Law Lecturer, Kath Harvey tells us why she is #ProudToBeStaffs teaching our Law students at Staffordshire University. 

I joined Staffs Law Department in 2017  as a part time hourly paid lecturer, delivering skills sessions in interviewing and negotiation. It was an opportunity for me to “dip my toes” before taking the plunge into the world of academia. A world which was unfamiliar to me, a practitioner of almost 30 years specialising in Civil Litigation, Housing, ASB amongst other less exciting areas.  Did I enjoy it? Absolutely! I soon realised that I could contribute something of value to the student experience, a chance to bring the text book to life. With so many life experiences I couldn’t resist basing the exercises on actual cases I had dealt with over my career .The feedback from the students was heartening and encouraged me to take “the leap”.

Joining Staffs full time in 2018 I was tasked with delivering Property Law at undergraduate, Work Experience and Criminal and Civil Litigation on the LPC. Again, I seized the opportunity to bring law to life, sharing my many real life examples (some very embarrassing, but nevertheless it helped the students to remember the legal principle or the case!) to enhance the text book theory.  Not a single property student leaves the module without understanding what title means! (unlike myself who naively informed the Judge that it was “Miss” rather than “Freehold”!! – back in my paralegal days I hasten to add).

Often the students ask “do you prefer teaching or being in practice”? A difficult one to answer. After years in practice I am enjoying the job satisfaction that teaching brings. Winning your case after months of hard work, beating your opponent, getting a just result is rewarding that’s true, but seeing your students grow in confidence, watching them succeed, encouraging them to reach for the stars is a whole new job satisfaction.

So why choose Staffs Law School? Because we care that’s why.