University of Derby secures Right Legal placements for law students

The University of Derby has secured work experience placements for more than 100 of its law students with Derby law firm, Right Legal.

The entire cohort of second year students at Derby Law School will have the opportunity to work with the specialist wills and probate firm based on Wyvern Retail Park this year.

The scheme forms part of the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy, which ensures that every student is fully prepared through placements, real-world learning and work-based projects.

This is not the first time that the College of Business, Law and Social Sciences at the University has worked with Right Legal. Close to 50 per cent of Right Legal’s current workforce are law or business graduates of the University, including Director Sara Desforges. Many of the staff are part of the University’s student mentoring programme and have also delivered workshops for students.

Right Legal has developed a successful business model for its wills and probate department, which it now franchises to other firms. The firm collects existing wills from other legal organisations that go into administration. They safely relocate and store the wills, record all data securely, contact the owner of the will to notify them of its new location and offer its services to them to ensure their will is completely up to date.

Students will be helping staff at Right Legal to process this sensitive information and contact customers to update them on the changes to their will.

Liz Doherty, Lecturer in Law and Academic Employability Co-ordinator at Derby Law School, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working with Right Legal on this project. We have a strong relationship with the team there that benefits our students as they learn and our graduates as they enter the world of work.

“Three students per week, throughout the academic year, will work with the firm on real case files to gain commercial awareness, engage with the employer and network with colleagues. It will provide invaluable experience for all 111 of our second year students.”

Carrie Caladine, Director of Right Legal, added: “We have recruited a number of excellent graduates from the University, so we’re looking forward to welcoming so many new students to the firm with a view to attracting more incredible talent in the future.

“The students’ support this year will be invaluable to the wills and probate team as we continue to expand this area of the business through our franchise opportunities.”

Find out more about studying Law at the University of Derby.