BY Amina Khadidja Sadoun, BA Politics and International Relations
The SOAS Law Society has had an eventful term. There have been myriad opportunities and events hosted by the society’s dedicated committee of future barristers and solicitors from newsletters, career opportunities, and the annual law ball.
The Law Society kicked off the month of February by announcing an open call for newsletter submissions for their bi-weekly edition of the Legal Lens. The Legal Lens accepts submissions covering all sorts of topics, it aims to engage members of the society with national and international news and happenings. It gives students a forum to cover current affairs that are specific to the world of legal matters. Past articles have included pieces on Russia’s position in the space race and coverage of family law in the print media. In addition to this, the newsletter is read and beloved by many of the SOAS Law Society’s sponsors, opening doors for featured students to impress potential future networks in the field.
“It was a golden chance for participants to get a taste of what being a law trainee really looks like.”
Whilst the Legal Lens is a very broad soft-skill-building opportunity offered by the society, more legal-driven opportunities have been made available for students. The ‘Hour in the Life of a Trainee’ workshop was an online interactive webinar hosted in collaboration with the Law Society’s sponsor, BPP University. It was a golden chance for participants to get a taste of what being a law trainee really looks like. The hour consisted of tasks and challenges based on real-life vacation schemes and assessment centres. Participants built their ability to respond to emails professionally, learned the conduct of legal research, and how to ethically and efficiently interview witnesses.
Since January, the society’s committee has been teasing what is possibly the most anticipated SOAS Law Society event: The Law Ball. With promises of delicious food and refreshing drinks alongside cotton candy, a chocolate fountain and a surprise live entertainer.
The society’s Instagram page flaunted clips of the eventful night, with a bustling dance floor filled with excited attendees dancing and singing to music especially catered for them by a professionally hired DJ. The food certainly left the crowd coming back for seconds, with tables packed to the brim with mouth-watering rice, pasta, samosas and so much more. Attendees stole the show with their outfits, dresses of all designs and dazzling suits that perfectly captured this year’s ‘bling’ theme. If next year’s ball is anything like this year’s, then attendees are sure to be in for a treat!
Finally, another one of the SOAS Law Society’s greatest achievements so far this year, apart from the unforgettable Law Ball, has been the ‘Legal Careers Carousel’. This event held in late November gave participants the rare opportunity to network with field experts one-to-one in an opportunity to get advice and an insight into the legal world. The relationships built from this event are sure to come in handy for SOAS Law students in their futures and that is why the ‘Legal Careers Carousel’ can be deemed yet another highlight of the society’s packed event calendar so far!
Overall, the SOAS Law Society has certainly succeeded in curating unique experiences for its members, perfectly balancing the social-professional aspect of their events. Online webinars and networking opportunities provide real-life skill-building opportunities, whilst relaxed events such as the Law Ball remind law students to enjoy their time despite their taxing degree.