cambridge law personal statement example

Cambridge Law School Personal Statement Examples

Your Cambridge law personal statement is a short essay which highlights why you are interested in studying law and how equipped you are for the task. Cambridge uses the UCAS system for all applicants wanting to study law at the undergraduate level, so there are no unique requirements for your law school personal statement here. In this blog, we’ll cover what Cambridge expects from your law school personal statement, important requirements you need to know, and some law personal statement examples .

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Article Contents 6 min read

How to write a law school personal statement for cambridge law.

Cambridge law doesn’t have any specific law school admissions essays topics . The purpose of your Cambridge law personal statement is simply to share with the admissions committee why you want to study law at Cambridge and how you have prepared yourself to do so.

Your law personal statement will often be the basis of discussion during your interview, so it’s a good idea to include your most significant accomplishments or experiences in your personal statement, as well as your future career goals and interest in a specific area of the law.

Since there are no specific prompts and the personal statement can be quite open-ended, start with brainstorming. Identify 2-4 experiences or important ideas you want to convey in your personal statement. Focus on how you can demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm for legal study, and how you have prepared yourself for a career in law. While you can include early life experiences, try to focus on important experiences in the last few years at most.

Here’s some questions you can ask yourself and answer in your Cambridge law personal statement:

• What first drew you to the law?
• How did you develop your enthusiasm for the law?
• What legal questions interest you most?
• What particular areas of legal study fascinate you?
• What personal or professional experience do you have with legal matters?
• How have you prepared yourself for the rigors or law school or the practice of law?
• What are your intellectual or academic interests? How do they relate to your interest in law?
• Which aptitudes do you possess that are suited to the study of law?
• Why have you chosen Cambridge law?

Once you’ve identified a few notable experiences or accomplishments, organize them into an outline and write a draft without concerning yourself with word count. Give yourself plenty of time to rework your essay and revise it. Remember to double check for spelling and grammatical errors, and to remain under the word limit.

If you want expert help crafting or reviewing your law school personal statement, a law school admissions consulting service or law essay writing service can help you get organized and polish your drafts.

The Cambridge undergraduate law program uses the UCAS application system, so the format and length requirements for your Cambridge law personal statement will follow the UCAS requirements. UCAS allows you up to 4,000 characters, or 500 words, to complete your personal statement, or 47 lines—whichever comes first. The minimum character count for your personal statement is 1,000 characters, or around 250 words.

Cambridge law uses your UCAS personal statement as the basis for your interview, and to evaluate your academic interests and commitment to the study of law. In short, while Cambridge does not provide law school essay prompts , they are essentially asking: why do you want to study law ? Your personal statement for Cambridge should:

• Explain your reasons for wanting to study law at university
• Demonstrate enthusiasm for and commitment to the study of law
• Express any particular interests within the field of law
• Outline how you’ve pursued your subject interest in your own time

For a better idea of the format and structure of UCAS personal statement, read examples of Cambridge personal statements or Oxford personal statements as a guide. ","label":"TIP","title":"TIP"}]' code='tab1' template='BlogArticle'>

Cambridge Law Personal Statement Example #1

My passion for the law was first sparked by an interest in people and their behaviours. As a child, I had a peculiar hobby, introduced to me by my father. I loved observing poker. My father taught me how to play, the two of us, and whenever he would host a friendly game with his friends, I watched and learned. I studied their behaviour, learning their tells and reading their body language. It appealed to me to puzzle out their intentions and their attempts at bluffing. Soon enough, I had a very good knack for reading other people.

As I grew older, I enjoyed watching true crime documentaries and found any crime fiction novels I could get my hands on. Each one was a puzzle that I could take apart, dissect and put back together to find the truth, the reveal. Whenever there was a real criminal court case covered on the local news, I watched with rapt attention. I pursue intellectual interests in sociology, criminology and psychology, through both fiction and scientific articles. I wanted to understand better how people thought, why they behaved the way they did.

