Published on 14 July 2017
An “exceptional” young woman from County Durham has been named one of the top law students in the region.
Emma Wood, 21, has been awarded the Morton’s Solicitors Prize for her Outstanding Achievement in Law after graduating from the University of Sunderland with a First Class degree this week.
She said: “I was over the moon to find out I had won the Morton’s Solicitors Prize.
“I have absolutely loved my time at Sunderland, I have made so many fantastic friends, particularly through taking part in the Sunderland Student Law Clinic.”
The Sunderland Law Clinic, based at the University’s Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s, is a unique innovation which operates like an ordinary solicitor’s practice. Law students offer free and professional legal advice, focusing on areas where people may find it difficult to find or afford other legal services, shadowed by experienced solicitors.
“The lecturers are truly excellent,” added Emma, from Horden in County Durham. “They have an open door policy, and have given me a huge amount of support and encouragement. I wish I could do it all over again and I would highly recommend Sunderland to anybody considering doing a law degree.”
Dr Ben Middleton, Head of Law at the University of Sunderland, said: “Emma is a worthy winner of the Morton’s award and has performed exceptionally across her law degree. Her top first class marks are a testament to her hard work, commitment and ability.
“The University and Morton’s Solicitors have built a strong partnership over the years. Involvement of leading law firms in our courses is critical and is a large factor in our outstanding graduate employment statistics.”
Last year almost 80% of Law graduates from the University of Sunderland were in graduate level employment or further study within six months of graduation.
The University of Sunderland’s Graduation Ceremonies are estimated to bring £1 million annually to the region and are attended by over 11,000 students, family,
friends and supporters.