Courting success
Kelly Blake (LLB Law, 2007) describes studying at the University of Bedfordshire as the best decision she’s ever made.
She says her degree in Law at the Luton campus transformed her life.
She says her degree in Law at the Luton campus transformed her life.
Kelly Blake, now a Court Duty Officer working for the Bedfordshire Probation Service, looks back fondly on her time studying at the University and talks enthusiastically about the new opportunities that opened up for her.
She decided to study at the University because it was local and convenient – a big draw as she had two children, then aged one and three.
Kelly admits juggling family life with her studies was challenging at times, but she had great support from her family. Plus her organisational skills came into their own!
“Being a mature student with responsibilities including children and a mortgage, I had more to lose. But I knew this was what mattered and that it would be worth it, so I just got on with it.”
She adds: “It was the best thing I ever decided to do. My children, now aged eight and ten, saw that I had a positive experience of studying and they say they’d like to go to university too. I always tell them that it was the best time of my life.”
Kelly says the lecturers were dedicated and knowledgeable, with many of them having practiced law and therefore knowing the realities of a career in this field.
Along with her course mates, Kelly was responsible for resurrecting the Law Society. “We reignited the Law Society. We elected a President and I became the Secretary. We wrote a new constitution and set out our vision of what we wanted to promote,” she says. Along with lectures and seminars, Kelly also enjoyed taking part in mooting competitions.
After graduating from Bedfordshire in 2007, Kelly undertook a Legal Practice Course (LPC) at BPP Law School in London. “It was tough as the economic crisis was just hitting when I graduated and attending law school costs £11,000.
“But I thought ‘it’s now or never’. My children were still small, which in some ways made it simpler. So I re-mortgaged my house to raise half the fees and was sponsored for the remainder.”
She passed all of her exams first time, which she describes as a real buzz, and she graduated last year. “It was a huge achievement,” she says.
Throughout her studies, Kelly was employed part-time by the Bedfordshire Probation Service and, happily, one of its departments took her on full-time in November. “Being a public sector organisation, they have been fantastic. They’ve always been flexible and are very aware of achieving a work-life balance.”
Kelly adds: “In the Bedfordshire Probation Service, we provide alternatives to prison, with community sentencing. We will deliver a pre-sentence or an oral report to the judge about whether some offenders who may have committed crimes such as shoplifting or driving while disqualified may be suitable for a sentence in the community.
“We’re like a broker. We work with other agencies such as Jobcentre Plus and homeless organisations to provide support, supervision, education or training. Then the offender gets stability and hopefully won’t offend again.” Kelly says it is rewarding to know she has contributed to turning around some peoples’ lives.
Kelly says she enjoys mixing with other people within the criminal justice system. “We’re not working in isolation – there are solicitors, judges, victim support staff, ushers and many others in the Crown and Magistrates Courts and we get the job done as a whole.”
With an understanding employer and her children now at school with plenty of extra-curricular activities to keep them occupied, Kelly finds it easier to manage work and family life. And she’s already making plans for the future.
Kelly’s ultimate goal is to get a training contract with a criminal law firm. Changes
in the legal aid system and government cuts make this more competitive than ever,
yet Kelly hopes to leverage the experience and knowledge she has gained from
both Bedfordshire Probation Service and the University of Bedfordshire. We wish
her the best of luck.
She decided to study at the University because it was local and convenient – a big draw as she had two children, then aged one and three.
Kelly admits juggling family life with her studies was challenging at times, but she had great support from her family. Plus her organisational skills came into their own!
“Being a mature student with responsibilities including children and a mortgage, I had more to lose. But I knew this was what mattered and that it would be worth it, so I just got on with it.”
She adds: “It was the best thing I ever decided to do. My children, now aged eight and ten, saw that I had a positive experience of studying and they say they’d like to go to university too. I always tell them that it was the best time of my life.”
Kelly says the lecturers were dedicated and knowledgeable, with many of them having practiced law and therefore knowing the realities of a career in this field.
Along with her course mates, Kelly was responsible for resurrecting the Law Society. “We reignited the Law Society. We elected a President and I became the Secretary. We wrote a new constitution and set out our vision of what we wanted to promote,” she says. Along with lectures and seminars, Kelly also enjoyed taking part in mooting competitions.
After graduating from Bedfordshire in 2007, Kelly undertook a Legal Practice Course (LPC) at BPP Law School in London. “It was tough as the economic crisis was just hitting when I graduated and attending law school costs £11,000.
“But I thought ‘it’s now or never’. My children were still small, which in some ways made it simpler. So I re-mortgaged my house to raise half the fees and was sponsored for the remainder.”
She passed all of her exams first time, which she describes as a real buzz, and she graduated last year. “It was a huge achievement,” she says.
Throughout her studies, Kelly was employed part-time by the Bedfordshire Probation Service and, happily, one of its departments took her on full-time in November. “Being a public sector organisation, they have been fantastic. They’ve always been flexible and are very aware of achieving a work-life balance.”
Kelly adds: “In the Bedfordshire Probation Service, we provide alternatives to prison, with community sentencing. We will deliver a pre-sentence or an oral report to the judge about whether some offenders who may have committed crimes such as shoplifting or driving while disqualified may be suitable for a sentence in the community.
“We’re like a broker. We work with other agencies such as Jobcentre Plus and homeless organisations to provide support, supervision, education or training. Then the offender gets stability and hopefully won’t offend again.” Kelly says it is rewarding to know she has contributed to turning around some peoples’ lives.
Kelly says she enjoys mixing with other people within the criminal justice system. “We’re not working in isolation – there are solicitors, judges, victim support staff, ushers and many others in the Crown and Magistrates Courts and we get the job done as a whole.”
With an understanding employer and her children now at school with plenty of extra-curricular activities to keep them occupied, Kelly finds it easier to manage work and family life. And she’s already making plans for the future.
Kelly’s ultimate goal is to get a training contract with a criminal law firm. Changes
in the legal aid system and government cuts make this more competitive than ever,
yet Kelly hopes to leverage the experience and knowledge she has gained from
both Bedfordshire Probation Service and the University of Bedfordshire. We wish
her the best of luck.