I also pursued a side interest in theatre as a teen, as it allowed me to become more comfortable performing in front of others, and allowed me to gain self-confidence. By now, I was curious about a legal career, as it would allow me to marry my love of figuring people out with my interests in true crime and criminal law. I knew to be an effective solicitor I would need a greater presence and confidence in myself. Theatre proved to be a very effective way for me to rehearse and develop myself for the courtroom.

I was able to put my performance skills as well as my knowledge to the test when I participated in the Bar Mock Trial. I was able to banish any nerves when it came to performing in front of an audience, and theatre helped me immerse myself in the mock scenario and truly take on the role of a lawyer. Thanks to my experience with the mock trial, I began sitting in on cases in a public courtroom, once again to observe how the game was played. And just like poker, it was fascinating to me to see how real lawyers analyzed the individuals around them. This was a far more hands-on and realistic examination of people than I could find in all my books and articles. This was no longer theory but a live study of individuals in a court of criminal law. I was fascinated by the entire process.

The law is a complex and intriguing puzzle, and criminal law especially is an area that demands keen observation, sharp analysis and the ability to see beyond the surface. I look forward to the prospect of applying the knowledge I have gained so far, developing new skills and deepening my understanding of a captivating subject.

Cambridge Law Personal Statement Example #2

Education, and ensuring everyone has the right to education, has been my crusade for many years. For me, the law has become a vehicle that will help me effect real change in education around the world.

I was fortunate to attend a private school in my formative years, and so I saw firsthand how exclusionary it can be to some students. There is a distinct lack of equal access to quality education for all students, and typically money and privilege are the biggest obstacles. However, around the world I know there are far larger barriers for some young students who crave access to education, and are denied it. In my private school, the few students who could attend on merit scholarships were considered lucky, but they should be able to access quality education without winning some type of lottery.

In my passion for the right to education, my initial plan was to become a teacher and bring education directly to students. But I also realized as a teacher I would not have the level of influence needed to effect real and lasting change. I decided to switch my focus, and I started volunteering with Oxfam. I took my summer off, and volunteered my time as a girls’ teacher in remote villages in Malawi. Oxfam has long been dedicated to providing access to education, and it was fulfilling to be able to help provide educational resources to students even more underprivileged than the peers I’d met in private school. To be able to witness the difference I was making every day as a teacher to young girls. Still, I had lofty goals, and I wanted to continue my humanitarian aid and continue to work towards the right to education for all students.

I delved into researching the global issues and obstacles surrounding education. It soon became clear to me that it was not always a lack of access blocking students from going to school, but a lack of educational rights. I knew I would need to pursue a career in international law, if I wanted to see through my goal of breaking down barriers to education on a global level.

For me, the law is a tool, a resource I can use to help effect change in the lives of young students eager to learn and grow. So I know I must be eager to learn and to develop my legal knowledge as well. I am committed to the studying of the law, so it might serve as my foundation in bringing education to students around the world.

Your personal statement for Cambridge law will be submitted through UCAS, so it should follow UCAS personal statement guidelines. Your personal statement for Cambridge college of law will highlight why you want to study law and what you have done to prepare yourself to become a lawyer.

Your Cambridge law personal statement should cover your motivations for studying law, your specific interests within the field, how you are suited to the study of law and independent learning you’ve done to further your passion for the law.

To write a strong personal statement, ensure it is error-free, flows naturally and is well structured. It should also demonstrate a strong enthusiasm for the study of law, an intellectual aptitude for the field and some experience with law.

Your UCAS personal statement should be no longer than 4,000 characters or around 500 words or less. At minimum, your personal statement should be 1,000 characters or 250 words.

Your law school personal statement should share why you want to study the law, what first sparked your interest in the law or a particular field of law, and what actions or pursuits you’ve taken to deepen your understanding of the law.

A law school personal statement uses a short essay format.

Yes. Your Cambridge law personal statement will be the basis of discussion at your interview, so it is important to present a well-written personal statement. While Cambridge focuses heavily on academic qualifications in applicants, your personal statement provides context and further information about you as a candidate.

Avoid using irrelevant anecdotes or personal stories, unless they provide important context to your motivation to study law. Also avoid using any cliches or often repeated phrases, informal language and merely providing a list of your accomplishments. Remember to use your word count wisely and get straight to the point!

