Our Future Legal Mind 2019 winner was Charley-Anne Gordon.
The essay question
For our 2019 competition, we asked entrants to write an essay responding to the question:
In today's world, the law provides a great foundation for any career. Outline your ambitions and aspirations and why you've chosen the Law.
How do you think having a trained mind will benefit you in the future and could benefit society, the country and/or your community?
Our finalists were each asked to create a short video to support their written entries, which you can watch below.
Prizes
For her prize, Charley-Anne received a winner's day out in London which began with a visit to the Ministry of Justice, where she met with then-Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice, Paul Maynard MP.
Charley-Anne then met for lunch with Jonathan White and Adam Nabozny both experienced lawyers within our team, to chat about the law and her plans for the future.
She also received a prize fund of £2,000 to help support her career development.
Watch the video to see more of Charley-Anne's winner's day and hearwhat Jonathan and Adam thought about her competition entry.
Future Legal Mind 2019: Our finalists
WINNER: Charley-Anne Gordon
When she was named as our Future Legal Mind 2019, Charley-Anne, who hails from Hitchin in Hertfordshire, was a law student at the University of Buckingham. Her plans for her next steps were to complete a PhD before pursuing an academic career in Law.
One of Charley-Anne's long-term aims is to write legal textbooks tailored to the different ways in which students learn, and she has also trained to volunteer as an advisor for Citizens Advice.
In her competition entry, Charley-Anne focused on the laws around coercive control.
Finalist: Amy Leech
When she was named as a Future Legal Mind finalist, Amy was in the early days of her legal career, working as as a Trainee Solicitor at Shoosmiths LLP's office in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, and looking ahead to qualifying as a solicitor.
The University of Northampton Law graduate hopes to become a partner of a law firm one day and is an active young trainee lawyer, having served as chairperson of The Law Society's Junior Lawyers division for Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire and as Junior Representative for Northamptonshire Law Society. She is also a legal blogger, sharing insight and tips on her Instagram page The Leech Speech.
Finalist: Chloe Convery
When she entered Future Legal Mind, finalist Chloe was in the second year of her Law degree at the University of Chester and aspired to have a career in corporate and commercial law.
In her essay Chloe, who is from the Isle of Man, spoke about her passion for the Law and how she intended to use her trained mind when she returns to the island following her studies.
Finalist: Deborah Longe
When she was named as a finalist in Future Legal Mind, Deborah was a University of Durham student who aspired to become a barrister.
In her essay, she talked about how she wanted to use her trained mind to benefit her local community at home in Dagenham.
Finalist: Eve McKaig
When she was named as a Future Legal Mind finalist, Eve was a recent University of Dundee Law graduate.
In her essay, Eve spoke about the fact that Law is about people, discussing the need to for lawyers to communicate clearly and in plain English when speaking to clients.
Finalist: Ezeokoli Chidinma
Ezeokoli was a student at the University of Hull when she was named as one of our finalists.
In her essay, she wrote about her desire to use her legal skills and knowledge to promote gender equality, advocate for minority rights, and provide business advice.
Finalist: Joe Donaghey
Joe was working as a Paralegal when he was named as a Future Legal Mind finalist. In his essay, Joe - a University of Law graduate - wrote about how his legal degree had taught him to problem solve.
Finalist: Joe Lavery
Joe was working as a Paralegal with national housing charity The Abbeyfield Society while studying with CILEx Law School when he was named as a Future Legal Mind finalist.
In his essay, Joe wrote about how he wanted to use his legal training and skills to help people and the passion he had developed for contract law, as well as wills and probate, after working with lawyers specialising in the latter.
Finalist: Katarzyna Wach
Katarzyna, from Bognor Regis, was studying with CILEx Law School via distance learning when she was named as a Future Legal Mind finalist.
In her competition entry, she wrote about how she wanted to give back to society by helping people with their legal needs when they are experiencing difficult, emotional times.
