To celebrate 150 years of legal education we’ve reached out to our students, past and present, and asked them to share their stories and memories from their time with us.
We spoke with Samantha Mason-Evans about her time with us. In this wide ranging interview, she talks about what motivated her to return to education, why she chose to study law and how the University helped shape her future career. Samantha also offers a wealth of advice to graduates and discusses her current role with the Probation Service.
Edited by Grant Longstaff. Published 3 June 2026.
What made you want to study law?
“Growing up, I was not very academic, and the understanding of people's learning styles was not what it is today. I had, however, always been interested in supporting the underdog, wanted to speak out when I didn't think something was fair or just. That sense of ‘fairness and justice’ has been a theme woven throughout my life. I believe I’m part of what is sometimes referred to as the ‘justice generation’.
When I started to work within the field of support advocacy I was dealing with the most vulnerable in society. The disenfranchised, those with multiple complex needs who could not speak for themselves.
It was not, however, until a member of my own family became unwell with poor mental health that my desire to study law really took root. I wanted to be able to make the substantive legal arguments to assist them, and in many ways, I felt powerless because I couldn't help them from a legal standpoint. Though several years before I was financially able to pursue the law, that seed took root, so really it wasn't a question of ‘if’, but, ultimately, a question of when.”
Why did you choose The University of Law?
“I will never forget the night my husband told me I owed it to myself to pursue studying law. It was New Year's Eve 2021, and as we were coming to the end of what had been one of the most difficult years, I told him I was going to retrain to become a teacher. He said to me that he was sure I would be a great teacher, however I didn't want to be a teacher, I wanted to be a barrister, and I owed it to myself to try.
A lot of discussion, prayer and seeking answers took place that night, and as we stepped into 2022 with hope and expectation, I started to look for how I could transition into law.
The University of Law is exceptional at illustrating on a page what is available, what can be learned and what can be achieved. It was communicated in a way which made sense to me and suddenly it all seemed to be accessible and within my reach.
I saw an online open evening advertised and registered my interest. To my surprise and delight, it turned out to be the first open evening held in person since COVID. Whilst I hadn't been expecting to attend in person, my husband and I made our way up to the Leeds campus. From the moment I walked in I knew it was where I wanted to be. Not some huge campus that would be overwhelming for me. I wanted to be somewhere where I felt like a person, not a number.
I met Phyllida Roberts and I will always be immensely grateful for the warmth she carries. We can underestimate the impact of an individual, but as humans, we all seek safety and security. When stepping out and doing something brave like going back to study law as a middle-aged student, human connection is so important. I told Phyllida I would see her in September, the rest, as they say, is history.”
What was your favourite module and why?
“I did both my MA Law (Conversion) and my BPC with the University and several modules were particularly impactful for me. My favourite module on the master’s ended up being my dissertation on criminal sentencing. My dissertation supervisor, Lynn Kershaw, was exceptional, and she had also been my teacher for Criminal Law.
I thought I was going to be completing a dissertation on sexual offences perpetrated against women; however, after self-directed court observation of an entire trial for historical sexual abuse offences, I changed course. It was eye-opening at times, and distressing to hear the evidence, but its impact was significant enough to cause me to change direction midway through.
Lynn had been concerned I was running out of time to be able to research the necessary material and then write the dissertation itself. I advanced my argument for changing direction, and she gave me her support and encouragement.
I became relentless in the pursuit of my chosen topic, and there were times I felt like I couldn't breathe when reading relevant information. However, the fire within me kept me going, and I lived in the library from morning until night. I created a substantive piece, and the day my results came through, I had achieved a distinction.”
How was your time at The University of Law?
“My overall experience at The University of Law, if I were asked to say it in just one word, would be ‘transformative’.
I believe our experiences in life tend to be dictated, shaped and then solidified by our ever-growing internal dialogue. How have we embraced or disengaged from an opportunity? What has our mindset been? What attitude did we adopt going in?
At the end of my first week, I thought I'd made a huge mistake. It had been years since I had engaged in study. I felt like I couldn't even get my head around the computer system to access my modules, let alone do all the studying that was required of me. I told my husband I had made a mistake; however, he was not about to let me give up. I spoke up, I got advice, and I got the support needed.
