Faculty of Law
Widening Participation in Law: Our Commitment to Access and Diversity
July 2016
Three goals The Faculty aims to increase applications: 1. For Law 2. At Cambridge 3. Regardless of background
Applications to Cambridge Law 1000 900 800
The number of undergraduate applications received by the Faculty of Law in recent years has seen an overall increase, from 933 applications in 2013, to 1047 in 2016.
700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
In the 2016 application round, of the Direct Applications Open Applications Direct Offers Winter Pool Offers Total Acceptances 1,047 applications made, roughly a quarter received an offer, and 45 were made via the intercollegiate ‘pool’, a system designed to ensure that the very best applicants get into Cambridge, regardless of the College to which they choose to apply. Within the 2014 cohort of first year Law students, 71% of the home students were educated in the state sector.
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University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
The Access Team Faculty Access Officers The Faculty Board includes two Faculty Access Officers, two academics whose primary role is to ensure that the pool of applicants from which the University makes offers is as strong as possible, by encouraging the brightest, most motivated students to apply for Law at Cambridge. Our Access Officers are currently Dr Claire Fenton-Glynn (pictured left) and Mr Henry Mares (pictured right).
Schools Liaison Coordinator We are delighted to announce that, in October 2015, Ali Lyons joined the Faculty as Schools Liaison Co-ordinator. Ali works with both the Faculty of Law and the Department of Land Economy. She is working to support and expand on our existing range of outreach activities, with goals to increase participation from the state sector and to increase the awareness within schools of the benefits of studying Law or Land Economy at university. Ali works closely with the Faculty Access Officers to explore new access initiatives, organise new and existing events, and liaise with law firms and chambers to ensure that our efforts to widen participation are well communicated to the profession.
Widening Participation in Law
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Our mission Promote the value of Law as an academic, rather than vocational, discipline To encourage bright students to study Law at university
Offer options for students to explore legal concepts beyond the classroom
To encourage bright students to study at Cambridge, rather than at other universities
Increase awareness of the unique aspects of the Cambridge Law programme Raise aspirations for students who feel that attending Cambridge is not an attainable goal Connect with prospective students who have no family history of higher education
To ensure that students from all backgrounds have the tools to apply to study Law
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Counter the perception in schools and the media that aspiring lawyers should study non-Law subjects
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Provide transparent information regarding the application process Work to raise aspirations among groups not typically well represented in higher education
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University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
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Our projects
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Law Masterclasses Law Teachers’ Conference Sixth Form Law Conference Law Faculty Open Day Visits to schools HE+ Law Resources StreetLaw
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Law Faculty Open Day Cambridge University Open Days Oxford and Cambridge Student Conferences Tours of the Law Faculty
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Sutton Trust Summer School Experience Cambridge BAME Initiative Teach First Futures Easter Schools Realise Insight
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New developments In the past year, the Faculty of Law has made some exciting new progress in providing access to a legal education.
Pre-16 programmes We have expanded our involvement in several initiatives co-ordinated by the Cambridge Admissions Office, including working with pre-16 students for the first time through the Insight programme.
External partnerships The Law Faculty joined with Teach First in 2016 to provide academic programming for the Teach First Futures Easter School. Exciting external collaborations such as these help us to widen our influence to a larger audience.
Digital communications The Faculty continues to add to its online provision of open educational materials, including new resources on the Cambridge website, HE+ (see page 18 for further details), and a range of new ‘Law in Focus’ videos on the Faculty’s YouTube page covering topics ranging from the constitutional consequences of Brexit to the impact of mens rea on the Oscar Pistorius murder trial. By communicating to a wider audience, we hope to make
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University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
Law accessible and to promote its study as an academic discipline. These videos are available at www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDBEDA717D53AA522. In 2016, the Faculty also launched a Twitter feed specific to prospective students: @thinkcamlaw. The goal of this feed is to offer information about applications, upcoming events and a range of avenues through which students can undertake their own exploration of Law, such as suggested books, articles, podcasts, and more. Meanwhile, Cambridge University Students’ Union (CUSU) has organised another Twitter feed, @cambtweetlaw, which serves as a window into a current Law undergraduate’s life at Cambridge. This feed has over 700 followers.
Connecting with applicants The Faculty has recently created a new email address, askastudent@law.cam.ac.uk, to connect prospective applicants with current undergraduate Cambridge Law students. This initiative aims to give applicants an avenue to ask sensitive questions to real students with relevant experience.
