Unprecedented Spring 2014

UnprecedentedSpring 2014

Cardiff University Law Society

The Innocence Project: Dwaine George

TV Legal Drama: Fact or Fiction?

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2 : Unprecedented Spring 2014

Diary Dates

25th February - Slaughter and May interview workshop.

26th February - Mooting final at the Supreme Court.

1st March - Law Ball at City Hall Great Gatsby theme

14th March - Sports tournament in Manchester

Unprecedented Spring 2014 : 3

FROM THE EDITOR CONTENTS

4 Mooting Successby Rebecca Mussenden

6 TV Legal Drama: Fact or Fiction?by Kelly Stant

8 The Effect of Legal Cuts on Family Lifeby Ben Marshall

9 Preparing for a Law Fairby Lowri Morgan

10 Cardiff University’s Innocence Project: Dwaine Georgeby Jade Cox

12 Legal Highs and the UKby Tamsin Best

13 Trimalchio in Gray’s Inn?by David McKeown

14 Pro Bono at the PSUby Jane Heard

15 Modern Day Slavery Reformby Chelsea Mitchell

16 Application Adviceby Norton Rose Fulbright

19 ‘Human’ Rights?by Alexandra Thornton-Reid

This issue of Unprecedented marks a change for Cardiff University Law Society. With the help of the Publicity Sub-Committee and Commercial Designer Neil Angove, a professional template has been created for our magazine. We have thoroughly enjoyed the creative process and hope that this will prove to be a lasting legacy for future publications.

This term we look forward to the Slaughter and May Interview Workshop, the Public Speaking Series Competition and of course, our Great Gatsby themed annual Law Ball!

Lastly, I would like to thank everyone involved with Unprecedented over the course of this academic year. A special thank you must go to the Publicity Sub-Committee for their dedication and hard work, Societies Officer Elliot Howells and all of our fantastic sponsors.

Thank you very much!

Chloe Halloran

Chloe Halloran, Editor

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4 : Unprecedented Spring 2014

Mooting Successby Mooting Officer 2013-2014 Rebecca Mussenden

The mooting season 2013/14 is drawing to a close and promises to end with a bang at the

finals of the internal competition on the 26th February at the Supreme Court! This year has seen some amazing performances and a massive number of contestants in the internal competition, both in the second year and final year competitions. We have had the highest ever number of GDL competition entries!

We have also been lucky enough to enter five external mooting competitions - another target smashed with the University entering more

competitions than ever before! We were extremely successful in both the ICLR and OUP competitions and are currently waiting to compete in Round 2 of the prestigious Essex Court competition. The rest of this semester will see Cardiff representatives in the Welsh Nationals and the Bristol Mooting Competition!

I would just like to say thank you for providing me with such a fantastic time as Mooting Officer and I hope you have all enjoyed competing as much as I have enjoyed organising these mooting events!

Unprecedented Spring 2014 : 5

Finally, I would like to quickly mention all of our finalists and wish them the very best of luck for the Supreme Court Final!!

Second year: Jade Cox, Georges Prat, Katherine Williams and Daniel White

Final year/GDL: William Rees, Daniel Godfrey, Alexander Doig, Natalie Kearney

Some mooting Quotes:“I love the adrenalin of mooting. There’s no other experience that gives you as much satisfaction in the Law School - and Cardiff does it brilliantly!”

“Mooting is a bit like guerrilla warfare. You go into an area of law which can be unfamiliar, learn as much as you can in a short space of time and then put forward a convincing argument. Learning quickly can be learned, like any other skill, and together with adaptability it has helped me with my degree and also in my professional life outside of university.”

“Despite the fact that I was simply a spectator, I found watching the mooting competitions thoroughly engaging and intellectually stimulating. It really gave me an insight into which skills are required for [successfully] arguing a case. I’ve come to realise that it’s not always about the law, but about the quality of your research, how persuasive and succinct you are and how you present yourself - it’s certainly not easy, but it looks like a lot of fun.”

