Emily Hocken

Current Employer/Organisation Name

Stevens & Bolton LLP

What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?

I studied the GDL at the University of Law in Guildford, followed by the LPC MSc in Law and Business. I am now a trainee solicitor in a corporate/commercial firm in Guildford.

Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?

I chose this career because I wanted to do something business-focused following my English degree. I also wanted to do a job where I was solving problems for other people. Working as a solicitor means you get to provide clients with solid answers as to what they can/can’t do according to the law, but you also get to advise which options might be the most commercially viable for the client.

What did you enjoy most about studying here?

I loved the course – there were so many modules to choose from. I also loved the campus and the city itself.

Why did you choose to study at Exeter?

The campus is beautiful and modern. The teachers/students all seemed very passionate about the course.

What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?

Debating Society, Amnesty International Society and FemSoc have all been very useful in developing my own opinions on topics of enormous controversy. This is something to engage in early if you want to go into a legal career as everyone has a different opinion! It also really helped my commercial awareness.

What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?

Rather than just knowing why you want to do law, try and SHOW how you want to do law in your work experience. Do lots of different things but demonstrate what you learned from each one and show how they have all led you to the decision to go into law.

What are your plans for the future?

I intend to qualify and remain at the firm I am at for a while.