Grace O’ Donoghue

LLB, 2026, Trevelyan College

My degree at Durham gave me the necessary skillset to operate in the real-world legal space. The degree ensures that you develop researching abilities, critical thinking and the capacity to effectively execute tasks. Additionally, presentation and discussion skills are greatly developed through tutorials.

Advice from the Durham Careers Service also proved valuable. The most useful aspect, in my opinion, was its notification of different training contracts or vacation schemes that can be applied for and the multiple events that were held – either with a member of a firm or not. The events gave students the opportunity to move away from the academic side of law and gain insight into how it operates professionally and as a service for clients. These events were also extremely beneficial in building connections and talking to professionals in the legal field – experiences which can set applicants apart during the interview process.

I am thrilled to have secured a training contract with Arthur Cox LLP in Dublin, Ireland.

My advice to Durham newcomers is to take advantage of tutorials and office hours as much as possible. Those are your opportunities to ask tailored questions that will ensure you understand the content as much as possible; this allows you to develop your answers further, allowing for higher grades.