Laura Smith joined Collas Crill in September 2021 and is currently in her first training seat within the Corporate Finance and Funds team.
She completed her LPC at the University of Law, having graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in jurisprudence in 2020.
However back in 2014, as a Ladies' College sixth form student, Laura actually took part in the Collas Crill Moot. She would highly recommend taking part in the competition - see what she had to say below.
How did your experience of the Collas Crill Moot affect your career choice?
I first started seriously considering pursuing a career in law when I took part in the CC Moot whilst in Sixth Form at Ladies' College but I never would have imagined that I'd be working at Collas Crill seven years later!
It was a fiercely fought contest in my year, and although my team didn't make the final, my fellow team member and I would still both say that we took so much from it – in fact both of us are currently pursuing a career in law so we must have done something right.
What did you take away from the experience?
I can honestly say that at the time you don't even realise all the things you're learning - comprehension skills, working collaboratively, putting together a strong argument, time management, presenting that argument persuasively and confidently, staying calm under pressure – but you'll look back and realise how much you took away from just an hour or two a week.
In particular, it's a really brilliant way to practice public speaking in a supportive environment, and that experience is invaluable at university and beyond, no matter what subject you study or job you end up going into. I know I definitely had an advantage when we mooted at university, just from having that bit of practice already.
What would you say to students considering taking part?
It's such a great opportunity to be able to take part in something like the Moot whilst still at school – not many people outside of Guernsey get the chance to 'try out' being a lawyer like this – and I would recommend it to any students who are even remotely considering it.
In a nutshell, it's fun, brilliant experience, looks great on your CV and gives you something to talk about at interviews (and I promise the judges aren't actually scary!)
For further information about the Moot click here.
