If you are an alumnus and would like your story to be featured here, contact lawmarketing@qmul.ac.uk.
Alumni profile - Sheba Remy Kharbanda 2 August 2022
(Law and Politics BA, 2001)
I arrived in the US right after 9/11 so my work with Amnesty was documenting the stories of people caught up in the post-9/11 Patriot Act sweeps. These people were largely South Asian, which threw me into a really confusing space. I knew the stories of my family, I knew my dad and grandparents were refugees, that my mum was in the generation that settled Southall and put it on the map in terms of immigrant towns in London. But it wasn’t my story, it was an inherited story.
Alumni profile - Ethan Fraenkel 12 April 2022
(Law and Politics BA, 2019)
Ethan is an entrepreneur who launched ProGrad with fellow Queen Mary alumnus Marco Logiudice (Economics, Finance and Management BSc, 2019) in 2021. Their aim is to make credit accessible and easy to understand for young people and students.
Alumni profile - Christine Ohuruogu 8 March 2022
(Law LLB, 2019)
Winning the Olympic Gold is probably the highest thing to achieve on the totem pole of achievements but I try to not see it as 'career highs' as such. As every medal has its own story. It’s nice to have a career which is like an adventure where, you just have a real combination and mix of different things that have happened, be it good or bad.
Alumni profile - Vidette Adjorlolo 1 March 2022
(Law and European Law LLB, 2017)
As an entrepreneur starting my business, this is probably the brokest I've ever been, but it feels like I've exchanged the money I was earning for a very different quality of life where I have more freedom of my time and I have ownership of what I'm building. I create things that I enjoy creating and I get to work with people I really like.
Alumni profile - Judge John Russell Finch OBE 14 December 2021
(Law LLB, 1971)
The then Bailiff nominated me [for an OBE] in 2017, not wanting it to appear as a retirement gift. I got it at the Palace from HM the Queen, in a very pleasant ceremony. There are not many spaces on the Channel Island list, so I was fortunate. It is a comfort to me that Anne was able to watch a DVD of the investiture and Tom also attended in person. The arrangements are excellent, you and your guests are made most welcome and put at your ease. It is not an occasion to have your trousers fall down! The only big regret is that neither of my parents were alive to see it.
Alumni profile - Rida Hussain 28 November 2021
(Law LLB, 2018)
What I love about MYH is that it gives the Muslim youth the opportunity to receive judgment-free advice on issues they may face. The fact that the helpline is confidential helps to empower younger Muslims in getting the help that they would perhaps otherwise not be comfortable seeking. For this reason I see MYH as providing an essential service to our community and am honoured to be part of such an amazing organisation.
Alumni profile - Yasmin Hoque 22 November 2021
(Law LLB, 2005)
As I got older, I felt that being in a profession was essential to provide a voice to minority groups and underrepresented members of society. However, I was the eldest and no one before me in our family had been to university
Alumni profile - Hussain Syed 15 November 2021
(Law with History LLB, 2020)
Islamophobia Awareness Month is a fantastic opportunity for the Muslim community to educate the wider community about the impact of Islamophobic hate crime and discrimination on British Muslims in the UK. I urge everyone reading this post to take time this month to read through some of MEND’s resources on Islamophobia or speak to their Muslim friends and colleagues about Islamophobia.
Alumni profile - Tolu Ojo-Williams 5 October 2021
(Law LLB, 2016)
In a world edging towards polarising extremes, recalling history is crucial to remind us of times past which mirror contemporary times, in order for the global community to avoid making the same errors as before. So, for me Black History Month is an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come as a society, celebrating the growth and freedom that has been claimed through that journey, and amplifying the voices of those who continue to win victories for us in their everyday lives. Black History Month is an intentional time to appreciate and educate each other.
Alumni profile - Kelvin Wong 14 September 2021
(Law LLB, 2013)
Having served as the Malaysian alumni ambassador for the past 7 years, I have grown a passion for helping prospective students in understanding Queen Mary better and connecting alumni for career opportunities. I understand the importance of networking and I am dedicated to help my fellow alumni and students to network with each other.
Alumni profile - Iria Giuffrida 27 July 2021
(English and European Law LLB, 2001; Law PhD, 2009)
Some people are very clear from early on that they are going to be lawyers – I was not one of them. Law was a means to an end; I like structure, and I’ve always liked solving problems, although I would be lying if I said I was aware of it at the time. It just felt like the kind of degree that trains you for ‘the real world’. Whether you want to be a lawyer or not, studying Law teaches you a rigorous way of thinking, of questioning things, of trying to build logical arguments, which can serve you well whatever career you pursue.
Alumni profile - Hilary Stewart-Jones 22 June 2021
(Law LLB, 1982)
I began my knowledge and interest in the gambling sector whilst at Ladbrokes which at that time ran betting shops, casinos and racetracks across multiple jurisdictions. The industry is unique; it is highly regulated but is evolving and inventive.