“It was a great learning experience to watch a moot in person as it helped me gain a direct insight into how it works, this being especially useful for a first year and also because it translated theoretical knowledge into actual practice”

6 : Unprecedented Spring 2014

The law has played a part in TV drama for many years. The question is, how accurate are

the TV portrayals in comparison to the real life legal profession?

US Legal DramaLegal drama from the US has been popular on UK television. Programmes such as ‘Law and Order’ and ‘Suits’ have had high UK viewing figures. ‘Suits’ was watched by 566k people in the first episode shown on Channel ‘Dave’. Firstly, US law is different to UK law, which may lead to confusion for UK viewers who do not have knowledge of UK law. This may give them ideas about the law that are either completely untrue or do not apply in the UK. It has been suggested that ‘Suits’ does for the legal profession, what ‘Downton Abbey’ does for Aristocrats. It creates a fantasy world for audience entertainment.

UK Legal DramaThe creation of UK legal drama isn’t much different. It is a mixture of law and drama, but it is based on UK law so there can be no confusion because of jurisdiction. Legal drama may mislead viewers and provide an inaccurate picture of the legal profession. Some add to stereotypes, for example, the image that lawyers are lone drinkers. An example of this is Martha from ‘Silk’ who ends her days in her apartment with bottles of wine. ‘Silk’ also promotes promiscuity through the character Clive Reader, similarly shown in ‘The Life’.

‘Criminal Justice’ gives the impression that all lawyers are corrupt, giving the profession a bad name. Many legal dramas also focus on a specific area of the law, usually criminal, leaving other areas of the law unknown and making them seem less important to the general public.

Recent drama the ‘Escape Artist’, starring David Tennant as a Barrister, gave the impression that lawyers are surrounded by drama and trouble outside of their working lives as well as within it, again looking at the criminal law. Of course in order for a show to keep viewers and be entertaining there will be added excitement and drama. Issues arise where the general public are unable to see the difference between the reality of the law and the added effects of the programmes.

TV Legal Drama: Fact or Fiction?by Kelly Stant

It has been noted that such shows have added to the increase in applications for LLB, GDL, LPC and BPTC courses. Will those applicants be disappointed with a reality check, or motivated in the differences they may find?

After series 2 of ‘Silk’ was shown, many lawyers vented their frustration about inaccuracies via twitter with comments such as ‘But there’s no such thing as female robing rooms!?’ and ‘Judges can’t tell juries to find people guilty, god dammit!’.

The shows may not reflect reality but there is no doubt that they will still find their way to our television screens to be enjoyed by many.

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8 : Unprecedented Spring 2014

Legal Aid was first introduced just after World War II as part of a series of reforms by the Labour

government. With the Legal Advice and Assistance Act 1949 those from poorer backgrounds now had greater access to justice. Recently however, because of the current economic climate, there have been growing amounts of pressure to slash the spending upon Legal Aid. In 2010 the government issued proposals to cut the amount spent by £350M a year by 2015. This led to the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 - changes that have restricted access to Legal Aid for those who need it most.

One group particularly affected by these cuts is children. With the new reforms, custody battles or divorces are now no longer supported by Legal Aid. Many families simply cannot afford legal representation and without structured support from the courts, families may begin to take the law into their own hands. Children will inevitably become stuck in the crossfire between two potentially angry parents, leading to perhaps more cases of domestic abuse or one parent stopping the child seeing the other. As one leading barrister comments this will increase the number of children placed into care.

Within the most extreme cases involving abuse, Legal Aid will still be accessible, but in a much more convoluted way. According to The

emotional circumstances within the home. According to Stephen Stonsy, children who are living with a parent that is going through a traumatic experience can begin to develop unwanted characteristics. These can range from poor behaviour to poor concentration at school, leading to bad results. These findings show us that what may seem like an issue for just younger children could have a wide-ranging impact upon them in later life.

