Whilst the Easter weekend is a time to indulge in chocolate, for Strathclyde law students, it also means the impending exams. To help students prepare for these exams, the Comms team have shared some exam tips to help them get through the final academic push.

1. The relative test – Legal concepts can be extremely complex. To ensure that you have truly understood them, try explaining them to someone who isn’t well-versed in law. A relative or roommate will tend to ask questions. If you can answer these, you truly understand the concepts.
2. Focusing revision – Examiners are looking for critical analysis, and thus, in essay questions, the papers tend to be focused on specific academic debates in that area of law. Look through your notes for these points of debate as these will likely come up.
3. Definitions and spelling – Learn key definitions and spelling! Key terminology is very important which can be very difficult with Latin or similar words. No one wants to mess up in involuntary obligations because they can’t remember how to spell rescission, and they got mixed up with all the judicial remedies!
4. Read the questions properly!  – Missing out key bits of exam questions will harm your grades. Wise words from a teacher I once had – don’t do anything for the first minute of your exam, take a breather and then read over the questions slowly and dissect it. If you follow this method, it becomes much harder to misread the question.
5. Stay in good health – This applies to both your physical and mental health. Ensure you are sleeping enough, try not to pull too many all-nighters and stay away from caffeine as much as possible. Exams are necessary but not as important as your heart health. Ensure you aren’t neglecting your body: drink water, staying hydrated can aid in memory retention, and make sure to eat enough. Try to carry on exercising, even if you can’t complete an entire gym session or workout something as simple as 5-10 minutes of yoga can greatly aid your mental health.
6. Know when to stop – As much as you may have seen the infamous Kay Chung’s all-nighter TikToks, sometimes knowing when to stop is just as important as all your revision. Working yourself into a pit of fatigue will not help with your exams, so remember to take breaks. My favourite way to do this is via the Pomodoro method, where you work for around 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break. As a chronic fidgeter, this can be very helpful in maintaining focus.
7. Try not to become a hermit – Talk to friends, go out and engage in activities. Anything from a coffee break to a sports practice. Remember, you have a life outside of law school, and keeping it up even with exams helps you not to burn out.

In light of our International Women’s Day event earlier this month, I find myself empowered to shed light on a prevalent but often misunderstood health condition affecting millions of women across the UK: Endometriosis. 

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a chronic and often debilitating condition affecting millions of women worldwide, with a significant impact on their quality of life. It occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (endometrium) grows outside the womb, commonly affecting the ovaries, fallopian tubes, the lining the pelvis, as well as other organs in the body. This misplaced tissue responds to the menstrual cycle in the same way as the tissue inside the uterus, causing inflammation, pain, and the formation of scar tissue.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

The symptoms of endometriosis can vary widely among individuals but most commonly include chronic pelvic pain, painful periods (dysmenorrhea), heavy menstrual bleeding, increased urination, fatigue, and infertility.  In the UK, it is estimated that around 1.5 million women are currently living with this condition, with an average diagnosis time of 7.5 years from the onset of symptoms. However, these symptoms are often mistaken for other conditions, leading to further delays in diagnosis.

As a law student, I understand firsthand that managing the symptoms of endometriosis whilst balancing academic responsibilities can be incredibly challenging. The unpredictable nature of the condition, with flare-ups and periods of intense pain, can disrupt study schedules and impact overall academic/work performance.

Navigating Treatment Options

It is important to understand that there is currently no cure for endometriosis. Any treatment provided will aim to manage symptoms and improve quality of life. This can include pain management through medication, hormone therapy to regulate the menstrual cycle, and surgery to remove endometrial tissue and scar tissue. However, finding the right treatment approach can be a complex process, requiring careful consideration of individual symptoms and preferences, and often comes with its own array of horrible side effects. 

As a student, I understand that managing appointments, referrals, and treatment plans while juggling academic commitments can be daunting and difficult to say the least. This is why it is essential to communicate your condition to your workplace or educational institution, which will enable them to provide you with the necessary support tailored to your needs.

Raising Awareness and Stopping the Stigma

For generations, there has been an enduring stigma surrounding discussions of women’s healthcare, which has often been dismissed as a ‘gross’ and taboo topic. This societal perception has contributed to a culture of silence and discomfort surrounding important issues such as menstrual health, reproductive care, and gynaecological concerns. Therefore, it is crucial to break this cycle of stigma and encourage open dialogue about women’s health. By normalising conversations about these topics, we not only empower women to take control of their own health but also create a supportive environment where individuals feel comfortable seeking the information, support, and resources they require. Moreover, by sharing our own experiences and speaking up about women’s healthcare, we can help dismantle outdated stereotypes and pave the way for greater awareness, education, and advocacy for women’s health issues. On a final note, it is important to remember that women’s health concerns, including those related to reproductive health, are normal bodily functions, and considering this any differently would be equivalent to stigmatising other innate aspects of human biology.

