School of Law

Duranda Minus

LLB Law | 2009 - 2012

About me
I am from a very small Caribbean Island called the Bahamas.  I am the eldest of 4 children and was brought up in a Christian family.  I would say that I’m a very self-motivated, determined, strong and independent young lady who strives for excellence. I try my best in everything I do and I try to be a good role model for young ladies who may look up to me.

Why Law
Seeing the amount of injustice that occurs in our world, and knowing that many people are unable to afford legal advice was an inspiration for me to study law, by studying this subject, I believe I have a role to play and that I will make a difference in this field.

Why I chose Leeds
I decided to study Law at Leeds because I saw that not only did the University rank high as one of the top universities in England, but also because it has a very good Law library, it provides various opportunities to participate in Pro-Bono work and I was also impressed by the fact that the teaching professors wrote the text books that students use to study. I chose Leeds because it is a very student friendly city, where I saw myself as being comfortable and fitting right in.

My time so far at Leeds
I have enjoyed my course to the fullest so far, there have been many opportunities to participate in so many different activities.  These include the many networking opportunities for law students to meet with barristers and solicitors, along with other persons in the legal field on both a social and professional level, dining at the Inns of Courts, hearing court cases at the Royal Courts of Justice, participating in mooting competitions, participating in Pro Bono for example, teaching different types of law in local high schools, being a School of Law Ambassador and the opportunity to travel to Paris, Ireland and so much more!

Leeds is indeed a very student friendly city.  It is filled with students and it truly provides the best experience a student can have.  Being an international student, I am enjoying my stay in Leeds very much and I’ve settled in well.

The most surprising thing about coming to Leeds is the amount of discounts that are available to students at restaurants, bowling arenas, hair salons, clubs, pubs and much more.

I have found the learning facilities at the Law School to be readily accessible, available and the school staff are very helpful.  The Law library is an excellent source and has a wide range of information to help with your studies.  In terms of research, there are representatives from various law databases such as West Law and Lexis Library and Lawtel that can assist you and give you an opportunity to become qualified in legal research.

Getting involved
There are many different types of societies and sports clubs here – there really is something to suit everyone. There are also a vast range of volunteering opportunities for students to take part in, which include Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which is working with businesses and law firms on inner city projects such as cleaning up disadvantage areas and travelling abroad to volunteer.  There are also chances to travel across England and view historical sites.  Having being given these various opportunities, I am the Secretary of Leeds Afro-Caribbean Society, I was selected by the university to volunteer in London 2012 Olympics as a Games Maker and I have also participated in CSR.

Career aspirations
Once I have completed my course, I intend to enrol at BPP College and pursue the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) to become a barrister and then on to pursue a Masters in Banking Law. After this, and hopefully much more experience, I hope to open my own chambers some day.

I would definitely recommend studying on this course -  I would say come prepared to work very hard, develop your analytical and critical thinking skills as they are very key to this course and indeed being a lawyer. You need to stay focused, be able to prioritise and be a well rounded student to succeed. You not only need to be academically inclined but also socially – become a member member of a society outside your course, travel, be sociable, be able to handle positive criticism, learn to work independently and take advantage of the masses of opportunities available!

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