Widening Participation in Law
Example question: “What sort of students are you surrounded by - is there a specific ‘type’?” Example answer: “The Cambridge stereotype of upper-class, ignorant, stuck-up young adults is outdated. There are a wide range of personalities, nationalities and cultures here and attending allows you to broaden your horizons and appreciate individuality. “
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Securing a career in Law Providing choice A Cambridge Law degree enhances a student’s career choices both inside and outside the legal professions. Law Directors of Study and Tutors regularly discuss career goals with their students. The unique supervision system develops many of the attributes necessary to thrive in the workplace, including collaborative working and fast-pace analytical skills. Meanwhile, Cambridge provides an unparallelled range of opportunities for students beyond their studies. College Law societies and the University Law Society arrange events such as moots (mock trials), socials and careers fairs. Meanwhile, extracurricular roles, both in colleges and across the University, enable students to gain the vital leadership and interpersonal skills prized so highly by top graduate recruiters.
The Cambridge Careers Service The Cambridge Careers Service provides specialist law careers advisers and, because of
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University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
its “guidance led” approach, each student has unlimited access to the resources and time on offer to discuss, identify and pursue their career choices. Alumni of the University generously give of their time to offer advice and support and often return to deliver events • Over 70% of law students use the engaging students with their career options. resources of the Careers Service by the end of their first year The Careers Service also provides future solici• Over 90% of law students use the tors and barristers with a full programme of resources of the Careers Service major recruitment events such as the Soliciby the end of their second year tors Event and evening and lunchtime presen• Over 200 Cambridge graduates in tations from chambers and firms. Students inlegal professions connect to curterested in a wider range of career options can rent students through Gradlink, also explore the Careers Library, and attend the University’s alumni connecactivities such as afternoon skills workshops, tion service practice interviews, and CV guidance sessions. • 65 law firms attend the annual Solicitors Event Upon completion of a Law degree, our students have one of the highest rates of employability amongst Russell Group universities. The Careers Service works with recognised national bodies, such as Rare Recruitment, Sponsored Educational Opportunities (SEO London) and Aspiring Solicitors, to provide additional support where needed to students from minority ethnic or socially disadvantaged backgrounds. For more information, please visit www.careers.cam.ac.uk.
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The Cambridge Sixth Form Law Conference: March 2017 The Cambridge Sixth Form Law Conference was founded 40 years ago and is run by a voluntary committee of eight current law undergraduates with the support of the Faculty of Law. The Conference gives Year 12 students who may be interested in studying Law a balanced view of the Law, and insight into life as a Cambridge undergraduate.
Programme The Conference lasts four days, during which the 250 students attend morning lectures in the Faculty delivered by leading Law lecturers and eminent speakers from the legal profession.
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In the afternoons, students partake in workshops organised by City Law firms and barristers’ Chambers which focus on developing skills intrinsic to the legal profession, such as debating, advocacy and negotiation.
Students are also taken on a guided tour of Cambridge and attend evening activities resembling those of a typical student, such as social events, a debate and a mock trial in the Cambridge Union.
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The Cambridge Sixth Form Law Conference gave me a unique and diverse insight into studying law at Cambridge, which was incredibly helpful with my application. As well as this, I had a great time and made some good friends who I’m still in touch with now! I’d recommend the conference to anyone thinking of studying Law at university. Mattie Green, The Ecclesbourne School
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University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
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Delegates stay in college undergraduate accommodation and all meals are provided by the Conference.
Widening participation at the Conference
The course has really shown me that Cambridge isn’t pretentious – it’s full of normal, friendly people with some great stories to tell. Definitely one of the best weeks of the year!
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In the interests of encouraging applications Louise O’Hara, Aylesbury High School from all backgrounds and schools, a significant number of places at the Conference are covered by alternative sources of funding. For more information, please visit www.cambridgesixthformlawconference.com.
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Masterclasses: April 2017 Subject Masterclasses are organised by the Cambridge Admissions Office for academically able Year 12 students from any school or college. The events are subject-specific events, offering students a true flavour of undergraduate study and an introduction to the University of Cambridge. The Masterclasses provide Year 12 students with an opportunity to explore topics of interest beyond what is covered within the A level syllabus, and offer the chance to experience typical undergraduate teaching at Cambridge. There is a small booking charge, but free places are available for those in receipt of a 16-19 Bursary, Discretionary Learner Support, Children in Care or from families in receipt of Income Support.
