Bio Smitasiri

LLB, 2026, St Aidan's College

I look forward to starting my law career as a trainee solicitor at Ropes & Gray LLP!

On the academic side, Durham Law School provided me with strong legal and analytical foundations. The breadth of module choices made my degree particularly enjoyable, allowing me to curate an academic experience unique to my interests. Smaller tutorial groups also encouraged more engaging learning and made group discussions in assessment centres less daunting.

On the non-academic side, the support and mentorship I received from peers, senior students and alumni were invaluable. I would not have made it without them. Durham fosters a supportive community where resource sharing is encouraged and people are always happy to make time for you. The wide range of extracurricular activities and societies also helped develop my soft skills and made me a more ‘well-rounded’ candidate. The Durham Negotiation Society, in particular, not only developed my negotiation skills and commercial awareness, but also gave me the loveliest group of friends who supported me on all aspects throughout my journey.

The breadth of firm events and talks organised by Durham Law School and its law-related societies was extremely helpful, making the distance from London never an issue. Quite the opposite, the exclusivity of ‘Durham-only’ events made it easier to gain insights into different firms and legal careers in a smaller group setting, without the pressure of application competition or travel arrangements. The mock interviews offered by the Durham Careers Service also helped ease my anxiety before assessment centres.

For those considering Durham University, I’d just say: Go for it! The close-knit community at Durham offers a very robust academic, professional, and social support system for which I could not be more grateful.