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Personal Statement

The personal statement should answer some key questions: Why is it that you want to spend three years of your life working in legal study? How can you evidence an enthusiasm for the subject, a deep interest in it and an aptitude for it? Professor Pippa Rogerson

Your UCAS personal statement is your opportunity to demonstrate your interest in Law as an academic subject and to offer specific evidence that you would be well suited to a Law degree at Cambridge.

You might consider including specific information about any independent academic exploration you have pursued. We are looking for evidence of your intellectual curiosity and independent motivation. You should also keep in mind that your personal statement is sometimes used to start a conversation in your interview, so you should be prepared to discuss any of the topics you include.

For further information regarding personal statements, please see the University’s website on UCAS applications and UCAS guidance .

Supplementary Application Questionnaire (SAQ)

One week after submitting your UCAS online application, you will be sent an email prompting you to complete the SAQ . This Cambridge-specific aspect of your application requests some further information that is not included elsewhere on your UCAS application.

One aspect of the SAQ is the optional additional personal statement. This statement gives you the opportunity to add any further information that is specific either to Cambridge or to Law that you were not able to include elsewhere in your application. You will not be penalised for leaving this section blank. If you do choose to complete it, remember your SAQ will be reviewed alongside your UCAS application, so avoid simply repeating your UCAS personal statement.

My Cambridge Application

My Cambridge Application is an additional form that you need to complete if you're applying to study an undergraduate degree at Cambridge. Once you submit your UCAS application, you'll get an email from us within 48 hours with instructions and a link to your My Cambridge Application.

The form is personalised, so we'll only ask you the relevant questions for your application.

For most applicants, the deadline will be 23 October 2023 (6pm UK time).

The My Cambridge form also allows you to submit an additional Cambridge-specific personal statement. This is optional and should not be the same as your UCAS personal statement.

Please visit the undergraduate admissions site for more information about how to complete your My Cambridge application.

A written reference, usually provided by a teacher or tutor in your school or college, is a useful way for us to learn more about your academic ability and potential. If your chosen referee is unsure of what to include, you can direct them to the University’s guidance . For more information on choosing a referee, please see the UCAS guidance , or contact the college that you plan to apply to with further questions.

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Law personal statement example 115 (russell group/oxbridge).

With a blindfold across her eyes, Lady Justice represents the objectivity of the justice system. In a generation where the gender pay gap persists and minorities face discrimination decades after the introduction of equalities legislation, I wonder whether perhaps an all-seeing symbol would be more appropriate.

"Eve was Framed" by Helen Kennedy explores the bias against women in our justice system. She discusses the battle to even allow women to be involved in legal processes as senior members of the legal profession in a society where sexism was the norm and the idea of a woman in a court seemed to be at best a gesture of liberalism, but commonly accepted as a radical notion. It allowed me to appreciate how stereotypes are perpetuated by those who seek to exploit the weaknesses in our laws and legal system.

Ultimately I began to reflect upon the relationship between the law, liberal ideas and religion. I drew parallels to today's society and the more liberal ideals that are emerging, especially those that contradict major religions, such as laws regarding surrogacy. It is these scenarios which capture my interest in law and how it can reconcile the apparent dichotomy between them, as well as adapt to an ever changing society.

Competing in the Magistrates Mock Trials stimulated my interest in law as I was able to act out a case (albeit as the defendant!) as part of a national winning team of students. I subsequently shadowed barristers at St Ives Chambers, learning how to analyse cases from personal injury claims to family disputes.

I found one particular case of stalking eye-opening due to the requirement for harassment to have occurred several times before a prosecution is possible, making me question how our laws could be improved.

In Year 12, I took part in the Bar Mock Trials Competition, this time assuming the role of lawyer for the prosecution. This sharpened my analytical skills to assess a situation quickly and to create an appropriate response when having to cross-examine witnesses.

