A further opportunity which you might consider in the second year is the one year placement programme operated by the School with local law firms. Students who are successful in applying for this programme have the opportunity to work in a law firm and gain valuable experience for just under one year, before going on to level three of the undergraduate programme. The application process begins in January. Look out for information about this or contact the School careers and employability officer (Dr Jon Howden-Evans), or the Administrator        (Trish Rees).

Moreover, in conjunction with local criminal justice agencies, Swansea University Law School offers a number of exciting opportunities for students who have completed the criminal law module during level 2 of their degree. These are:

• Mini-pupillages at Iscoed Chambers.  A leading and long established set of chambers with a large client base, Iscoed was the first Chambers in Wales to be awarded the Legal Service Commission’s Quality Mark for the Bar. The Chambers has an extremely strong team criminal law team, consisting of 28 members.

• Swansea Crown Prosecution Service Work Placements. These placements, which include the opportunity to accompany a caseworker to Swansea Magistrates’ Court and Swansea Crown Court and an introduction to the work of the Witness Care Unit, offer an insight into the work of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the context in which the CPS operates.

• Swansea Crown Court Work Placements. These placements offer students the opportunity to follow a case as it makes its way through the Crown Court. During the placement students will spend time with the Court Manager, the Office Manager, the Listing Officer, the Case Progression Officer, the Court Clerk Manager, the Jury Manager, Judges and members of the Probation Service. By showing how a juror, a witness, a judge and an administrator view the same case, these placements demonstrate the varying roles of the many different agencies operating in the criminal justice process.

• Swansea Witness Service Volunteer Scheme. The Witness Service in Swansea Crown Court has been in operation since 1994. It was set up to offer practical and emotional support to all witnesses attending court. The Service accepts a small number of students to join its team as trained volunteers.