The most damaging part of this is these problems will hit those already in need the most. A report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into Legal Aid found that in 2009-2010, 80% of those who received Legal Aid were in the poorest 20% of society. Even with the economic situation steadily improving these are damming statistics that show the cuts disproportionality affecting the poor. As Sadiq Khan, the shadow Justice Secretary comments, the coalition are making changes to the legal system that preserve the rich at the expense of the poor. With yet more cuts to be implemented it seems Chris Grayling is determined to restrict justice to only those who can afford it.

Independent, unlike under the old system where steps could be taken to immediately protect children, a restriction order for the parents must first be obtained, followed by one for the child. This complex process will lead to a much bigger delay in proceedings and will cost valuable time when children, or indeed parents, could be in danger. Even if parents decided to represent themselves in court, it is estimated to take around double the time as when parties are represented by a qualified lawyer. For these cases to now qualify for Legal Aid, the victim has to show specific evidence that they have been abused by their partner. This arbitrary ‘trigger’ now also has a 24-month limit. If evidence is put forward after this period then it is inadmissible and will not be investigated by the police. Women’s groups comment that this is leading to less and less woman coming forward, meaning they are put in further danger because of possible future abuse.

This begs the question as to how the psychological harm of children is being dealt with. It is clear that children, especially those at a younger age, are susceptible to any

The Effect of Legal Aid Cuts on Family Lifeby Ben Marshall

@CULawSoc - Freshers’ Fayre, September 2013

mode during fairs. They will want to impress you as much as you want to create the right impression. Having said that, do not expect to walk away from a law fair with offers of work experience or invitations to open days.

However, some firms may ask you to get in contact with them after the event regarding an interview. Contacting the recruiters you built a good rapport with at the fair shows initiative. Firms will take notice when someone follows up with an email thanking them for their time if they have gone out of their way to be helpful. Last but not least, take a note of all the people you have spoken to. It is not uncommon to wake up the next day surrounded by brochures but with no clue who you spoke to!

Preparing for a Law Fairby Lowri Morgan

Unprecedented Spring 2014 : 9

The Law Fair is a valuable source of information for anyone who is serious about

training as a solicitor or barrister.

Whether this is your first face-to-face contact or not, it may be quite overwhelming. But with careful planning and plenty of research you should come away feeling more clued-up about the profession and the application process.

There can be over 40 exhibitors in a fair, including law firms, barristers’ chambers and other potential employers. You may have to join lengthy queues before you are able to talk to an exhibitor, but be patient and make sure you do not jump queues or interrupt conversations. Alternatively, return to the stand later when the queue has died down.

The reality is that there may not be enough time for you to talk to every exhibitor. The fair only lasts 3 hours. Therefore, in advance of visiting the fair, have a look at which firms, chambers and course providers will be present and put together a shortlist of the ones you would like to speak to. You should then do some research on each of them by looking at their websites. The legal press, including The Lawyer and of course Lawyer 2B, is also a useful source of information on law firms and chambers and will help you get up-to-speed on the latest developments in the market.

For each firm you should try to identify the following basic information before attending a law fair:

the location of the firm’s headquarters; how large it is in terms of partner numbers and turnover; how many overseas offices it has, if any; how many trainees it typically recruits; and the practice areas it focuses on.

Exhibitors’ stands will be staffed by members of their graduate recruitment teams, trainees and partners. You should aim to meet as many people as possible, but should obviously tailor your questions so that they are relevant to the person you are talking to. If you can, spend as much time as possible talking to trainees as this will help you to get a feel for what a firm is really like. That said, it is important to talk to partners and members of the graduate recruitment team.

Whoever you speak to, never ask questions to which you can find the answers on a firm’s website or in their brochure. Legitimate questions for members of the graduate recruitment team include: “What are you looking for from applicants?”; “When is the best time to submit training contract applications?”.

Many law firms, notably the large City players, have preferred course providers.

Make sure you act professionally throughout the day. For example, do not grab freebies unless they are offered to you and do not approach a stand while talking on your mobile phone.