Alumni profile - Fran Ridout 25 May 2021
(Law LLB, 2006)
Professor Nigel Spencer from Queen Mary, two other co-collaborators from outside Queen Mary, and I got together to make a podcast about legal careers. The whole idea is about diversity and democratising knowledge about the industry. We want an individual who doesn’t have a family member or family friend in Law to have as many insights into the profession as someone who does. We have episodes on different topics which might interest our listeners.
Alumni profile - Siti Kasim 23 March 2021
(Law LLB, 1995)
When I first came back to Malaysia in 2004, I had no idea about the existence of our indigenous people. This subject is not taught in our schools. No one talks about them. I joined the Human Rights Committee under the Bar Council in 2007 and that’s when I realised there are many human rights issues in Malaysia. I started visiting the villages of the Orang Asli, which is the word for the peninsula indigenous people, and I learnt about the issues, and I saw who they are.
Alumni profile - Aysel Küçüksu 18 March 2021
Studying at Queen Mary certainly had a lot to do with where I am now. It was a fantastic experience for me both socially and intellectually. I met many people from all over the world, with whom I still keep in touch, and my professors were incredible.
Student profile - Liam Langlois 25 February 2021
(Law LLB, 2021)
Queer individuals have been and are virtually present in every instance of society. Acknowledging their past and future contributions is fundamental firstly because they play a role in innovations and progress just like anyone else and because gender and sexual orientations only constitute a part of their identities.
Alumni profile - Kerri Dixon-Jones 18 February 2021
Although Mental Health Law is a world away from the type of work I do now, that role was fundamental in teaching me about people and hard work and I am forever grateful for my manager Kate for her mentorship and friendship. It was the training Kate gave me that has made me successful in each role I have had since.
Alumni profile - Abby Crawford 7 February 2021
(Law LLB, 2012)
I grew up with such limited information about the history of the LGBTQ+ community, and I wasn’t ever given the opportunity to learn about the impact and contributions of LGBTQ+ people at school. If we don’t include LGBTQ+ people in our shared history, it essentially erases people from the narrative, and this sends such a strong message to young people that ‘people like you don’t matter’.
Alumni profile - Fahmida Ashiq 11 January 2021
(Law LLB, 2003)
Fahmida Ashiq shares her journey from working as a lawyer to being a full-time artist, receiving commissions from royal families, working with interior designers and the wider impact she aims to have on the world.
Alumni profile - Laura James 10 December 2020
I had the benefit of completing a bachelor's degree at a Canadian University, and my experiences prior to law school fostered my desire to study law. I like to learn, and becoming a lawyer means that I will never stop learning.
Alumni profile - Sarah Cove 7 October 2020
I knew I wanted to become a lawyer when I was 12 and therefore when I looked into degrees later on the LLB was the degree for me. I love London and the East End so Queen Mary was the obvious choice but also the modules at Queen Mary were really interesting.
Alumni profile - Tony Goldsmith 15 September 2020
Tony Goldsmith talks about his career, from his time as a deck officer with Ocean Fleets, leaving the sea to study Law at Queen Mary and qualifying as a solicitor, becoming a partner at the firm, to setting up Hill Dickinson's first office in Asia, and then returning to London to take over as business group leader.
Alumni profile - Kamran Khan 14 July 2020
No one day as a pupil barrister is ever the same. Each case has its own nuances, and the job requires you to absorb a large volume of information in a short space of time and be able to apply it in your client’s best interests.
Alumni profile - Ololade Adesanya 7 July 2020
I’m a Director at EY and the Wealth and Asset Management sector lead for internal audit. As an auditor, my role is to protect the assets of financial institutions by providing assurance that they have sound governance, processes and controls in place.
Alumni profile - Constance Kratsa 2 July 2020
Constance studied Law and Economics at Queen Mary, graduating in 2006, and went on to earn an MBA from the University of Oxford. She now works as Head of Marketing (EMEA Travel Retail) for a premium beauty brand. Here, she shares her experience of studying at Queen Mary and how it helped her discover an interest in the business world.
Alumni profile - May Poon 16 June 2020
I completed my training contract in Hong Kong and I am now Hong Kong qualified and working in Hong Kong. I never thought I would end up as a solicitor and working in Hong Kong too but I am really happy that it turned out this way!
Alumni profile - Shivani Reddy 10 May 2020
(English and European Law LLB, 2003)
At Fairtrade, I worked on a wide range of issues (fairer prices for banana farmers; public-private partnerships; gender equality in agricultural supply chains; Sustainable Development Goals; modern slavery; post-Brexit trade policy…). After almost four years, I decided that I wanted to see if I could make an impact on people’s lives from inside a large company so I moved to Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP).
Alumni profile - Niva Thiruchelvam 1 November 2019
As a civil servant for HM Treasury, it's really motivating to work on issues knowing that the solution can have a positive impact on millions of people’s lives - I'm currently working on tackling climate change!