Byron Austin

When I was younger, I was rather argumentative (some say I still am). In fact, my Mum told me that if I like arguing so much, I should go and be a lawyer. I loved the sound of being a lawyer and arguing all day! I quickly learned how wrong my perception of the job was, but still thought it was the right career for me, and I stuck with it. I handed my CV out to every solicitors firm in Wigan, and was lucky enough to work for one of them for 3 years. I loved it, but part of me felt frustrated that after all of my hard work, drafting and litigating, it would be the barrister taking it all to court. I wanted that to be me – the one stood up in court, getting the best outcome for my client. That’s what led me to where I am today.

Edge Hill was the best possible place for me to study my Law degree. The courtroom is amazing, and the amount of time my lecturers gave me outside of formal lectures of seminars was incredible. Getting my degree was a necessity for a career as a barrister, but the skills I developed at Edge Hill definitely gave me an edge over other graduates. Getting involved with extracurricular opportunities like mooting competitions and mock trials helped set me apart from my competition.

I’ve been lucky enough to receive an excellence scholarship from The Inner Temple. Edge Hill’s careers team have developed a good working relationship with The Inner Temple, which meant they often came onto campus to give talks and advice to Law students. One of the careers advisers, Emma, spent so much time helping me with my application, putting myself forward in the best light. Without the excellence scholarship, I definitely would have had financial barriers to starting on the Bar course. Not only is the scholarship a massive financial reward, it’s also viewed as an impressive accolade to have, and will hopefully stand me in good stead to obtain pupillage on the Northern circuit.

I’d say the top 3 skills I gained from my degree are confidence, time management and advocacy. They’re all hugely important skills for a career as a barrister, and I feel like I built a great foundation during my degree. If anyone is considering studying Law at Edge Hill, do it! The staff and the quality of the education you’ll get is amazing, and the opportunities second to none. I know for a fact I wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t studied at Edge Hill.

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