For more information visit – https://www.endometriosis-uk.org

by Corey Beaton (EDI Officer)

When we consider the gender balance of our lecture halls, it is hard to imagine a time when women were not permitted to study the law, nor indeed to go on and practice it, yet it has only been just over a century since Parliament removed the legal barriers to a woman’s ability to practice through the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919.

Prior to this, though, the courts upheld the rule that a woman was not entitled to practice, not on the basis of her qualifications nor aptitude, but solely of her gender. The case of Hall v Incorporated Society of Law-Agents (1901) 3 F 1059, which challenged the wording and intention of the Law Agents Act 1873 through statutory interpretation, is but one of innumerable examples of this practice. Here, with no explicit inclusion or exclusion of women in the 1873 Act, and in spite of the fact that only men had been admitted as lawyers, the court ruled that a woman was not a ‘person’ for the purposes of the Act.

What we thankfully see nowadays is the polar opposite of what we would expect to see if we were to walk the halls of an early twentieth century university, or indeed a law firm or court building. In Scotland, both our Law Officers are women, the second-most senior judge of the Court of Session is a woman, two-thirds of law students are women, 70% of legal trainees are women, and perhaps a bit closer to home, all of the Law Clinic’s staff and student directors are women.

It is a reasonable assumption that none of these women would say that it has been an easy process for them to attain the positions they now hold. Who would, when we consider the societal and institutional barriers which women continue to face in our profession?

While almost 60% of our profession consists of female lawyers, only one large-scale Scottish law firm has a majority of female partners. At a societal level, figures continue to suggest that one in three women will experience a sexual assault in their lifetime. In the wake of newly-released data which indicates an uptick in sexual crime in the past year – that is to say, those crimes which have been reported – this ratio is only likely to increase unless something meaningful is done about it.

In response, what we are now seeing in the Scottish Parliament is a debate over a long-awaited Bill which is designed to return to victim-survivors of sexual offences the agency which many have long since lost following their assaults, the ability to effectively represent themselves in section 275 hearings, and the empowerment to give their best evidence in court with the support of various vital special measures.

Only today did we learn that victim-survivors will soon be able to access a copy of their court transcripts from their rape trials for free. One campaigner for this change shared her experiences of having to crowdfund to pay for access to her transcript in order to combat an appeal lodged by her convicted rapist against his sentence.

We can no longer look at the experiences and treatment of women at the hand of the law in a vacuum; only by recognising and acting to defeat the intersectional, institutional barriers which women and girls across Scotland face can we truly take meaningful strides towards an equitable and just society which no longer puts walls up against a woman’s ability to thrive, but instead breaks them down.

We are, after all, a nation of firsts: the first practicing lawyer as Madge Easton Anderson was, the first woman called to the Scottish Bar as Margaret Kidd KC was, the first woman appointed as a Senator of the College of Justice as the Rt Hon Lady Cosgrove CBE was, and the first woman appointed as Solicitor General and Lord Advocate as Dame Elish Angiolini KC was. Our legal system is peppered with women who overcame the odds which were stacked against them to rise to the positions they all held.

As Lady Cosgrove once said in a speech to law students at Strathclyde,

“The public must have confidence that its legal system is representative of and has the ability to respond to and deal with the needs and problems of all of its citizens. A profession which is not truly representative of all of its citizens cannot enjoy that confidence. The increasing presence of women in the profession will, I believe, be a positive force.”

Lady Cosgrove

You know as well as I do that Her Ladyship’s words are truer now more than ever. The law is certainly not short of female role models, and I would encourage any woman reading this to remember the role they can play as someone else’s role model.

In January, we welcomed a team from Weightmans to provide training on Employment Tribunal advocacy. Paman Singh and his colleagues, Morag Dalziel, Erin Moncur and Zoe Kerr, put together a highly interactive session where they shared their knowledge and expertise. Our student advisors were also given the opportunity to practice examination-in-chief and cross-examination.

The Weightman’s team shared many top tips on best representing clients in tribunals and presenting the advisors with the challenging task of preparing to examine a witness in 15 minutes!

At Strathclyde Law Clinic, a large proportion of our cases revolve around employment law, and our student advisors often represent clients at tribunals during their time at the clinic. Training opportunities such as this are highly beneficial for our student advisors to hone their skills in advocacy to better represent our clients, helping us achieve our goal of improving access to justice.

“As I’m sure everyone who attended will agree, the training was a great, interactive session that will definitely be useful to advisors attending hearings in the future. A huge thank you to everyone involved!”

Anna Gren