Law and Politics Personal Statement Example 1

Laws, in my opinion, are the cogs in the machinery of society; they are guidelines and deterrents that are fundamentally essential for humanity to function. Law is the combined public conscience that tells us right from wrong. I first became interested in law through John Grisham's legal thrillers, such as, "The Broker."

The analysis of a broad range of issues that will be required by the course and the opportunity to further develop my debating skills, are both aspects of this degree which I find particularly appealing.

My specific law interests include human rights law and equality law. A recent case that I was enthralled with was the State of Florida v. George Zimmerman, in which a community watch volunteer shot and killed an unarmed black teenager, even when he was instructed not to follow him by the police.

I was fascinated at the debate it created about the issues of inequality and racism that still face the world today. My interest in politics began when I took it up for A-Level last year and I embarked on a week's work experience in November 2012 with the Alliance Party. I worked at Stormont, helping to write press releases and form reports, as well as attending viewings of the Assembly and the Justice Committee.

From this, and from speaking to MLA's, I gained knowledge of how a political party worked and what went on behind the scenes in politics. I also spent a few days working in Justice Minister David Ford's constituency office.

Through this I discovered how politics functioned at ground level, how campaigning was done and how local matters were dealt with. I found it an extremely worthwhile experience, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I am deeply interested in studying political ideologies, with one of my favourite books being, "The Point Is to Change It" by John Molyneux, as well as the emergence of a growing right in Europe.

From a young age I have aspired to do a job where I could help people who were less fortunate. I volunteered for St. Vincent de Paul and my school's Homeless Society for the past year.

I have taken part in and organised many events, such as sponsored walks, food donations to underprivileged families at Christmas and clothes donations to the homeless during the winter.

I have also taken part in the Catholic Caring charity for the last 7 years, donating money to buy Christmas presents for poverty stricken children in the local community. My volunteering has reinforced my genuine want to help people. All of this work will culminate in June 2014 when I will visit Zambia in order to work as a volunteer helping some of the world's poorest
people.

My A-Level subjects of have given me the basic skills needed to study law. I have developed the ability to write effectively and concisely, conduct independent research and present convincing arguments, all of which are essential attributes for studying law.

I have developed the ability to critically analyse and evaluate a range of sources, whether it is texts, arguments, statements or laws. In particular, studying English has allowed me to analyse and compare texts, and present a well rounded analysis.

Politics improved my ability to speak in front of others, giving me a stronger sense of confidence in my oratory skills, allowing me to effectively debate issues.

Outside of the academic world, my interests include playing and watching football, engaging in politics, reading modern legal and crime fiction as well as political and historical non-fiction.

I also enjoy being outdoors, challenging myself to discover new places in the outside world or tackle difficult terrain such as mountains, to try and better myself and achieve something I can be proud of.

I believe that I am a confident and resilient young man, and I have the ambition and the drive to do well in Law. I am hard working and focused, and I believe I have the necessary skills to thrive if I am given the opportunity to study at your university.