Programme Each Masterclass includes: • • • •
Two taster lectures delivered by leading academics from the University The opportunity to discuss and ask questions An introduction to the Cambridge admissions process The chance to hear about life as a Cambridge student, from current undergraduates
For more information, please visit www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/events/masterclasses.html.
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University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
Oxford and Cambridge Student Conferences: March 2017 Organised by the Cambridge Admissions Office, the Oxford and Cambridge Student Conferences are designed to provide up-to-date information on the application and admissions procedure for various subjects at both institutions as well as providing an insight into student life.
• 8,500 students and 950 teachers/ advisers attend each year • More than 76% of teachers/advisors are from the state sector • Approximately 20% of student attendees go on to apply to Cambridge
Academic staff from the Faculty of Law travel across the country to attend these events, allowing us to offer a Law-specific talk in conjunction with Oxford at each event. Admissions tutors, academic staff and current undergraduates from both universities will also be on hand to answer questions. For more information, please visit study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/events/studentconferences.html.
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Faculty Open Day: June 2017 The Faculty holds an annual Open Day in July for anyone thinking of applying for the BA Law degree.
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At the Faculty Open Day, potential applicants have an opportunity to hear about life at the Faculty, to consider studying Law, to meet staff and students and to ask questions.
We are passionate about teaching our students well, and about helping them to develop a deep understanding and appreciation of the pivotal position of law in a civilised society. Our students are encouraged to develop strong analytical, critical thinking, evaluation and communication skills, and a capacity for independent learning.
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Professor Richard Fentiman, Chair of Faculty Board
The Faculty presents on the following topics: • • • • • •
Welcome from the Faculty Chair Law at Cambridge Legal problems Application process Q & A for students Q & A for parents
For more information, please visit www.ba.law.cam.ac.uk/find-out-more/.
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University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
University Open Day: June–July 2017 The University and the Colleges open their doors to prospective students in Year 12 and mature applicants for two days in July. Students can attend presentations that outline what Cambridge has to offer to its students, the application procedure, and student life. Around 17,000 bookings are received for the University-wide Cambridge Open Days. The day includes: • Sessions on student finance • Information for students with disabilities, special learning difficulties or a health condition • Information on the Careers Service • Course presentations and/or information stands for all subjects, including Law • Access to all 29 colleges to give prospective students an opportunity to find out more about College life Some Colleges also have their Directors of Studies and Fellows in Law present to answer questions about College-specific teaching and admissions processes. For more information, please visit www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/events/opendays/.
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Sutton Trust Summer Schools: 25–29 July 2016 In 2014, our participants gave us the following feedback: • 76% of students were reportedly ‘very likely’ to apply to study Law at University, and 81% were either ‘very likely’ or ’likely’ to apply to Cambridge • 91% of students left with positive views about Law and Cambridge
The Sutton Trust aims to increase social mobility by improving access to education. Each year, the Faculty partners with the Trust to host a residential summer school for sixth form students from around the country.
The one-week taster course consists of seminars, tutorials and a varied programme of social activities to give participants an accurate idea of life as an undergraduate Law student. Building on their introductory courses, the week culminates in a mock trial featuring the ‘murder’ of a student, with participants acting as solicitors, barristers, witnesses and the defendant. For more information, please visit www.suttontrust.com.
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The Sutton Trust Summer School was an extremely valuable experience and has made me more confident in my applications for university. Sutton Trust Summer School Participant
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University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
Experience Cambridge: 5 July 2016 & 2 August 2016 Experience Cambridge is a three-week preparatory task for selected students who have applied to but could not secure a place on the Sutton Trust Summer Schools in highly oversubscribed courses, such as Law. The first day launches the programme with events in Cambridge, including taster sessions and an introduction to the project. Over the next three weeks, participants work over the Moodle platform, monitored by Law Faculty academics offering feedback and support. On the final day, participants return to Cambridge to present their work and discuss the project as a whole.
Widening Participation in Law
• In 2015, the Sutton Trust Summer Schools at Cambridge received 4012 eligible applications for 567 places • Experience Cambridge offers places to 1000 students who did not secure a place on the Sutton Trust Summer Schools
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HE+ HE+ is a new collaborative project piloted by the University of Cambridge with groups of state schools and colleges in several regions of the UK so as to help students to develop their academic skills, inspire students to aim as high as possible in making their university choices, support students in preparing competitive applications and encourage students to challenge themselves and each other in an academically supportive environment.
