Grace Loh

LLB, Collingwood College , 2026

I once read that you are the average of the company you keep. If that is true, then I have Durham and its people to thank for helping me achieve both a First Class Honours law degree and a training contract offer.

Durham gave me countless opportunities to develop both my professional aspirations and personal interests. Professionally, Professor Philip Bennett’s Employability Course materials and guidance were invaluable in preparing me for the case study interviews at law firm assessment centres.

While my professional aspirations were in private law, Durham developed me holistically, sharpening my legal skills not only in private law but also in public law. Ms Gwen Roberts was instrumental in helping me excel in my Family Law and Criminal Law modules. As a result of her guidance, I ranked 2nd out of 221 students in the Family Law module and received the Law of Family Relationships Prize.

Personally, I had the opportunity to represent Durham in both Touch Rugby and Women’s Rugby, competing in British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) competitions—the highest and most competitive university sports league in the UK. The teamwork, camaraderie, and resilience I developed on the pitch became integral to my personal growth and transcended both my academic and extracurricular pursuits.

In my final year, despite the demands of my dissertation and securing a training contract, I was also able to pursue charitable work by participating in Europe’s largest charity boxing event, Durham Fight Night. Through the event, I helped raise more than £21,800 for men’s testicular cancer. Durham gave me the platform to pursue excellence across my academic, sporting, and charitable endeavours while encouraging me to give back to the wider community.

I graduated from Durham in July 2026 with a First Class Honours Bachelor of Laws (LLB (Hons)) and will be joining Reed Smith LLP, an international law firm, to begin my training contract.