It is not necessary to splash out on a brand-new suit, but do try to look smart, as this will create a good first impression. Remember, if you dress smartly you will immediately feel more professional. Ladies, it is advisable to wear sensible shoes because a lot of walking is involved!

Freebies are part of the law fair experience, so do not be surprised if you leave weighed down by highlighter pens and memory sticks. But do not let them cloud your judgement.

It is worth mentioning that law firms are generally in sell rather than buy

10 : Unprecedented Spring 2014

What is it?The Innocence Project at Cardiff University was set up in 2005/06. The Project investigates cases where there may have been a miscarriage of justice. Usually, the cases the Project takes on concern people who have exhausted most other avenues of appeal. For many, knowing that there are still people studying their case gives them hope while they are in prison and can be a great comfort for the family.

Until recently, the Project had not succeeded in getting a case referred to the Court of Appeal despite submitting several cases to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), notably six in July 2010. However, the CCRC recently announced that it is to refer the case of Dwaine George to the Court of Appeal. George was convicted of murder and sent to prison. Julie Price, Director of the Innocence Project at Cardiff says that “It is a time for constructive reflection rather than celebration.”

How do students get involved?This year, the training began with two training days - one full Saturday and an evening. On the first training day, Dr Dennis Eady gave a lecture. Dennis began by showing us a photograph of a rally including Paddy Hill. Ten minutes later he asked us what colour jacket Paddy wore in the photograph and whether the black man in the

photograph was a passer-by or part of the action. Some students said he wore a blue jacket, others said it was green and some said it was red. As to the other man in the photograph, some said the man was part of Paddy’s group. When we returned to the photograph we saw that the jacket was red and, rather shockingly, there was no black man in the photograph despite many being certain he was there. The purpose of this exercise was to test the reliability of eye-witnesses. Suffice to say, we were not very reliable!

Following this we had a talk from Des Thomas, a police consultant. This began with some students acting out a murder while Des explained to us how investigations can be flawed.

This was followed by six two-hour training sessions. In these training sessions we covered a variety of topics including looking at issues with evidence, looking at witness statements and completing exercises to prepare us for case work.

At the final stage, students who wish to assist with case work were asked to prepare a presentation on a topic of our choice and to compile a portfolio which included a report on one of the cases the Project holds. The presentation and portfolio required independent research and were very interesting to undertake.

Cardiff University’s Innocence Project: Dwaine Georgeby Jade Cox

Participation in the project is something I would recommend to everyone. I have found the training thus far very interesting and have already learnt a lot. In addition to this, there are aspects of the Criminal Justice System that I have begun to look at in a different light and it has certainly taught me not to assume that there is “no smoke without fire. ” Any one of us could be the victim of a miscarriage of justice.

To read more on Cardiff ’s Innocence Project see the blog written by Julie Price at www.thejusticegap.com .

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12 : Unprecedented Spring 2014

In January 2014, Ministers in the UK refused to sign up to the European Commission proposals

for a regulation and directive on the ever growing popular legal highs. This directive, the UK believes, stated by Norman Baker MP ‘would restrict the UK’s ability to control the drugs’.

‘Legal highs’ are substances which are becoming increasing popular around the world; they produce similar effects to illegal drugs such as cocaine, cannabis or ecstasy. The ‘legal highs’ are synthesised by the ton in India and China and are coming out faster than the government can ban them, consider it a young business. They are sold as ‘not suitable for human consumption’, under bath salts or plant food to get around the Misuse of Drugs Act. Many of the drugs are not yet controlled as there is often a significant lack of research to base a decision upon.

