Iona Bonaventura was awarded the Lord President Cooper Memorial Prize Scholarship, the law school’s top prize, given to “an Honours student of outstanding distinction on completion of his or her law degree”.

She was also awarded the Sir William Darling Memorial Prize, given to a student who “by example, scholarship or pre-eminence in sport has done most to advance or enhance the reputation of the university.”

Ms Bonaventura was awarded the prize for her involvement not just in the law school community as president of the Law Students’ Council and participant in the LawPALS scheme, but also in the wider community through her volunteer work with the Ethnic Minorities Law Centre.

She said: “It is an immense privilege to receive this recognition from the University. Both awards represent four years of extremely hard work which would not have been possible without the support of my professors and fellow students.

“Becoming part of the academic community at Edinburgh Law School has been a life changing experience. I feel very fortunate to have spent my time here surrounded by people who are genuinely committed to making a positive impact through research and education. I hope that the work behind these awards can contribute in some way to this community which has already given me so much.”

Click here for a video of Iona talking about her experience studying for the LLB