Performing at the Old Bailey and watching other teams gave me an insight into how the same case can result in different outcomes, depending on the performances of the those involved. Though not surprising given the subjective nature of the law and its interpretations and applications, it does make me question its fairness and ability to truly provide justice.

My EPQ investigates the extent to which the Hillsborough inquests have challenged the integrity of the justice system, providing valuable research skills required for any degree. Reading "Hillsborough - The Truth" helped to widen my understanding of the disaster, providing harrowing accounts of the day and subsequent injustices faced by the families.

Initially it seemed that this gross miscarriage of justice challenged the very morals justice is built upon, but further research revealed that perhaps its main causes and effects were the inexperience of officers and a lack of planning. Indeed, it seems that the recent verdict of unlawful killing may be an example of justice prevailing.

What I found most challenging was differentiating between a negative aspect of the justice system and a problem in legal processes. In this instance it was not the principles of the justice system that led to the initial incorrect verdicts and the long fight for justice, but the faults in other parts of the processes, such as flawed coroner reports and amended statements.

As well as being engrossed in my studies, I participate in Taekwondo and have done for the past ten years, an activity which has taught me discipline and commitment, as well as providing a release from my academic life.

Being appointed Deputy Head Girl has developed my public speaking skills with my part time job as a tutor enabling me to hone my communication skills, having to cater for children aged six to sixteen. I believe these skills will be an asset in dealing with the rigours of reading for a degree in Law.

Profile info

There is no profile associated with this personal statement, as the writer has requested to remain anonymous.

Author's Comments

University of Birmingham - Unconditional offer University of Cambridge - Accepted to interview and placed in winter pool University of Liverpool - Offer and offer lowered to ABB University of Nottingham - Offer University of Warwick - Offer

Grades: Biology A, EPQ A*, History A, Psychology A*

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• Law Personal Statement Cambridge

Law Personal Statement Example for Cambridge

Sample statement.

As a child I was always curious about what made something right or wrong and would often challenge my parents with ethical or moral questions about human behaviour. As I grew older I was able to explore these questions myself and with the help of school subjects such as Ethics, Sociology, and Critical Thinking.

Law is the cornerstone of our society and without it our civilisation would crumble. During my time at college I was able to study Classical Civilisations which gave me an insight into how our modern legal system began in the Greek, and later Roman, courts.

To help me understand how our legal system works today I took part in a school trip to Winchester Crown Court and was able to gain first-hand experience of how a criminal case works and what is involved in building a case against a defendant.

I also undertook a three week work experience placement at our County Court and this gave me a better understand of how Family, Civil, and Criminal Law works. I spent time shadowing both defending and prosecuting barristers which gave me an amazing insight into how my career could be after completing a Law degree with your university.

Outside of my educational commitments I am a keen traveller and have spent much of my time travelling around Europe and learning new languages. I hope that my linguistic skills and travel experience will help to me gain a work placement with a firm dedicated to International Law.

I am also a passionate cook and enjoy trying new foods from the countries I visit when I return home. I aim to further develop my culinary skills throughout my time at university and look forward to the challenge of cooking on a tight budget.

During my time at university I hope to gain as much experience in the different areas of law as I can to help narrow down my career choices. I especially look forward to the different modules of the course giving me a better understanding of what the different areas of law involve. 

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Law Personal Statement

Writing a personal statement can be a daunting process. However, it’s important not to rush your drafting, and have time to consider it in full. So start the process as early as you can and don’t be afraid. By following a few key tips, writing your statement can be relatively stress-free! 

1. Be honest

Never tell a lie on your personal statement. What may seem like a “stretch” when you first write it can come back to haunt you when you are sitting in an interview and it turns out you haven’t really read that book! Remember, if you are applying to study law, most universities will not expect you to have studied the subject before, so it is unlikely that you will have to meet too many specific criteria. All candidates will have different strengths – it is important to highlight yours and to set yourself apart from others, but only in a way that is truthful.

