Future Legal Mind
We believe it’s crucial to have the very best people engaged in the legal sector, so our annual Future Legal Mind Award aims to give the brightest minds the support they need today to make a difference tomorrow.
The competition – which is now in its fifth year – challenges entrants to show their expertise with a short essay response (500-650 words) to our competition statement below.
The winner will receive:
- A £2,000 cash prize
- A mentoring session with our Legal Director, Jonathan White, and Partnerships Director, Adam Nabozny – both qualified lawyers with a wealth of experience who can give advice and guidance
- A meeting in London with a legal politician
- A starring role in a professionally produced video, endorsed and promoted by National Accident Helpline, which the winner can share as part of raising their own professional profile
ENTRY DEADLINE: 28th February 2019
Simon Trott, Managing Director of National Accident Helpline and chair of judges, says:
“The impact that Future Legal Mind has had on the sector for aspiring legal professionals has been greater than we could have envisaged when we launched five years ago, so we’re absolutely thrilled to be launching the competition for 2019.”
How to enter Future Legal Mind 2019
Round 1
Write a personal response to the statement below in 500-650 words:
In today’s world, the law provides a great foundation for any career. Outline your ambitions and aspirations and why you’ve chosen the Law. How do you think having a legally-trained mind will benefit you in the future and could benefit society, the country and/or your community?
Submit your entry by emailing futurelegalmind@nahl.co.uk by 28th February 2019.
Round 2
The judges will choose a shortlist of 10 people and invite them each to submit a short home-made video (1-2 minutes) to support their written response to the above.
In this video, shortlisted entrants can tell us why they have applied and how their initial entry represents them as a Future Legal Mind.
The winner
The winner of Future Legal Mind 2019 will be selected from the shortlist of 10, taking into account both the written response and the supporting video.
The decision will be announced in May 2019.
Who can enter Future Legal Mind?
Entry is open to people who:
- are currently working towards a nationally-recognised law or legal services qualification
- have achieved a nationally-recognised law or legal services qualification within the last two years
The full details of eligibility can be found here.
Our past winners
Our Future Legal Mind winners from previous years have gone on to great things after their successes in the competition.
Read more about their experiences:
Gbemisola Obolo - 2018 winner
Gbemisola Obolo was chosen as our Future Legal Mind 2018 winner. She said:
“I believe it is a good foundation for me to pursue my career in law. What I took away from the overall experience was to have more confidence in myself.
“I think it’s important to put yourself out there and try new things. It’s self-rewarding and you never know what’s going to happen. I never knew I would win, but I tried, and I won.
“I am grateful to National Accident Helpline for the opportunity and for furthering my venture into a career in law – having this opportunity is an excellent head start to set myself apart in a competitive industry.”
Hana Kapadia - 2017 winner
After submitting an outstanding essay, Hana Kapadia was announced the winner of Future Legal Mind 2017. She said:
“It was a fantastic experience to win Future Legal Mind. To win such a prestigious award was incredible and a real honour.
“It has helped my career hugely in that it has absolutely been a talking point in interviews. When I applied for the competition, I wanted to challenge myself and I wanted to learn more about the question the judges had set for the competition to expand my commercial awareness. I would absolutely recommend any law student thinking of applying to go for it.”
Tom Phillips - 2016 winner
Tom entered as a GDL student at the City Law School and previously studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University. He is now a first six pupil at QEB Hollis Whiteman.
Tom’s Future Legal Mind title provided the firm footing he needed to start his career. He said:
“As a lawyer, you have to be able to persuade in writing. Future Legal Mind offers a unique opportunity to distinguish yourself from others and may ultimately help you to secure a training contract or pupillage – in today’s competitive environment simply being a good student usually isn’t enough.
“It helped me stand out on paper, which would have made Chambers more likely to interview me. Go for it – you have nothing to lose!”
Amy Loughery - 2015 winner
Amy Loughery, who was an undergraduate student at the University of York when she entered, said that winning had “kick-started everything” for her.
Amy acquired two part-time jobs through winning Future Legal Mind and the competition helped to open lots of doors for her, while the prize money helped to fund her postgraduate study.
For those considering entering the competition, she said:
“Just have a go – and make sure you get your entry in early!”
For more details about Future Legal Mind 2019, take a look at our terms and conditions before entering the competition.
