Legal Practice Conversations
These eventsÌýgive students the opportunity to meet solicitors and barristers and get first-hand insight into how theÌýlaw works in practice.ÌýAt each event, the invited speakers discuss a reported case they advocated in and offer advice to students looking to pursue a law career.
July 2025
Clare Goodman was appointed as a judge of the First-tier Tribunal, Social Entitlement Chamber, in 2018. She hears appeals about social security benefits, including Universal Credit, Housing Benefit and disability benefits. .
February 2025
Pauline TroyÌýis a barrister atÌý. She qualified initially as a solicitor,Ìýwas awarded Higher Rights of Audience by the Law Society and subsequently transferred to the bar. Pauline is therefore a dual qualified practitioner and well placed to discuss .
December 2024
Ìýis Head ofÌýLegal, Commercial at Thought Machine, a complex technology, digital and commercial machine. Previously a Senior Associate at Eversheds, a global leading commercial law firm, Aaron will be speaking to the students about in-house work, which the students know little about, as well as explaining his own personal pathway from a working-class family in Birmingham to the heart of London'sÌýlegalÌýworld.
March 2024
is a Senior Casework at Turpin Miller Solicitors – a multi award winning law firm providing immigration and housing advice and support to businesses and individuals. Josh is Accredited by the Law Society as a Senior Caseworker in immigration law and is a member of the Legal Aid team. He originally studied music and still works as a conductor and pianist. .
December 2023
Sir Richard Meade, Mr Justice Meade, .
November 2022
Elizabeth Isaacs KC MCIArb, Head of Chambers at St Ives, Birmingham and Deputy High Court Judge, .
April 2022
Her Honour Judge Lynn Roberts .
OCTOBER 2021
Kevin GordonÌýaÌýformer ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú law studentÌý
May 2021
Merlie Calvert, CEO and Founder of Farillio, .
April 2021
Anthony Landes, anÌýIntellectual Property solicitor and partner in a leading law firm .Ìý
February 2021
David Isaac, a solicitor, human rights activist and chair of several organisations including Stonewall and theÌýEquality and Human Rights Commission .
Segun Osuntokun,ÌýManaging Partner ofÌýinternational law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP)Ìýand head of their Africa Group , as part of ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú'sÌý‘Black Question Time, The Call of Success’ series.
January 2021
Mike Ettiene, a practising barrister at Garden Court Chambers .
November 2020
James Caldwell, a practising barrister at Two Hardcourt Buildings .
October 2020
Seyed Mohammad Ahlesaadat, a Law LLB alumnus .
MARCH 2020
Judith Pepper,Ìýa barrister at 4 Brick Court, Temple, London discussed her work in family law, primarily public law proceedings representing local authorities, parents and guardians. She also focused onÌýa recent case she was instructed in at the High Court concerning a care proceeding where the father had murdered the mother of the child.
NOVEMBER 2019
Paul Dowling, an associate solicitor at Leigh Day Solicitors and a ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú alumnus spoke about hisÌýwork in the fields of international human rights and environmental litigation, focusing onÌýa recent Supreme Court case that Paul was involved with: Lungowe v Vedanta (2019).
march 2019
David Ruebain, Chief Executive or Equality Challenge unit, .
October 2018Ìý
Simon Davis, a partner at Clifford Chance, spoke about his career andÌýthe case ofÌýInternational Tennis Federation and World Anti-Doping Agency v Richard GasquetÌý(2009) before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.Ìý
March 2018
Julia Gasparro, aÌýbarrister, discussed her career, her day-to-day work and a case in which the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants instructed her to act.Ìý
October 2017
James Whitaker, a ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú alumnus and senior associate at Mayer Brown, discussed his career and the day-to-day life of working as a solicitor.Ìý
February 2017
Heather Lawson, the director of recruitment agency Wells Tobias, discussed the employment opportunities andÌýday-to-day life of legal executives working in private practice and as in-house legal experts in the private and public sectors.Ìý
November 2016
Oliver Gilman, a senior lawyer with theÌýDepartment of Health Government Legal Service, discussed the day-to-day life of working as a solicitor employed by the government and two cases: one relating to government aid to Ethiopia and another about junior doctors' conditions of employment.Ìý
January 2016
Jennifer Bethlehem, a partner at Freshfields, discussed her role in the Pfizer/AstraZeneca takeover bid.Ìý
February 2015
Marc Hanson and Emma Lawley, of Berwin Leighton Paisner,Ìýdiscussed building Westfield Stratford and the law.Ìý
December 2014
Angela Jackman, a partner at Maxwell Gillott, discussed the NHS and abortion rights in Northern Ireland.Ìý
November 2013
Angela Jackman, a partner at Maxwell Gillott, discussed the case, 'G. v St Gregory's Catholic Science College [2011] EWHC 1452'.Ìý
March 2013
Anthony Metzer, from Argent Chambers, discussed the case, 'Hunt v AB [2009] EWCA Civ 1092' and a current group action against the Ministry of Defence before the War Pensions Tribunal, on behalf of veterans of the British 1950s nuclear testing programme on Christmas Island.Ìý
October 2012
Noel Arnold, director of legal practice at Coram Children's Legal Centre, discussed 'Re M (Education: Section 91(14) Order) [2007] EWCA Civ 1550'.Ìý