2. Be relevant

Look at any criteria for the courses you are applying for and set out clearly how you meet those criteria. If you are applying to Oxbridge, look at the criteria for that university. For a law course, consider how your A-levels are relevant for your degree – instead of just saying what you have learnt in class, talk about the skills your subjects have helped you develop and why they are relevant for studying law. If you participate in a number of different extra-curricular activities, focus on those that show skills and interests relevant for your degree, or which show characteristics you wish to demonstrate (for example leadership skills developed as a sports team captain, debating skills developed in your school debating team, or teamwork demonstrated through your Duke of Edinburgh). 

When putting together your first draft, include everything that you think may be useful: even if this makes your statement too long. Once you have everything down in writing, it will be easier to reassess and decide what should stay in your personal statement and what should go.

3. Show passion and desire

Tutors will want to see that you are committed to your chosen subject, so be clear why you want to study it. There is no “right” answer for this, but it is important to show a genuine interest. For law, it will always help if you can discuss any legal work experience. When referencing work experience, don’t focus too much on what you did – an example of the most interesting piece of work you participated in is good, but also explain why it confirmed your plan to apply to study law.

It is also possible to show passion and desire for your subject in other ways; by outlining why the subject interests you, experiences from your life that are relevant (for example, if you have experience of living overseas and a different legal system that contrasts with the UK, or have helped in a relevant community or school projects or have experienced the law through attending protests), further reading or relevant extra-curricular activities (for example, debating clubs, mooting or Model United Nations). If, for example, you have a specific interest in human rights, jurisprudence or land law, explain what it is about this subject that interests you. Life experiences will help to bring your statement to life.

4. Tell a story

Remember that tutors are going to read a lot of different law personal statements, and they are likely to remember those that they enjoy. It will help if you ensure your statement has a strong structure and direction, almost as if you were telling a story. If possible, link your different paragraphs together. For example, If you start by explaining why you are interested in studying law, you can develop this by then discussing how your school subjects, work or life experience have strengthened this interest, and then why you think you have the skills to do well in the subject. By approaching your draft with a planned structure, your statement will read well and you should ensure you include everything relevant. 

5. Have a plan to stand out

Many sample personal statements that you see will begin with a punchy start, possibly an interesting quote, to grab the reader’s attention. This can be good, although always ensure it is relevant, appropriate and supported by the rest of your statement. However, such an introduction isn’t a necessity. You should also consider highlighting those things that will help you stand out; language abilities, schools awards, positions of responsibility, community work. There are many things that make you who you are: try and give the reader a sense of who you are while highlighting your key academic and non-academic achievements. Remember, even if you are applying to Oxbridge, your statement will be read by others who will have a greater interest in your non-academic abilities and interests.

6. Proof-read (and double proof-read) your Personal Statement (and then get somebody else to proof-read it)

Your personal statement is a chance to show your writing ability, and so make sure that you produce the best piece of written work you can. It isn’t just what you say, but how you say it. Poor punctuation, grammar or spelling can undermine what is otherwise an excellent personal statement. Remember that once you have read a document a number of times, it can be hard to spot the mistakes – so ask a family member, good friend or teacher to check it too.

7. Applying to Oxbridge

An application to Oxbridge requires a greater focus on your academic achievements than other universities. This can be done following the same advice above, but choose more of your academic-based achievements than others to highlight in your law personal statement for Oxford or Cambridge.

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ELENA HANDTRACK

The essay that got me into cambridge.

Many of you guys have messaged me to ask which other universities I applied to and what my application to these places looked like. I will share a full list of all the universities I applied to very soon. I decided to share the personal statement that I submitted to St. John's College at the University of Cambridge today. I was accepted to Cambridge as a law student.

The UK personal statement is much more academic than the US Essay but I also enjoyed writing it because it really makes you reflect on why you want to study a specific subject. Here is the written version of my personal statement:

Growing up in Germany, I realised the importance of law when learning about the Third Reich: The law was abused to strip Jews of their fundamental rights through the Nuremberg laws. This event has shown me how law could be used to authorise the oppression of a group in a given social context. Law affects everyones' lives - no matter whether they practice law or not.

Law's ability to decide about the living conditions of entire peoples gives it great power. I want to study law because having the knowledge of law would enable me to prevent the abuse of the power of law.

