Law Personal Statement Example 99

I used to believe that law was just a system of rules to keep order within a country. This changed when I started regularly reading The Economist and The Guardian publications. I realised the scope of impact that law has on many different things like governments, businesses, crime and global crises to name a few.

Law is so diverse and affects every single person in the world in some way which is why it fascinates me deeply. Nothing defines the universal importance of law more perfectly than the quote from Just Law which states 'The law is the bedrock of a nation; it tells us who we are, what we value, who has power, and who hasn't. Almost nothing has more impact on our lives'.

I am predominantly interested in human rights law as it is related to so many current affairs which interest me profoundly. The current refugee crisis in Europe is an example of this, as people flee their homelands because their human rights have been left in jeopardy.

People begin the life-threatening journey towards asylum because the lack of law and order has impacted them so greatly, illuminating the importance and need for law within society. I am also interested in criminal law and admire the way barristers can cleverly interpret the law so they can sway the jury's decision. This has stemmed from my visits to courtroom galleries including visiting the Court of Justice on many occasions.

Law was not available for me to study at A level but I believe my other A level choices are closely associated with law. Religious studies has taught me about the philosophy and ethics behind law. We learn about concepts like antinomianism which is the belief that it should be impossible to apply a universal moral law to everyone.

This idea captivated me due to my view that law is crucial to any society and without it there would be a state of anarchy. We also examine cases like Anthony Bland which further fuel my interest in human rights. Bland was the first person in legal history to be allowed to involuntarily die through the withdrawal of medication.

Some argue that this went against his human right 'to live' however the argument of 'when does a person cease to be a person?' formed because Bland was in a persistent-vegetative state. In English literature we have regular debates which allow me to express my opinions in a well-formed argument (vital to being a barrister).

As part of my EPQ I am researching as to whether the death penalty should be reinstated in the UK. It has improved my personal research skills which are crucial for completing a degree at university.

I was elected as head girl at my school where I have played a key role in deciding new changes to the school whilst improving my leadership and debating skills. I also enjoy travelling because I believe it to be vital to experience life in other cultures. In 2014, I volunteered in Ecuador to help improve their communities as I know the importance of helping others and making a difference.

I fundraised over £5000 to attend this trip because I am a huge believer in social justice which is firmly grounded in Human Rights. Therefore I took part in a lot of team-work including: building a village's water system and volunteering at an orphanage.

This experience was life-changing; I improved my team member skills and became more independent which will really help me with adapting to university life. Seeing how I benefitted the communities around me inspired me to help others wherever I can and hence I would really enjoy having a role within a law clinic at university where I can try and help the local community around me.

I have had a senior role within a police cadet squad where I learnt how the law is interpreted to punish those who disobey it.

My ambition is to work at a human rights organisation like Amnesty International where I can fight against immoralities globally. Completing a law degree would be beneficial to achieving this goal and I am looking forward to furthering my studies in law.