When applying to study Law, the personal statement is your first chance to catch the eye of the admissions tutors. This is the initial section of your Oxbridge law personal statement, so create a good first impression! When writing your personal statement Oxford tutors will be grabbed first by the introduction. However, it’s all about balance in introductions…
- Attract the reader’s attention while staying away from cliches.
- Sound enthusiastic, but not obnoxious.
- Set the tone for the rest of your message, but don’t provide too much information.
Law Personal Statement Oxford Example
EXAMPLE
“Law is my life’s ambition; I’ve wanted to be a lawyer since I was a child.” I would be glad for the chance to study law at your amazing university, and I want to express my specific qualifications for a spot in law school in this statement.”
BREAKDOWN
This law Oxford personal statement introduction is clichéd and lacks the appropriate tone. It’s crucial to seem enthusiastic, but you don’t want to come across as arrogant, so use a more reasonable tone. It’s also vital not to come across as arrogant or arrogant; portray oneself in a positive manner while being humble (remember, you haven’t begun studying law properly yet!)
Law Personal Statement Oxford Example
“Law strikes a compromise between the requirement for clarity, which necessitates sharp lines, and the necessity for flexibility to the variety and complexity of social life. This conflict fascinates me, and I wish to explore it further through the study of law, evaluating its current condition and considering the prospect of future reform.”
BREAKDOWN
This Oxford law personal statement foreword provides a personal perspective and thought. This is effective since it is unlikely to be similar to any of the other statements the instructor has read that morning. It also displays this person’s interest in the law without mentioning it explicitly, as well as their curious and inquiring nature. Furthermore, it establishes a trend that we hope will be continued throughout the statement.
TOP INTRODUCTION TIP → Striking the right balance between being passionately enthusiastic and cliche with quotes and conversations
This is your chance to demonstrate why you want to be a lawyer. It is critical that you show enthusiasm for the topic; when writing your law personal statement, Oxford instructors want to know that studying law excites and intrigues you. This will help you become a motivated law student who is eager to learn. Some candidates, however, exaggerate in their attempts to convey their zeal. This may come out as trite, but tutors will be able to spot fake excitement. So, stay true to yourself!
Consider the following points:
- What drew you to the field of law?
- Why are you interested in taking a legal course?
- The subjects that interest you the most and why you love applying the abilities acquired through a law degree
- What do you hope to do with your degree in the future?
Things to stay away from
- Metaphors that are cheesy
- Nonserious anecdotes or flashbacks (for example, “when I was younger…” or “after seeing Suits…”).
- Strong adjectives and hyperbole (e.g. I absolutely love law, it is extremely enlightening and incredibly diverse)
The introduction to your Oxford Law Personal Statement!
It’s critical to nail the start of your Oxbridge law personal statement. It’s all about attracting the attention of the reader, showing passion, establishing the tone for the remainder of the personal statement, and avoiding clichés. Before submitting, you should revise and rewrite the opening several times, especially after finishing the rest of your personal statement to ensure consistency and flow. If you need some support, our Oxbridge law interview tutoring programmes can help you by assisting you in writing a stand-out personal statement.
For more advice, check out our other guides, such as writing about law personal statement work experience.
At Oxbridge Mind, we can also help you with other areas of the law school application such as preparing for the LNAT with our expert LNAT tutors. Contact us today to see how we can help.
FAQs
→ What is a law personal statement?
A law personal statement is a document submitted by applicants to law schools or legal positions to showcase their qualifications, experiences, and motivations for pursuing a legal career. It is an essential component of the application process and provides admissions committees with an insight into the applicant’s personality, academic background, and professional goals.
→ What are some tips for writing a strong introduction for an Oxbridge law personal statement?
To write a strong introduction, applicants should start with a hook that grabs the reader’s attention, provide a brief overview of their background and experiences, highlight their motivation for pursuing a legal career, and explain what they hope to achieve by attending law school or pursuing a legal career.
→ What are some examples of effective hooks for a law personal statement introduction?
Effective hooks introduction can include personal anecdotes, quotes, statistics, or questions that relate to the applicant’s experiences or motivations. A good example would be to start with a story about how you overcame a legal challenge, a quote from a famous lawyer that inspired you, or a question that reflects your curiosity about a specific area of law.
→ Should applicants include their academic achievements in the introduction of a law personal statement?
While academic achievements are important, the introduction should focus on the applicant’s personal and professional experiences, motivations, and goals. Applicants can highlight their academic achievements in other parts of the essay or application, but the introduction should focus on what makes them unique and passionate about pursuing a legal career.
→ Why is a strong introduction crucial for a law personal statement?
The introduction is the first impression that the admissions committee will have of the applicant. Therefore, it is essential to make it engaging, memorable, and persuasive. A strong introduction can captivate the reader’s attention, set the tone for the rest of the essay, and make the applicant stand out from the competition.