Studying History as a higher level subject has equipped me with great research and analytical skills. My work in History has made me more sensitive to the credibility of sources. My English Language and Literature course (higher level) has exposed me to different text sorts and prepared me to analyse anything from a shampoo commercial to one of Shakespeare's plays. Writing my Extended Essay on the Allies' motivations for initiating the Nuremberg trials gave

me the opportunity to analyse the relationship between national politics and the support for international law. The Nuremberg trials set an important precedent in international law and analysing their roots meant analysing the origins of specific principles in international law. My higher level Global Politics course prepared me with a foundational understanding of international power structures and decision-making. I was able to apply this knowledge in the course "Genocide and Humanitarian Intervention" at Stanford University where I analysed the impact of the Genocide Convention on international actors in numerous case studies. I deepened my understanding of the application of and compliance with international law by also studying international relations as part of Stanford's Human Rights Intensive Studies. My studies have exposed me to several case studies where law had been used to legitimise injustice which further encouraged me to learn more about the application of law in different contexts.

Working at the NGO Crossroads put me in touch with asylum seekers in Hong Kong. Working with them gave me an insight into Hong Kong's poor support for asylum seekers and its non-compliance with the Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. I explored this issue further in my Global Politics Engagement Activity on refugees' dependency on NGOs in Hong Kong. My research made me aware of the importance of local jurisdiction and national law and their potential limitations on international law. Having debated for my school from seventh to

tenth grade, I developed the ability to see different viewpoints to situations. I joined Model United Nations in eleventh grade and was chosen to lead it one year later. Leading my school's MUN team equipped me with the ability to prioritise tasks and effectively plan all steps in a work process. A demanding course such as law requires the ability to schedule all your tasks in order to succeed. MUN taught me to defend the interests of the country I am representing and to negotiate diplomatically while not losing sight of national interests. National interests often clash in MUN and this taught me how to make compromises without giving up too much of my country's national goals. Being able to convince others of your opinion and to effectively negotiate a contract are skills required for practicing law.

Studying law at the undergraduate level will equip me with foundational knowledge in legal proceedings and the skills required for systematically analysing legal cases which I could apply in my graduate studies on international law. The UK is one of the UN Security Council's veto powers which makes her an influential country in the creation and enforcement of international law. Her international significance makes her the perfect country to pursue my legal studies.

I hope this helps you guys with writing your personal statements! Please feel free to message me if you have any questions!

Lots of Love,

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Example Personal Statement: Law

We analyse a student's personal statement.

This student applied to study Law at the University of Cambridge, Durham University, University College London, the London School of Economics, and King’s College London. They received conditional offers from all their chosen universities except King’s College London.

Here we break their personal statement down into parts, analysing each section so you can learn from their experience.

Having lived in Singapore for nine years, my interest in studying law was originally sparked by the notorious legal system in the country. I read into their laws and policies on crime, safety, and racial quotas, and began exploring criminal law in different countries, comparing their laws and crime rates to see the impact of the legal system in different countries. Studying law will help me develop my research and analysis skills, and improve my ability to construct meaningful, well thought out arguments to support my ideas.

You should write about your initial interest in law, but make sure your only reason for studying the subject isn’t a ‘lightbulb moment’ - it needs to be a long term reason and you need to demonstrate how you have nurtured this interest both in class and in your own time.

Avoid starting your Personal Statement with a definition or explanation of law - you don’t need to prove you know what the subject is; you need to demonstrate your passion for and interest in it.

If you choose to explain why you want to study law, mention the skills or knowledge you’ll build as opposed to the career you hope to have afterwards. After all, you’re applying to be a student, not a barrister!

I used my interest in law to develop my understanding of key literature texts in my English studies, where I chose to write my coursework on Dickens' satirisation of the judiciary system in Bleak House . My studies in English highlighted a correlation between negative perception of the judicial system and increasing crime rates - a trend that can be epitomised by the Victorian era. I researched other Victorian novels to see how authors had used their everyday experiences with people to enable them to write a realistic depiction of the negative perception of law at the time. I was able to think critically about the role of the law in society, researching the Court of Chancery in order to find historical information to support and inform my extensive literary analysis. I also read Learning the Law by Glanville Williams which strengthened my historical understanding of the judicial system's dilapidation at the time.