I tried to always live my time at the University with an attitude of gratitude. I was getting to study an amazing subject in order that I could pursue my dream. How could I be anything other than immensely grateful.
I was in awe of the students I studied alongside. Most were in their early 20s, and they were so smart and articulate with their arguments and views. It challenged me, strengthened me and developed me. I loved the time I had with them. Far from feeling like an outsider, I felt valued for who I was.
The icing on the cake was getting to deliver the ‘Student Vote of Thanks’ at my MA Law graduation ceremony. I was 30 minutes from an exam when the email came asking me. I was so excited I said yes, before later realising I would be speaking to around 1500 people at the Barbican. What a thrill it was, too.”
What advice would you offer to law graduates?
“Embrace and have fun with your life.
My father always said that work should feel like play. We spend so much of our time in the workplace and life doesn't work in a linear way. Oscillation between advancement, slipping back, feeling stagnant and then making big leaps forward happen. It's also OK to not be OK. Spend time thinking about who you really are and what you want your professional life to look like.
Don't give up if and when you receive rejections, because most likely you are going to face several. Resist fiercely the temptation to spiral, criticise yourself or to believe that in any way you are not good enough, and reframe how you read the rejection.
Be authentically you, gain practical experience and maintain your independent thought and integrity. Let your hidden reputation be a good one and be someone known before their arrival for all the right reasons. Boundaries keep the wrong things out; they should also be gateways to let the right opportunities in, so make space when they appear.
Be generous in word, thought and deed. Not beyond your capacity, but give freely, and you will always find help when you need it.”
How has your return to education shaped your career?
“Going back to university was so much more than simply turning up to workshops and engaging in the learning model used by The University of Law. The advice I received from the teaching faculty in various areas, career direction pathways, exterior opportunities, the learning support available, etc., holistically, the University helped to shape my career because it was more than just a learning environment; it was an environment where I could apply what was being learned.
In my first year studying the master’s, I attended an audition for students wanting to compete in various mooting competitions. I had no idea what mooting was, and a very kind student, Claire Gellar, took the time to take me through what would be required.
To be honest, I wanted to have a go because I felt so overwhelmed by the academic study, I wanted an outlet where I could be more creative. When I learned I had been selected to compete in the Dublin international moot, held at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin, I was thrilled.
My future Criminal Litigation tutor, Emma Downing, was the judge of a cross-examination competition. Whilst I was not a BPC student at the time, she still took the time to give me constructive feedback on improving my skills for the future. Studying the BPC itself, I embraced the opportunities to practise my advocacy skills and, as the University had a mock courtroom within the building, I always welcomed the opportunity to practice advocacy.
Every lesson, workshop and external opportunity stacked relevant experiences, and they were all things that would help me shape my future self, ready for my career.”
Tell us about your role within the probation service
“Prior to my return to education I worked in support advocacy for a very long time. Supporting clients with multiple complex needs, many had criminal records, and several would go in and out of prison regularly.
The Probation Service interests me because, whilst prison is the punitive element for crimes committed, probation focuses on the rehabilitation of the offender to prevent or reduce reoffending.
Having only recently joined the Pre-release Team, there is much to learn; however, I have already seen the importance of the role in terms of assessing risk for those in custody. Their vulnerability, housing and financial instability on exit, their catastrophic thinking and often very negative mindset can all spiral when they are imprisoned.
Trying to provide workable solutions and letting them know their past crimes and decisions do not have to dictate their future is a powerful narrative to advance. Directing them to available services on exit, who can help them engage with a meaningful future, provides the opportunity to engage one-on-one with inmates every single day.
Prisoners are still people, and hearing their frustrations, fears and often very honest reasons for behaving as they do, provides enormous insight. Some have supported families and others have lost everything.
Institutionalisation can feel like a security blanket. In terms of a training ground for future life as a barrister, the experience is invaluable. It is practical and professional experience that cannot be taught from reading a textbook or found within the practical elements of the BPC.”
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