue into law.
Katy and Euan are joined by Trevor Fenton, founder and solicitor at Plain English Law, to discuss his knowledge and work in data protection and privacy law, business law and his experience being qualified in both Canada and the UK. Follow us for more episodes and get in touch if you would like to get involved!
Check out the Plain English Law website at https://plainenglish.law
Victorie-Anne is joined by Amy Conroy, Nathan Corr and Annabel Pemberton, Co-Founders of Law School 2.0, to discuss their new LegalTech Vacation Scheme. Follow us for more and get in touch if you'd like to get involved!
Welcome to the Aberdeen University Law Society's new podcast! Katy introduces 100% Legal and invites all our members to become involved in this project. Contact us to get involved or follow us for more!