Alumni Interviews: Something A Bit Different

Get a snapshot of what some of our alumni have been getting up to via this selection of video interviews. Originally filmed for Lawbore Future Lawyer, we're sharing them on Learnmore too!

These demonstrate how following a traditional law path to solicitor or barrister isn't for everyone...

Hear from Thomas Mogford,

Thomas Mogford

Thomas Mogford published his first novel, The Shadow of the Rock, in August of this year. Described by The Times as 'evocative, engrossing and entertaining', Mogford's work has also been praised by the great Susan Hill as 'original, pacey, a great writing debut'. This crime thriller is based in Gibraltar where the book's central character tax lawyer Spike Sanguinetti gets embroiled in a murder case whilst trying to save the accused, old friend Solomon.

Thomas has worked for many years as a translator, both for the European Parliament and the UEFA Champions League and completed his CPE (now the GDL) at City between 2003-2004. It's fantastic to see his first book doing so well (I'm reading it at the moment...) and for anyone who gets hooked, the next one Sign of The Cross, will be out next year.

Tom has been hugely in demand, with recent interviews on JazzFM and Radio 4's Front Row, you can read other interviews via Crime Always Pays and the website of Canadian writer Ethan Jones. Tom writes about the challenges of being the writer of a new crime series on Crime Time. Lots of reviews online by bloggers: It's a Crime!, Criminal Element. Follow Tom on Twitter for Spike news!

Craig Robinson

Craig's interview is wide-ranging; offering Future Lawyer readers an insight into how Craig's career in law has panned out, from his experience of studying at City, becoming a commercial lawyer, right through to his current role as author of The Ultimate Guide to Training Contract Success and creator of The Ultimate Law Guide website.

Craig has developed The Ultimate Law Guide to help students sketch their path out to a training contract - his website offers the following snapshot of his mission:

We are a team of qualified solicitors, who were the first in our families to go to university and come from backgrounds not traditionally associated with law. We beat all the odds to achieve our ambitions of becoming lawyers at leading law firms, and now want to give back - by helping to inspire the next generation of talented students to get-ahead and successfully forge careers in law.

Hot content in this interview includes Craig's tips for training contract interview, the most difficult question he's been asked at interview and some thoughts on demonstrating commercial awareness successfully.

Ben Challis

Ben Challis, an entertainment lawyer and City alumnus, tells us how he made it into the field, about his current and most recent roles (one of 2 lawyers for the Glastonbury Festival, lecturer in law, specialist in live events and television, General Counsel for 3A Entertainments AND editor for the great Music Law Updates). A pretty inspiring guy.

Julia Hicks

Julia is a Classics graduate, who then came to City for her GDL and LPC courses. The video was recorded just before she took up her post as a trainee solicitor at Kingsley Napier, and it covers training contract interview tips as well as her insights into surviving the academic and professional legal training.