Paddy Law

Paddy Law

Graduated 2008, Law
Swire Scholar

I decided to read law not exactly because I had always wanted to be lawyer. I thought a law degree would give me useful training for whatever I do in future as it would equip me with various transferable skills in critical and logical thinking, careful analysis, attention to detail, argumentation, ability to absorb a large amount of information, etc, which are important for many different professions. As law lays down the bedrock of society and is intertwined with almost every facet of society, legal expertise is very practical and can help one to make a difference to society in many different ways ranging from facilitating economic activity to promoting stability and safeguarding fundamental values in society.

It is fair to say that Oxford provides one of the most intensive, challenging undergraduate law courses in the world, which I find particularly suitable for those aspiring to be academics and barristers. While the nature of law is largely practical, law students learn the academic aspect and the basic foundation of the subject. The appeal of an oxford law degree lies in its rigorous training on critical thinking. Law students generally study the foundational legal subjects in great depth and write one to two essays every week. Students are not required merely to describe the law, but to understand, think about, and critique the law, which makes studying law a lot more interesting than the dry books. The primary way of learning in the Oxford system is through self-study, with the assistance of tutors in tutorials of groups of less than three, and lectures on specific legal topics. Although the workload is demanding and can be overwhelming at times, it largely boils down to conscientious work attitude, self-discipline and effective time management – most lawyers work hard and have lots of fun.

The strongest attraction of Oxford and, in particular, Univ is the community of the greatest legal minds in the common law world. There is an exceptional abundance of expertise in most areas of law, so there is no shortage of help and insight. My tutors have a keen interest in our thoughts and are dedicated to helping us to develop our own ideas, in a friendly way. They are happy to offer us guidance and answer our questions. Some of them even give us individual tutorials.

I was fortunate to get a chance to take part in the Jessup International Law Mooting competition and my team came top 16 in the world. Mooting is a kind of debating in law and is excellent preparation for a career at the Bar. My college tutors have been very understanding and Univ has given me generous grant to subsidise the trip to Washington D.C.

Life at Univ is an absolutely communal one. Univ is a friendly college where people know each other personally and Univ is a particularly close knit community. Although I did have difficulty adapting to the life here, the process of adaptation has been made easier with thanks to the companionship of many wonderful friends.