• In 2015-16, over 3,000 Year 12 students participated in HE+ • These students represented over 80 different schools and colleges • In 2016, the HE+ programme registered its 10,000th participant
The Faculty has provided new online resources for HE+, contributing to the website’s relaunch early in 2016. These resources include interactive videos and guided activities to give students a taste of Law as an academic discipline. For more information, please visit www.myheplus.com. HE+ Law contributors
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Criminal Law
Professor Graham Virgo
Land Law
Ms Amy Goymour
Public Law
Professor Mark Elliott
Family Law
Dr Brian Sloan
Tort Law
Dr Matthew Dyson
University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
Conference for Teachers and Advisers: 4 July 2016 Launched in 2014, the Annual Law Conference for Sixth Form Teachers and Advisers is a one-day conference hosted in the Faculty on ‘Advising Students on Studying and Applying for Law at Cambridge’. The event is designed for all sixth form teachers (regardless of their own subject specialism) who are involved in advising students on applications. The conference gives an insight into the benefits of studying Law at university and what studying a Law degree is like. Participants are be given a taste of studying various different legal topics, ranging from Criminal Law to Legal History. The day includes: • Welcome from the Faculty Chair • Talk from Cambridge Director of Admissions on advising students how to make competitive applications • Law taster sessions by academic staff • Question & Answer session For more information, please visit www.law.cam.ac.uk/admissions/teachers_conference.php
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University BAME Initiative Working with black, Asian, and minority ethnic communities, the BAME initiative consists of a series of day events held in Cambridge, a four night residential in the summer, and continuous support about opportunities throughout sixth form.
• The BAME initiative has been running for over 20 years • Since the establishment of the initiative, Cambridge undergraduate admissions from UK BAME students have risen by 10% • 24% of students who participated in the initiative applied to Cambridge • Of those, 33% received offers from Cambridge
During the programme, students are able to explore academic subjects and talk to current academic staff and student ambassadors about their subject choices. The programme also aims to alleviate worries regarding topics such as the admissions process and student finance. Students currently on the programme are from local authorities identified as having particularly diverse ethnic and socio-economic populations. The Faculty contributes to the BAME programmes by giving talks specifically on the study of Law. For more information, please visit www.cam.ac.uk/bame/.
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University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship Scheme The Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship Scheme is designed to address underrepresentation in large commercial law firms of black men from low-income households. One of the two Cambridge students to have been awarded the Scholarship since the Scheme began in 2013 was TK Egenti (pictured above).
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The scholarship provides an insight into what working as a solicitor in a large commercial law firm is like. Over the past year, we have taken part in group sessions, including skills workshops, CV clinics and presentations from partners and associates at Freshfields about the type of work they do. Each Scholar gets three mentors: a Freshfields partner, a Freshfields associate or trainee, and a member of the legal department at Goldman Sachs (a company Freshfields partners with to run the Scheme). It’s given me the opportunity to improve my knowledge of the commercial world and to increase my commercial awareness. As well as some money towards my course and study-related costs, the Scholarship has given me an alternative route to a training contract interview at the firm. All of this, including work shadowing at Freshfields, has allowed me to see inside a global law firm and to get to know a new network of people. I now have the information to make the decision that I want to pursue a legal career in a large commercial law firm. TK Egenti, Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholar 2014
For more information, please visit www.freshfields.com/freshfields_stephen_lawrence_scholarship.
Widening Participation in Law
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Realise The University’s Realise programme offers resources and events for children in care and care-leavers. These events aim to encourage children in care to consider higher education as an option by introducing new subjects and inviting students to experience life at Cambridge. The Faculty of Law participates in the Realise programme by offering Law-centred talks at events taking place in Cambridge.
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I want to have as many of my looked-after children to access as many of the University of Cambridge Realise Events as possible. I want them to know that they can access Higher Education and can have a university place if they want. Realise is about opening their eyes, raising their options and making it an expectation that university can be something for them. Elle Zwandahl, Education Practitioner, Suffolk County Council
For more information, please visit www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/events/care.
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Talking to people who are here at the uni and hearing that I wouldn’t have to struggle with costs were the most important things for me. I’m thinking again about applying to uni now. Realise participant
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University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
Insight Aiming to offer support and broaden horizons with a long-term relationship, the University’s Insight programme facilitates ongoing interaction with Cambridge.
