Durham Law School Employability Course Awards Ceremony Celebrates Achievements of the “Fabulous 50” 2024/25 Employability Course Finishers

The keynote speaker, arranged by Michael, was a fellow Durham (Hatfield) alumnus, Ali Tabari,  a commercial fraud and insolvency barrister at St Philips Chambers who read law at Durham and leads St Philips' pupillage programme. Ali gave a wonderfully eloquent and energising keynote speech on “How to FAIL (but do it well) - top tips for the aspiring lawyer”.

The Employability Course is sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. In addition to Michael and Ali, the Law School was delighted to welcome, from Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, Durham alumni, Partner, Andrew Taggart (St Chad's), and current trainees Olly Martin (St Cuthbert's), Shania Phillips  (John Snow) and Kate Shipton (Hatfield).

As part of their Course sponsorship, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer funded 'Completion of Course' hoodies for the first 20 students to complete the course in their Employability Teams as well as a post Awards Ceremony reception and networking event for all course finishers.

Some of the 2024/25 Employability Course finishers wearing hoodies designed by Course finisher, Vinnie Cheung and funded by the Course sponsors, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. Back row (left to right): Ethan Goh, Hannah Fenton, Aditya Singh, Kyle Bower, Oliver Scott. Front row (left to right): Sonakshikaa Singh, Vinnie Cheung, Dyuthi Deepshikha, Ayumi Lam, Shevon Chua, Sarah Hu. Photo courtesy of Ella Tham Yi Shaan.

Drawing out the theme that the Employability Course is based on a collaboration between Durham Law School, its Law related student societies and its students, Oliver Scott, 2024/25 Employability Course finisher (and in the first team of 3 to finish), introduced Michael Aherne. Vinnie Cheung also a Course finisher, designed the Completion of Course hoodies. The photographs of the Awards Ceremony were taken by Vedika Das, a 2025/26 first year Law undergraduate and keen amateur photographer in cooperation with Sarah C Hu,  who, with Kyle Bower , took the bragging rights as the first team to finish the 2024/25 Course. Sarah also took the photographs, in October 2024, of the 2023/24 Course finishers awards ceremony are here.

Law related student societies who collaborated in the delivery of the Course were represented by Ian Mak, 2023/24 Course finisher and Secretary to the Law Society and other members of the Law Society Exec, Annabelle Martin , 2024/25 Course finisher and Bar Society Mock Trial Officer, Swasti Mehta, President of the International Law Society,  Aland Goran, President of the Negotiation Society, Hannah Lawless, President of the Non-Law into Law Society and Panagiotis Diamantis, President of the European Law Students’ Association Durham.

The Careers & Enterprise Service was represented by Careers Adviser, Heather Rutland  

The Law School was represented by Dr Emily Roach and Employability Course creator, Philip Bennett, Durham Law School’s first Professor in Practice.

Michael Aherne said:

“Many congratulations to all of the students who undertook, in effect, an extra module of more than 100 hour hours and competed the Course. As our keynote speaker, Ali Tabari, noted, often to succeed in Law you need to be prepared to go the extra mile, and the "fabulous 50 finishers" are clearly already ahead of the game in that regard!

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is committed to social mobility and increasing diversity within the profession.  We very much welcome the opportunities which the Course gives to students from all backgrounds by providing the additional resources and support for their journeys towards careers in Law.

We are delighted to sponsor the Durham Law School Employability Course created by Philip, and look forward to continuing our partnership into the future. As far as I know, it continues to be the only such course in any UK Law School.”

Philip Bennett said:

“On behalf of the students who were awarded Course Completion Certificates and the Law School, I would like to thank Michael for presenting the Course Completion Certificates, Ali  for his very insightful and excellent keynote speech, Andrew, Ollie, Shania and Kate for coming to the Awards Ceremony and to everyone else involved at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer for their generous and enthusiastic support for the Course.

I hope that even more of the 2025/26 first year Law UGs will complete the Course than in 2024/25; perhaps inspired by the success of those presented with Course Completion Certificate at the Awards Ceremony.”

Pictures taken by Vedika in cooperation with Sarah at the Awards Ceremony are here.

Notes:

The Employability Course is part of the wide range of opportunities offered by Durham Law School which contribute to the “Durham Difference”. A  podcast series about the Durham Law School Employability Course recorded, with the collaboration and support of Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, is here . Watch out for news of Episode 4 coming soon!

More about Michael Aherne is here

More about Emily Roach is here

More about Philip Bennett is here