Edinburgh Napier University

Why did you study law at Edinburgh Napier?

“My priority at university was to study a course that had a defined career path at the end. I wanted certainty and a clear route to follow, however that wasn’t what I ended up with. 

“At school I was interested in medicine and science and originally pursued an Applied Biomedical Science degree. However, I found this quite dull and wanted to switch to something else. I always loved reading, which might sound like a weird reason to choose law, but I figured there would be a lot of reading involved in the programme. Plus, I thought it would make an interesting subject and it also met my requirements for a defined career path.

Can you describe your career journey?

“I worked in various roles prior to and after graduation, bouncing around trying to find something that was the right fit. As a student I realised that a career in law was not something I wanted to pursue after graduation. I attended events such as Student Futures’ Alternative Careers in Law to get advice and inspiration, however I still felt lost. Although, someone from my current workplace, CMA, spoke at the session so something clearly stuck with me!

“After graduating in 2020 I did follow the traditional law career path for a while, but that was more out of necessity. I finished my studies at the peak of Covid and was unsure of where to look for a job. Looking back, I should have taken more time to explore this but instead I chose to undertake a diploma in professional legal practice. This forced me to go down the solicitor traineeship career path, despite my original rejection.

“Whilst searching for traineeship opportunities I joined the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service as a Jury Minder. It was an interesting job, but my main goal was to use this to gain experience and build connections which could hopefully lead to a traineeship. 

“I eventually found my traineeship through LinkedIn. A lawyer advertised a week’s work experience at their office. After interviewing, they offered me a position as a legal clerk, which turned into a traineeship offer. 

“I didn’t have a good experience and that really put me off pursuing a traineeship at another firm. Instead, I changed my approach and applied for numerous graduate positions instead. The graduate scheme process is a long one and I took on a temporary HR role whilst I waited on responses. In September 2022 I was delighted to join the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)’s graduate scheme.”

Please tell us more about your role at CMA.

“CMA is the UK’s competition regular which prevents anti-competitive activities and promotes a competitive business marketplace.

“On the graduate scheme you complete three one-year rotations, and I am currently on my second rotation. So far at CMA I have been introduced to consumer enforcement, mergers and markets and I am currently assisting in a market study. My responsibilities are varied but the main job is to support the case team. This can involve a lot of admin work in certain departments, but it can also involve evidence gathering, analysis, drafting, and stakeholder engagement.”

What do you like most about your job?

“When I started at CMA I worked in consumer enforcement and that is when it clicked for me that I have always found work stimulating when it directly benefits others, particularly vulnerable people. I love the work of the CMA and think it is great to work at a higher level where you may not see such a direct person-on-person impact, but you can see a much larger scale and wider impact. 

“I also enjoy the variety of the work I have been involved in and the ability to get involved in corporate projects outside my core role. I co-led the 2024 graduate scheme recruitment; I have gotten involved in lots of outreach work and in the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion work strands. I have also arranged events for the Women’s Network.”