Ayomikun Adenuga

LLB, 2026, Stephenson College

I am looking forward to starting my training contract with Stephenson Harwood in 2027!

My time at Durham gave me advantages that went far beyond the degree itself. It shaped how I approached the recruitment process and presented myself to firms. These benefits came through two distinct channels, the academic training I received and the non-academic opportunities the university offered.

Durham is an exceptionally well-connected university that provided avenues for personalised advice and genuine insight into what makes an application stand out. From my first year, I had the opportunity to network with professionals from a wide range of firms in intimate settings such as dinners and small group sessions. Through these events, I received valuable and candid tips from Future Talent and Early Careers employees at prestigious international firms that are not typically accessible to students. As a result, I entered my second year and the vacation scheme season with a clear and focused sense of the type of firms I wanted to apply to and ultimately intern at. During my vacation scheme, I had the privilege of speaking with numerous graduates who were generous with their time and experience and openly discussed guidance and feedback that proved invaluable in helping me secure the role.

My involvement in university societies, particularly holding exec positions within the Durham University Gospel Choir and the Durham University African and Caribbean Society, helped me develop confidence, teamwork, and time management skills that I could speak to naturally in interviews, demonstrating a well-rounded character rather than a purely academic one.

Meanwhile, my Durham degree gave me a rigorous academic foundation that firms consistently value. The course demanded strong analytical reasoning, clear written communication, and the ability to construct persuasive arguments under time pressure, skills that translated directly into competency-based application forms, case study exercises, and written assessments during the recruitment process.

The Durham Careers Service and Employability Course was one of the most useful resources Durham provided throughout my job search. In particular, their vacation scheme and training contract tracker helped me stay organised and on top of deadlines across multiple firms during a competitive and fast paced process.

I also found the practice sessions for application letters and CVs extremely helpful. Receiving detailed feedback before submitting my applications allowed me to refine my language and better tailor my experiences to each firm, which made a real difference given how much weight firms place on written applications at the first stage.

Alongside this practical support, the Law School helped me understand how to translate legal knowledge into commercial awareness, while guidance from academic staff on approaching vacation scheme applications meant the more technical aspects of the process felt manageable. Overall, the combination of these resources meant I felt well prepared and supported throughout my job search.

My advice to Durham newcomers is take advantage of the networking opportunities provided by Durham. The professors and alumni of Durham are incredibly passionate and eager to talk to, and advise, students on their elected sector and career path. Not only does this assist students in gaining a clearer understanding of what a career in law actually looks like day to day, but it also opens doors that would otherwise take years to access independently. Building these relationships early on means students can make more informed decisions about the type of law and the type of firm that genuinely suits them, rather than applying blindly based on rankings or reputation alone.

These connections often extend well beyond a single conversation, with many alumni going on to offer mentorship, insight into specific practice areas, and even direct support during the application process itself. My advice would be to approach every networking opportunity, however small it may seem, with genuine curiosity and openness, since it is often these organic conversations, rather than formal applications, that leave the most lasting impression and provide the most valuable guidance.