Students from the following local authorities currently take part in the Insight programme:
• Barking and Dagenham The programme Is open to Year 9 students • Hackney from non-selective maintained schools. • Haringey Through a variety of skill and subject-based • Newham events held at Cambridge, Insight introduces • Tower Hamlets students to subjects they may not encoun• Southwark ter in school. Students involved in the programme participate in events and information sessions over the course of three years, culminating in a summer residential after they complete Year 11. The Faculty of Law supports the Insight programme by offering talks and activities for subject-based event days. For more information, please visit www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/find-outmore/widening-participation/insight.
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Teach First Futures We are proud to partner with the Teach First Futures programme to offer events for a week-long Easter school residential held in Cambridge. Teach First Futures, previously known as the Higher Education Access Programme for Schools (HEAPS), provides young people from groups who are underrepresented in higher education with access to activities like visits to universities and skills workshops. It also matches sixth formers from Teach First’s partner schools with mentors who supply advice and practical opportunities to help them progress to the best educational or career options for them.
• 80% of Futures pupils progress to Higher Education, compared to 17% of students from low-income backgrounds nationally. • 60% of Futures pupils interviewed at Oxbridge received an offer, outperforming the average of 25% of all interviewees • In 2014-15, Teach First worked with 900 sixth form students and 450 mentors in towns and cities across 6 local areas.
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Our Easter school residential is designed to offer students a better understanding of the courses they might take and the career paths they might pursue. For more information, please visit www.teachfirst.org.uk/what-we-do/ helping-young-people-decide-theirfuture.
University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
StreetLaw The StreetLaw programme is the product of a partnership between the Cambridge University Law Society Pro Bono group and the BPP Law School in Cambridge. With the aim of making legal ideas more accessible to a wider audience, the StreetLaw programme works with homeless shelters and groups from local schools. In each case, StreetLaw offers workshops on relevant topics, such as Landlord and Tenant Rights and Responsibilities or AntiSocial Behaviour at Jimmy’s Night Shelter and investigating the case of Goldilocks and the Three Bears with local Year 4 students. StreetLaw volunteers have also given presentations for older schoolchildren on a variety of issues ranging from privacy and press freedom to the constitutional foundations of the EU. The Faculty looks to support these efforts through facilitating connections with local schools. For more information, please visit www.camlawsoc.com/probono/projects.
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On the horizon Three key challenges: 1. Prospective mature students are often not enrolled in formal education, making them difficult to reach 2. Students whose schools are not yet actively engaged with Cambridge do not have the same access to Cambridge resources, events, and support 3. Prospective students outside the Cambridge area encounter difficulty attending events in Cambridge, missing valuable opportunities to engage
Looking forwards, the Faculty of Law is pursuing a variety of new projects and ideas to expand our current outreach work.
Outreach for mature students In order to facilitate access to a Law degree for career changers and those returning to education later in life, the Faculty of Law is committed to making information accessible to prospective students of any age.
We are looking to expand our events to include law taster sessions, application information, and question and answer sessions which facilitate connections with prospective mature students. This includes catering to the unique needs of prospective mature students through scheduling events to accommodate work schedules, hosting events outside of Cambridge for ease of travel, and choosing venues appropriate for a mature audience.
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University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
Programmes for young audiences In order to deliver a greater impact on students’ lives, the Faculty of Law is exploring ways to inspire students at an earlier stage in their education, sparking an interest in Law even before A levels and university applications. The Faculty hopes to facilitate this connection by working with the Cambridge University Law Society Pro Bono group to promote and further the StreetLaw programme (see page 25). By working with the Faculty’s Schools Liaison Co-ordinator to create and maintain contacts with local schools and college outreach officers, StreetLaw is poised to expand into a crucial point of contact between current and prospective law students.
Increasing access to Cambridge events We know from student feedback that attending events in Cambridge is an invaluable way to break down misconceptions and allow students to visualise Cambridge as a possibility for their future. However, for many students, traveling to Cambridge is time-consuming and expensive, preventing them from taking advantage of local events. We are seeking ways to overcome this barrier by offering prospective students travel reimbursement and accommodation in Cambridge.
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For more information, please contact: Mrs Ali Lyons Schools Liaison Co-ordinator Faculty of Law University of Cambridge 10 West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DZ United Kingdom t: +44 (0) 1223 330094 e: all49@cam.ac.uk www.law.cam.ac.uk