The fact that the substances are sold as ‘legal’ does not mean they are safe. The majority of the time, these drugs are designed to mimic Class A drugs but with minor structural differences which are just enough to avoid being classified under the Act. In the Channel Four documentary ‘Legally High: True Stories’ the government stated that ‘every time we ban a drug the chemists find a way around it’ which poses the on-going battle to control the highs. Often, the substances have

The EU directive, proposed by the justice commissioner Viviane Reding, sets out a system which would allow a substance to be banned within 10 months of it being detected and an urgent temporary procedure “which it would be possible to order a particularly harmful substance to be withdrawn immediately for a period of 12 months while a full risk assessment is carried out”. As successful as this may appear, it will overall be a more “graduated approach”, where only the most harmful substances will lead to permanent criminalisation.

The UK have decided to opt out of the EU regulations as the Home Office state that the proposals “would hinder rather than help” as the directives would slow down action when it comes to banning substances when they are identified. As it stands, the UK has already banned hundreds of these drugs with help from their forensic early warning systems which monitors availability to the public and distribution/supplies. This is vital to the keep control over as new legal highs are appearing at vast rates, particularly over the internet; at the rate of more than one new substance a week. Such disagreement between Brussels and London could lead to another clash as the directive was set not including a provision to opt out. Many changes to laws regarding “legal highs” are expected to develop over 2014.

been found to contain ingredients that are illegal and nearly always dangerous. Unfortunately, there is a public expectation that if something is not banned it is almost as if the government have given their stamp of approval and the drugs are comfortable to be taken. This is far from the truth; it is often not until deaths get to the media when true publicity of the risks are shown and believed – not just rumoured.

In recent years the government have introduced powers to help regulate the drugs whilst the substances are researched before potential bans/classification. This is often correlates with a growth in publicity and availability to the public and a pressure to understand the risks quickly. The Home Secretary now has the power to place a temporary ban on any potentially harmful substance, labelling it a ‘temporary class drug’ whilst they await recommendation/studies by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, along with other experts independently testing the drugs. This temporary ban can come into immediate effect but does need to be agreed by Parliament within 40 days. This is a much tougher approach than most of Europe take. Such a temporary effect would mean that it would not be illegal to posses said drug for personal use, but would be for importation, distribution or selling of the drug – consequences even being as much as custodial, fines or both. Additionally, not many people realise that just like drinking and driving, if you are under the influence of drugs, which includes ‘legal highs’ could lead to a heavy fine, custodial sentences or disqualification.

Legal Highs and the UKby Tamsin Best

Cardiff University Law Society RFC aka The Outlaws

Unprecedented Spring 2014 : 13

“Just a Mr Nobody from Nowhere ”it was the reality for Gatsby and it may also be yours. Recent research by the University of Bristol has led to the conclusion that elitism in the legal profession has reached a new high. In the 1920s Fitzgerald wrote tales of outsiders trying to overcome the “indiscernible barbed wire” of the upper classes in the hope of fulfilling the American Dream. While a career in Law may not be the pursuit of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, let it be said that the challenge is no less great and your skill alone may not be enough take you to the top.

The University of Bristol discovered that the average family income for lawyers born in 1958 was £1,900 a month. At the time, this was a staggering 22 per cent higher than the average for other professionals. Worryingly, for lawyers born in 1970 this gap had increased to 27 per cent, with family income rising to £2,345 compared with £1,845 for

the families of doctors, accountants and architects. Why is this the case? Why in a profession that assists every strata of the social hierarchy is it left to the upper classes. The blunt truth is simply wealth and background. .

The statistics seem to plot a clear success map. Two thirds of barristers in the UK today attended private schools and 82% went to Oxbridge. Even after that the professional training fees of £15,000 can be a significant deterrent for many aspiring barristers. These statistics seem to suggest that being a barrister is a birth right and not something that comes from your own desire or endeavour.

However all is not lost. Our generation is receiving much more assistance for those who are aspiring to have a career at the bar than ever before. The Pegasus Access Scheme aims to provide mini pupillages for all students with the determination and ability to succeed in a career at the bar. Furthermore there are 79 Lord

Trimalchio in Gray’s Inn?by David McKeown

Denning Scholarships of up to £15,000 providing the financial support which many families simply cannot provide. Lincolns Inn currently provides £1,481,500 worth of funding towards their scholarships. Such efforts will undoubtedly lead to greater diversity in the legal profession and ultimately a demographic that is much more reflective of the UK’s population.

