Scottish student revealed as Future Legal Mind winner 2022

Syed Adil

Mr Adil will be awarded £1,500, which will go towards his studies as well as mentoring with experienced lawyers. He will also be given the opportunity to complete a work experience placement at National Accident Helpline’s law firm, National Accident Law.

He is currently studying for a degree in Scots and English law, with European legal studies, at the University of Aberdeen. He hopes to pursue a master’s degree and be called to the Scottish and English bars, developing a career as a cross-border advocate.

This year, the competition was split into two categories: undergraduate and postgraduate. Mr Adil was awarded the undergraduate prize, while Matthew Johnson, who is studying at Oxford Brookes for the GDL, was awarded the postgraduate prize.

The competition was judged by National Accident Helpline, with the panel made up of John Kushnick, legal operations director, Jonathan White, legal and compliance director, and Helen Fairhurst, marketing director.

Mr Kushnick said: “Syed presented in a calm and caring way, having prepared a thorough and excellently referenced essay. What made him stand out was his passion for law, as amply evidenced by his extensive extra-curricular activities. A very impressive candidate indeed.”

Mr White commented: “Syed’s entry stood out for me because of the current relevance of the topic in view of recent, well-publicised events. He articulately set out his concerns about the government exceeding its authority following Brexit and the essay was brilliantly researched and extensively referenced.”

As part of the competition, students were invited to submit their thoughts on two topics. These were ‘Now that the UK has officially left the EU, what legal changes would you recommend making over the next 10 years?’ and ‘Is the UK court system fit for purpose and what role should other, alternative forms of dispute resolution play?’.

Shortlisted students were then required to send a short recording of why they deserve to be named the winner.

Mr White added: “We believe it’s crucial for the legal sector to evolve in a way that inspires the next generation to build their careers in law - that’s why we continue to run Future Legal Mind.

“We look forward to continuing to support and champion Syed and Matthew in their careers over the years ahead, as well as seeing what the competition will bring in 2023.”