[upbeat drum music plays]
So, year one - what did you enjoy the most, Dominica?
- I think for me what stood out was
the justice syndicate trial that we did at the beginning.
So we were kind of put as jury
and we were faced with this case.
I think there were several groups,
and every jury group came up with a different kind of decision.
- You kind of got an understanding of the responsibility
that is on each member of the jury to make such a decision, to hear this evidence
and to kind of weigh up whether or not you thought the person was guilty.
- (Dimitrios): Then we also did the mock trial at the Royal Courts of Justice,
playing different roles from barrister to judge to usher.
- That was really fantastic, I remember walking into the courtroom and it's massive and majestic,
and I want to be a barrister, so I was naturally - was the position, I think I was prosecuting.
So it felt really empowering, actually,
to stand in the benches and to prepare the case with my counsel
and to confer with the solicitors.
So how have you found being the head of your own law department at Goldsmiths?
- Intellectually, incredibly stimulating, to start something new
in a prestigious, distinctive part of the University of London where human rights, social justice, the humanities - they are what we do.
So my research, my work, my public engagement work has always revolved around that area.
And the same applies, I mean we are very proud about the range of expertise that we have.
- I was really really excited to see Professor Leslie Thomas QC joining us, visiting Professor.
I - he's a personal hero of mine,
as a barrister with dreadlocks, it's - you know it makes a big difference to see someone that looks like you,
who has been in those areas that other people don't necessarily want to get into,
he's there doing this incredibly important racial justice work.
It's really great to have professionals, particularly barristers, because that's what I want to be.
- So the programme is very much intent
to put you in a position where you can pursue your dreams:
become a barrister, a solicitor, work in legal journalism, in policymaking, in an NGO.
So I know that you're going to a school-exclusion project – are you looking forward to that, Dominica?
- Yeah I am, I'm really looking forward to that.
Obviously these opportunities are so valuable because, you know, you get to practise what you're reading.
- (Dimitrios): So you will be intervening, you will be supporting students that are either facing exclusion
or the risk of exclusion, or they have already been subjected to exclusion from school.
- It's giving back to the community as well and how important that is,
and making the law available even to people that can't afford it,
so yeah I think that's really important, that's definitely something I'll take with me in the future.
- You know how we embed as part of contact time, all these professional activities:
the field trips, the study trips, working with our visiting professors.
- We had a moot the other day, didn't we, with the land law
and I remember I was super nervous for it,
but it came down to it and kind of,
being able to use all of that research that you've done and put it into practise, it really helps.
- (Fabian): Throughout the year and a half that's been going on,
there have been several opportunities for me to hone those skills required as a barrister.
- So it doesn't depend on the individual in way that joins the school,
they know that when they join Goldsmiths
you know, this is part of the culture, this is what we do here,
and that applies both to our academics and students,
these professional activities, this continuous approach to integrate theory and practice,
is absolutely central to the programme.