Moreover last year the College of Law decided to invest a further £1.25 million in its ‘Pathways to Law’ scheme. This project aims to assist future solicitors and has received £250,000 of extra funding from the Sutton Trust. On top of this Allen & Overy, DLA Piper, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters and Hogan Lovells have all contributed a further £350,000 to Pathways to Law. Such commitment conveys the industries desire to inspire young people to follow a career in law regardless of their social background.

Despite the professions past the legal world is truly opening up for our generation. There are clearly countless opportunities for students from every strata of society to take advantage of today. Moreover because of this our generation has the opportunity to change the demographic of the legal profession because of these multiple initiatives. Without doubt the future of diversity within law is looking very promising.

14 : Unprecedented Spring 2014

The Personal Support Unit (PSU) provides free and independent assistance by

trained volunteers to help people who are facing civil court proceedings without legal representation. To put the work of the PSU in context I would like you to imagine yourself in the following scenario.

You are hardworking, you share your family home with your partner and your children. You feel you have a happy and certain future but something goes wrong and your relationship breaks down. Before you know it, you are at risk of losing your home and of not living with your children. Whilst emotionally exhausted and going through one of the lowest ebbs of your life, you have to face an unfamiliar, daunting legal process alone. You cannot afford legal representation and you do not qualify for legal aid. You are waiting alone at court whilst your ex-partner arrives with a barrister and a solicitor. You feel worried, disadvantaged and out of your depth.

This is one of the many situations that you, your family or your friends could easily find yourselves in. One in four litigants in the county courts and an estimated one in three in the tribunals service currently have no legal representation.

However, you are approached by a PSU volunteer who offers you practical and

The volunteering experience has been invaluable on two levels, from the law student’s perspective and from a personal perspective. As a law student, it is an ideal opportunity to gain an insight into the daily workings of the court room, the civil legal system, of working alongside court staff and of watching and learning from judges, barristers and solicitors. On a personal level, to be told by the clients I have assisted what a big difference my support has made to them and that they will never forget me has made the whole experience an extremely rewarding one.

PSU’s are based in Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, London and Liverpool with a branch in Bristol opening in 2014.

If you are interested in volunteering in Cardiff contact the coordinator at [email protected], or in Bristol contact Mr Bryson at [email protected] .

emotional support. Whilst listening to your story and your worries they are able to help you to order your thoughts. Your fears about the court process are alleviated as they explain what you can expect in court. They help you with forms and paperwork. They come into court with you and talk things over with you afterwards. They also signpost you to free relevant advice (legal and non legal) or to free legal representation if possible.

You can see the need for the work of the PSU is essential, especially as the cases that PSU clients face could have a devastating effect on their lives. Patrons including Lord Woolf, Lady Butler-Sloss, Lord Neuberger and Lord Judge support the cause of the PSU and as a Cardiff PSU volunteer myself, I would thoroughly recommend volunteering to anyone. Every day is different with cases varying from housing and debt, through divorce, ancillary matters and children (contact and residence) to immigration and employment.

Pro Bono at the PSU – Making a Difference!by Jane Heard

Cardiff University Law Society Football Squad 2013-2014

Unprecedented Spring 2014 : 15

It is common belief that slavery is a fossil of British history, with the original Slavery Abolition Act 1833

eradicating general acceptance of the trade. However, 2013 has shown the nation that this is not quite the case. When three women were found enslaved in London, it was rendered as the ‘tip of a very large iceberg’ by an MP. This case appears to have brought the problem into the public eye, a problem which Home Secretary Theresa May has said has increased by 25% in the past year.