You don’t have to bring your other subjects in if it isn’t relevant. This student, however, took their interest in one subject and extended it to another which demonstrates their natural curiosity in law, and shows the admissions team that they understand law has a wider place in the world beyond the courtroom. 

Many law departments list analytical and debate skills as qualities they look for in applicants so make sure you demonstrate where you have built or developed these skills. You can do as this candidate has and write about an essay or project, remembering to use details of the research you completed, and the opinions or conclusions you formed. If you are invited for an interview, you might be asked about your opinions on the books or articles you referenced so make sure you’ve actually read them!

Through my engagement in current affairs, I discovered an interest in the more human aspects of the law - for example, human rights violations and youth offending. Youth offending is a particular interest of mine and I have examined cases in the news through the lens of experts like Adam Foss in my EPQ on the value of juvenile prison in reducing crime. For this project I also used the University of Oxford’s ‘Tackling Adolescent to Parent Violence’, considering how the law differs in the US and UK and how interventions other than prisons are being experimented with to prevent future crime. This opened up new areas of law for me, enabling me to use my research skills to explore a key legal debate that I would like to study further in a law degree.

You should always mention your EPQ even if it’s not directly related to your chosen subject. An EPQ gives you valuable skills and an opportunity to research any topic of your choice which is very similar to the way you’ll write essays at university. 

This student highlights a necessary interest for a law student - current affairs - and uses this as a springboard to discuss their EPQ. They also mention how they’ve used their wider reading and pointed out a key topic they’d like to study in more detail.

I recently took a two week law course at Oxford summer school where I learnt the importance of constructing legal arguments based on precedents and definitions, and was dissuaded from building my arguments too intuitively. We examined the effectiveness of intuition over evidence-based reasoning in ‘hard cases’, considering the value of professional experience in making decisions in a courtroom. What I understood from this experience was that legal reasoning can be based on intuition but only when that intuition is formed through long term experience of legal theory and precedents; I used this to develop my arguments in my law essays. I started listening to BBC Radio 4’s ‘Law in Action’ and building a bank of notes to use in future essays, and began watching court sittings online to learn more about the way legal arguments are built for the courtroom - something that has helped me develop my debate and communication skills. 

If you have completed any extracurricular activities that are directly related to law, include them in the body of the Personal Statement rather than at the end with the rest of your activities. As in this example, write about what you learnt, and how it has influenced your studies as a result. If you were inspired to read more widely or start a new activity as a result, avoid listing the names of the films, books, or podcasts you engaged with - instead, write about what you have done with your research either in your work or how it has improved your understanding of the subject. 

Remember that you could be asked about any part of your Personal Statement in an interview, so make sure you’d be confident expanding on the points you’ve made.

I have always been a highly active member of my school community and last year my efforts were rewarded when my peers elected me Student President. Campaigning for this position gave me the opportunity to develop my skills in forming persuasive and engaging arguments, and allowed me to recognise the importance of basing justifications in concrete fact. I was also able to identify key areas for development in the school to make informed and realistic promises for improvement without overpromising.

You should save your extracurricular activities for the end of your Personal Statement, focusing on your skills and achievements. Avoid mentioning any career goals you have, and avoid writing a conclusion - your characters are limited so you're better off expanding on points in other paragraphs than writing an unnecessary round up!

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• How To Write Your Law Personal Statement

Last Updated: 16th September 2017

Author: UniAdmissions Blog

Table of Contents

The key to writing a good personal statement to study law lies in bearing in mind the purpose of a personal statement

The purpose of a Personal Statement is generally to demonstrate a student’s interest in their chosen subject, and secondly, to evidence his or her suitability for the study of that subject. Admission tutors want to read an honest characterisation of you as a student and as individual. 

