Top spot for legal eagle Kerry

Law student, Kerry Cox, has landed a position with Guernica 37 Chambers Academy, a top legal Chambers’, specialising exclusively in international criminal and human rights law.

Kerry, a mature student from Northampton had dreams of becoming a Barrister, and joined the University of Northampton to study the Law LLB intensive programme.

For Kerry, her student journey was to have personal and professional highs and lows, as she prepares to start a top graduate work experience programme with Guernica 37 Chambers, she reflects on her time at the University of Northampton.

Speaking about her student journey Kerry said: “I had been out of education for over 15 years when I started my LLB journey last October. I had my children, a daughter now aged 14 and my son aged eight, early in life, returning to education was a daunting and life changing decision.

“Support from the Faculty and other peers was evident from the beginning of my studies. The whole student experience at Northampton is brilliant; the way the academics share their experiences and expertise in different areas of the Law, as well as the information on networking opportunities and legal fairs too. It was at one of these events that everything changed for me.”

Kerry credits the University’s super supportive ethos, with them helping her to land a top job with a London-based Law firm.

Kerry continued: “Attending the celebration of 100 years of Woman at The Bar was an eye opener, mostly as I was surprised at how few women were present, but it was a great event and enabled great networking.

“This is where I met Daisy from The Honourable Society of Inner Temple and was encouraged to apply to be a Pegasus Access Support Scheme (PASS) Scholar. Specifically, for underrepresented backgrounds wanting to become a barrister.

“The Changemaker Hub team were on hand with valuable advice and support to create my first legal CV and preparation for timed interviews, which were part of an incredibly dauting and intense application process for the PASS Scholarship.“

The joy at being accepted onto the PASS Scholarship programme, which connects recipients with work experience in barristers’ Chambers, was overshadowed as Kerry suffered a bereavement. Kerry said: “This was a difficult time for me and tested my resilience beyond belief.  I was juggling family commitments, preparing for exams and completing assignments, as well as trying to readjust to life without someone very important to me. I knew I couldn’t quit and get lost in my grief, or I would forever be kicking myself for quitting.

“I had come to university with a specific goal in mind, and I wasn’t going to let anything stop me – not loss or a global pandemic! Instead I turned this into more drive and determination, make a stand and work as hard as I could to succeed. The support of my tutors was invaluable during this time, and they supported me to apply for the TD Lewis Scholarship, which is awarded for academic potential and success. In which I was successfully awarded.

“On a roll my next mission was to develop my research and I started to look for work experience. Through more great networking opportunities from the course, I connected with UON Law alumni, and found out about The Guernica Academy.

“Applying for this was not easy, it was a very competitive process. Again, I had great support from the Changemaker Hub and my personal tutor to prepare for this. At interview, I was asked to answer, ‘What Hardship Means to You’? I had just 48hours to get my answer back to them. The support in which I received from my personal tutor was outstanding at such short notice, providing guidance and knowledge to help me to answer that question.

“Toby Cadmen, founder of Guernica 37 Chambers, and himself a graduate of the University of Northampton delivered the good news and gave me a firm offer. I am looking forward to starting my journey with them at the end of the year, and hope it develops into something more.”

Kerry will begin her journey with Guernica 37 Chambers in October.