In the wake of the increase of slavery, the Home Secretary has proposed a draft Modern Slavery Bill. Mrs May hopes that the Bill will help combat the ‘horrendous and appalling crime’ through increasing the number of prosecutions and maximising the support for victims, encouraging them to report the crimes. The policy paper proposes to collaborate existing legislation into a single document to prosecute those who enslave others. Offenders would be automatically liable for life sentences if they had prior convictions for very serious sexual or violent offences, and would introduce Trafficking Prevention Orders which would restrict the activity of convicted traffickers to prevent them from committing further offences.

The proposals have been met with some praise. Hope for Justice founder, Ben Cooley, has recognised the merits of the scheme, recognising victim welfare as of primary importance to the prosecution of perpetrators and has recognised it as a ‘critical step’ towards ending slavery. He believes that it is vital to ensure support for the victims to ensure they do not get left behind by the system, and return to be re-trafficked. Freedom Charity has said it would help because ‘people will know in the UK this will not be

tolerated’. The Act would also give authorities greater power to discover those responsible, meaning fewer victims suffered. It is also a pioneering Bill, the first of its kind in Europe, which could help towards a greater reduction of slavery across the area.

Whilst these proposals intend to extinguish the slave trade and bring a more severe punishment to the offenders, many have criticised the extent to which the new Act will be effective. One critic believes there ‘is no cure’ and regards border control and local social services as the main areas which allow for such a trade. Other critics have taken a less drastic approach, believing that the reduction of slavery will do nothing to help what has been publicised as ‘poverty wages’. Furthermore, it has been said that it does not go far enough; the Shadow Home Secretary believes it should include legal protection for child victims as these are the most vulnerable, with no one person taking responsibility for them. This has been supported by Chloe Setter who believes the focus was ‘too narrow’ and that there was not enough emphasis on victim protection.

Whether the Bill passes or not, surely a step towards complete eradication is better than a stand still? An outdated trade, which to a delusional few is still acceptable, should no longer exist. The Modern Slavery Bill would help towards the prosecution of the guilty few and help support the unfortunate victims. However, whilst the issue is relevant, it should be now that the change is made, that the Bill becomes less ‘narrow’ and expands to help the maximum number it can. The reform is essential for the prevention and eradication of an obsolete tradition which is not in-keeping with our free world.

Modern Day Slavery Reformby Chelsea Mitchell

We all know that it’s competitive to secure open days, vacation schemes and training contracts in the current recruitment market. However, the good news is that there is a lot that you can be doing to put yourself in the best possible place to submit a competitive application. Norton Rose Fulbright’s Graduate Recruitment Manager, Caroline Lindner, provides her top 10 tips for preparing an excellent application form for a global legal practice.

Include examples of any work placements or experience (legal and non-legal / paid and unpaid) which you feel is relevant. So long as you can demonstrate that they are, we will want to know about it. Pay particular attention to activities that show you have commercial awareness and excellent communication skills.

Tell us about your research. If you have undertaken a legal placement or attended a career fair or open day, this will underline your commitment to your future in law.

We are interested in hearing your opinions about us and the world of business. Make sure these are well informed and up-to-date. We don’t want to hear quotes from our own materials.

Be honest and straightforward. Keep a copy of your completed application as we will ask you about your answers during your interview.

Visit www.nortonrosefulbrightgraduates.com for more information. Or follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Application Advice from Norton Rose Fulbrightby graduate recruiter Caroline Lidner

Take the time to read the form thoroughly to understand what each question is asking for. Link your answers back to the skills and qualities the firm is looking for in its employees. Draft your answers carefully before submitting them in your completed application.

Make a list of the key skills and competencies you think are essential for being a successful trainee lawyer. Use a variety of examples - ideally from within the past 2 years - to bring your answers to life.

Be clear about why you have chosen us and why you want to develop your future career here.

We value individuality, so make sure that your personality, passions and interests come across.

Attention to detail and clarity of thought are non-negotiable. Remember to check and double check all spelling and grammar. Express yourself concisely and clearly and don’t use jargon.

Don’t be afraid to sell yourself. That is what the process is all about. Demonstrate how your interests and experience are relevant to the role and why you believe they make you our ideal candidate.

