Dundee law student overcomes years of adversity to achieve First

Katherine Wade always dreamed of being a lawyer, but when she was 13 years-old she was diagnosed with severe epilepsy and had to take a year out of school until her doctors were able to find the right medication to stabilise her condition.

Less than a year later she was also diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Already suffering, Katherine’s life was once again thrown into turmoil as her father passed away when she was 15 years-old.

She said: “It wasn’t the best three years, everything was shaky and my results suffered. The advice I received at the time was to lower my expectations, maybe try something else, but both of my parents were lawyers and I had grown up working out legal problems with them.

“Even my mum was apprehensive about me coming to Dundee because of how tough it is to get into law but I never wanted to do anything else and I’m so glad I went through with it.”

Throughout her studies, Katherine had her fair share of health scares but it was, she says, the University staff that really helped her feel safe and protected.

“Trying to balance my studies with my epilepsy and diabetes wasn’t easy, but the support I received from my tutors and the Disability Services team was so helpful. They made it easier for me to explore what worked for me,” she explained.

“You get the attention you need at the University of Dundee. My lecturers, in particular, have been so invaluable in helping me throughout my time here.”

Katherine will collect her dual qualifying LLB today before progressing to the Diploma and then a traineeship at Clyde & Co in Glasgow.