Of course, before you begin looking at the law-specific aspects of your Personal Statement, you should ensure that you have a firm understanding of how you should plan, structure, write and edit your statement in a general sense. If you would like to learn more about this, we would recommend checking out our Ultimate UCAS Personal Statement Guide , which will provide you with plenty of information and tips to ensure you perfect your Personal Statement.

if you’re ready to learn how you can perfect your Personal Statement for law, then let’s start with the key principles to consider when writing your Law Personal Statement.

The Two Principles of writing your Law Personal statement

There are so many things to consider when writing a personal statement that sometimes, you don’t which ones to follow or prioritise. There are two additional things to bear in mind where law personal statements are concerned:

Your interest and suitability should be demonstrated in relation to law as an academic subject - not law as a career. Principle #1

The LPC (Legal Practice Course) and the BPTC (Bar Professional Training Course) are separate courses geared towards making a student prepared for a career in law. In contrast, an undergraduate degree in law at university is not – it focuses, instead, on law as an academic subject. It is best practice to avoid speaking about your interest in the legal profession and focus instead on what it is about law as a subject that draws you to it.

For example, consider important law-related academic milestones of recent years and discuss how these have influenced you. You can mention cryptocurrency or the commercial use of drones. These topics might not seem law related at first, but the required legislation to have these elements present in society is most definitely a law problem. 

Writing the personal statement is itself an opportunity for you to demonstrate skills which the study of law would require. Principle #2

Namely, the ability to make a coherent case (in this case, for your admission), to follow a clear structure and to express yourself concisely. A fun approach you could take is to think of your personal statement as your case to prove you are guilty or innocent (in other words, deserving of a place at your chosen university). Bring some charming humour into it and make it a memorable personal statement. 

What to Do Before writing your law personal statement

You might be wondering: how can I demonstrate interest in law as a subject when I have little knowledge on what studying it at university will involve? This problem can, however, be overcome through adequate preparation before writing the statement. One way to prepare is by reading law books – that is – introductory law texts suitable for those who have never studied law before. One such text is Criminal law: the basics – by Jonathan Herring.

• Wider Reading: Discover our recommended law reading list

It is important to read these texts not to learn about Law, but to gain some insight into what studying Law involves and why you find it interesting. Articles in the news on Law-related subjects can also be useful in introducing you to controversial legal issues; for example, The Economist previously published an article on the European Court of Justice’s ruling on a discrimination case (concerning whether employers can sack employees who refuse to remove their headscarves).

Mentioning such issues in your Personal Statement, and, more crucially, explaining why they draw you to the study of Law, as well as your thoughts on how the issues should be resolved, can be a great way to demonstrate your interest. Another preparatory step to take before writing the statement is work experience.

This, however, is not essential, and any work experience you complete should only be mentioned if it somehow increases your interest in Law as an academic subject or if afforded you the opportunity to develop skills which will enable you to be a good Law student.

Don’t worry if you’re not able to find work experience: another thing you can do is go into a court to watch a court case (courts in this jurisdiction are open to all). Another worthwhile activity is undertaking an extended essay or the Extended Project Qualification at school; this can give you the opportunity to develop research skills and look into a Law-related topic over a long period of time.

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• Over 40 admissions test practice questions
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Writing Your law personal statement: structure and style

A good structure to follow is to dedicate the first half of the statement to showing your interest in studying Law, and how you developed that interest through reading books, articles and doing other activities. The second half of the statement should be where you produce evidence of your suitability for the study of Law.

One thing to bear in mind whilst writing the statement is that it is best not to be dramatic; it can be tempting to use a multitude of adjectives – this should be avoided as the statement tends to start sounding silly. Besides, a better technique for producing an interesting statement is using examples to evidence statements and being as precise as possible. The link below has a great example of a personal statement for Law application. 

Success rates for students studying Law can be as low as 12% – UniAdmissions’ average success rate is 57%.

UniAdmissions Oxbridge Programmes are designed with the  sole focus  of getting you your offer. Students enrolled on our Programmes have triple the chances of success. Not applying to Oxbridge? Click here for non-Oxbridge law premium programmes . 

Get started with your Law Premium Programme today and triple your chances of success!

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