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�,�NQHZ�ZKHUH�,�ZDQWHG�WR�JR�� �7KH\�PDGH�VXUH�,�JRW�WKHUH�� ‘Norton Rose Fulbright’s strategy is opening doors all round the world. So when I decided that dispute resolution was where my future lay, the opportunities to pursue my goal were almost limitless.

This really came to life when I had to choose my international seat: I had so many locations to pick from. I knew I wanted to gain some hands-on court experience of disputes, and colleagues had told me that Dubai was the place to go. They were right. Working on construction disputes, I took on a huge range of work and gained lots of court and client exposure.

Soon I’ll be qualifying into Disputes. When I do, the SUDFWLFDO�H[SHULHQFH�,�KDYH�DOUHDG\�JDLQHG�LQ�RXU�RʺFHV� and on client secondment will prove absolutely priceless.’

Lola Akinpelu, Trainee, Dispute resolution and litigation

OPPORTUNITIESDLA Piper offers big opportunities to ambitious graduates – big firm, big clients, big careers.

Don’t just take our word for it. Find out more at www.dlapipergraduates.co.uk

DLA Piper is a global law firm operating through various separate and distinct legal entities. Further details of these entities can be found at www.dlapiper.com Copyright © 2014 DLA Piper. All rights reserved. | JAN14 | 2698101

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Cardiff University Law Society Social Round 3 - Hippie theme!

Unprecedented Spring 2014 : 19

In December 2013 a case was presented to the court in New York in which it was argued that a

chimpanzee should be considered within a court of law to be a ‘legal person’ and to be given all the legal rights which come with this title.

The case was put forward by the Nonhumans Rights Project, a group which is working towards establishing legal rights for members of species other than humanity. That other species would also come to be known as ‘persons’ and thus also possess fundamental rights which ‘persons’ are said to hold, including liberty, bodily integrity and being treated under a certain standard of morality. Currently, like all non-humans, chimpanzees are seen as objects of property, a legal ‘thing’.

In 2013 the Nonhumans Rights Project launched their first cases in the US.

Tommy and Kiko are two Chimpanzees which were represented by the

Nonhumans Rights Project in a New York Court December 2013, in which they filed a writ of ‘habeus corpus’. Meaning ‘you have the body’, this court order requires a person who is being held under arrest or in detention to be brought before the court. Traditionally, this has been perceived to be a principle only applicable to those seen to be a ‘legal person’, i.e. homo sapiens. By using this principle, the Project was arguing that the chimpanzees are being unlawfully detained, and that they should be released from their captivity.

In this case, scientific evidence was presented to demonstrate that chimpanzees can be considered to be autonomous beings, that they have self-awareness and the ability to make their own decisions. By establishing chimpanzees as autonomous beings, they are then able to argue that they should gain legal personhood, and then be protected by possessing fundamental human rights.

‘Human’ Rights?by Alexandra Thornton-Reid

However, both cases, so far, have failed, though there are plans to appeal the decisions in the near future, as well as to launch further cases.

The judges who ruled in the cases can, however, be seen to provide hope to the campaigners, with one judge congratulating the legal team on their sound arguments, and wishing them ‘good luck’. All it appears to be is that no one is quite ready to make the ‘leap of faith’, and open the floodgates by changing the legal status of animals.

Training Contracts and Vacation Schemes

Some people call us CMS. Those in the know call us the largest provider of legal services in Europe.

Stand for more. Clients select CMS because we have the most extensive footprint in Europe of any firm. Graduates increasingly do the same. After all, when it means the opportunity to experience six months in one of our international offices, it’s a big advantage. But that’s not where the benefits end. Join us on a graduate training contract (or vacation scheme), and you’ll find we can offer you significant exposure to multi-jurisdictional work and a wide range of learning and development opportunities, plus the support and encouragement you need to lay foundations for a lasting career.

Discover exactly why CMS stands for more by visiting www.cms-cmck.com/graduates