Originally working in administration, Colinette Hazel, driven by her commitment to justice, took a brave step into the world of law. Having successfully achieved a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL), she shares her experiences as a career changer, in hope of inspiring students also in the same pursuit.
By April Baniqued. Published 25 June 2025.
By my mid-20s, I was headhunted to work as Executive Assistant (EA) to a Vice-Chancellor at a well-known university, then as EA and Office Manager at another. I gained valuable experience and knowledge, but as time passed, I came to understand the kind of work I truly wanted to pursue and what was most important to me.
I knew I wanted a career change into law when the Post Office Horizon (POH) scandal hit the headlines. I was so engrossed in the case that I found myself pacing up and down a (moving) canal boat while on holiday, trying to stream the hearings. Cases like the POH scandal and reading about civil and criminal judgments have changed how I think about responsibility, accountability, fairness and the overall legal system. It made me realise how systems can break down, even when they’re meant to protect people. It’s so important for decision-making to be unbiased and transparent, and for structures to be in place to ensure things don’t fall through the cracks - but sadly, this isn’t always the case. That realisation motivated me to finally pursue a career as a solicitor.
Law has always been out of reach because of the cost of law school. My family made every effort to support me and my siblings, and I was lucky to secure full-time and part-time employment alongside my former degrees. However, my priority was to secure immediate, full-time employment after graduating, which meant I wasn’t in a position to pursue unpaid work or join the chase for competitive graduate roles. Now with more life experience and savings, I'm better placed to try law.
I’ve worked at four big-name universities and was a student at two - no university is perfect, and after extensive research, The University of Law was the law school for me. A key reason was that the Scholarship Team saw potential in me. I was awarded the postgraduate Career Changer Scholarship. Most students can pursue the LLM/MA through Student Finance England, but you may not be eligible if you already hold a master’s degree. Without the scholarship, I would not have been able to study the PGDL. The University has helped me conquer the first of many financial barriers that come with a legal career, for which I will always remain grateful.
Receiving financial support can sometimes create additional pressure, but it’s also incredibly motivating. I remember exactly why I wanted to retrain as a lawyer. That being said, trying to juggle everything has triggered fleeting thoughts. I could be a mountain guide, taking llamas and alpacas on walks (this is totally a thing) or running the sound desk at a live gig. Then I remember how much the PGDL would have cost, so I stop faffing around, bite into my beloved Yorkie and Picnic bars, swallow the existential crisis and dive back into the books. If you too are considering a scholarship, the first step is to apply for your degree and, depending on the scholarship, you’d complete verbal and numerical reasoning tests and/or submit a 1000-word answer.
I also believe that choosing a law school is not just about rankings and academics. What matters is the overall support to enter the already saturated legal field. The University has award-winning pro bono programmes and available support from the Employability Team. From my experience, they have lived up to this status, having greatly aided my career transition.
In terms of the Pro Bono Service, conversations with the team (especially Amanda, Vicki, Alice and Cheryl) and the volunteer solicitors provided helpful insights. Whether this be about their legal journey, life at their law firm and the work within their specific legal fields. There are many pro bono opportunities available, varying by campus. I participated in several one-off, ad-hoc clinics lasting one to four hours including being a triage student and observer with the Small Business Advice Line and Family Advice Midlands clinics. Throughout my pro bono experience, I received high-quality training from the pro bono coordinators and supervising solicitors.
The Employability Team is also brilliant. You can schedule appointments to discuss your CV, career trajectory, find legal employment and practice for interviews. Rachel Vacalopoulos and Kirsty Stanway were particularly helpful in my journey. As a career changer, I’ve found that looking for employment requires a different approach. They both offered uplifting, wise words tailored to my situation. It’s a challenge but after speaking to them several times and applying their advice, I feel more optimistic going forward. It’s reassuring to know some firms actually value the unique perspective that career changers bring.
I’ve also enjoyed career talks where current staff and guest speakers share their legal journey. Some have transitioned to in-house roles, others remained in private practice and a few shifted to academia.
Other services I’ve made use of include Student Support. Dan Lovesey went the extra mile to ensure that my observations, along with those of other students, were recognised. By ensuring that all reasonable adjustments were made, we were able to give our full attention to the exams.
Rosemary Jones from the Library and Learning Skills Service took time and effort to explain in detail how I should organise and present my answers to fit law school standards. My past educational and professional experiences weren’t quite relevant because law school is an entirely different beast.
My lecturers were great, but I wish to name-drop Gemma Tattersall, Dan O’Boyle, Matthew Beecham and Anne Dyne. I studied online because I was living between cities and spent some time overseas, so the flexibility suited my situation. The PGDL involves a significant amount of self-study and can occasionally feel isolating, particularly when conducted online; I appreciate that my lecturers are always just an email away.
If you are thinking of taking the PGDL (or MA Law) full-time, the University is not exaggerating when it says you will be studying “40+ hours a week”. If you’re in a similar situation as me, make sure to carefully manage your working hours so it doesn’t jeopardise your studies. When it comes to social life, I turned down various social activities, thinking I must study, study, study - but you must take care of yourself. I studied until my brain couldn’t absorb any more information and became unproductive. I chose to take that hike, attend that gig and head to the movies. It all helps.
There are also training contracts (TCs) and vacation schemes (VS) to consider, which can require significant time commitment. The process includes firm research, open evenings, a multitude of pre-screening tests (hello again GCSE maths) and carefully tailored applications. It’s all topped off with an additional three to five-stage assessments. Every step of the process, whether it's writing applications, sitting pre-recorded interviews or participating in assessment days, teaches you valuable lessons.
Each cycle lasts eight to ten months, so remember to mentally prepare yourself for the long process.
What’s kept me going are the stories and uplifting words of others:
- “Rejection is redirection.”
- “The rejection is not a reflection on you or your ability.”
- “I thought I had to apply to specific firms to be successful but that’s far from the truth.”
- “Securing a TC during your first application round is very rare. Feedback from the assessment centre helped with my other applications.”
- “It took me [four / five / six] years to land a TC. Do not give up.”
- “Someone must have dropped out because the firm contacted me some time after offering me the VS. I converted it to a TC and later qualified there.”
For those deciding on a career, remember, don’t go into it “for the money”, because money and job titles alone don’t bring true happiness or purpose - I’ve been there. Also, remember that we all must (re)start somewhere. The profession will challenge you in ways you never thought of. There’s no ‘one way’ or specified timeline to qualify, so keep an open mind.
Finally, you may question yourself at times. From my own experience, when I told my family and friends that I was changing careers to law, some laughed at the thought whilst others said it was “too late”. I also received genuine well wishes, and one, in good faith, asked, “How long will that take?”. I said naively, “Two or three years”. I knew it would be hard, but honestly, I underestimated the extent of the challenge. If you’ve been out of education for a fair while and find yourself thinking, ‘How can I compete with all these bright undergraduates?’, I can assure you that they’re thinking the same about the experience you bring to the table. I know this because I spoke to a few of them after the assessment centres. We had a good laugh about it. Yes, I was often the oldest in the room but I also know at least four solicitors who qualified in their late 30s and 40s. The Law Society has even published that the average age to qualify is 30. So no, it’s not too late. You’re not too old. You’re right where you need to be.
I sincerely hope that sharing my journey and all the things I wish someone had told me will provide you with help or inspiration as you embark on your own legal journey. Good luck!
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