Websites for Exploring your Subject in Law
Are you curious about the law? Whether you already love the idea of studying Law at university and want to strengthen your application, or you just want to learn more about your options, independent academic exploration is a great choice.
We know that many of our first-year Law students will not have studied law as an academic subject, and therefore we don’t require you to have any prior knowledge of the law for your applications.
However, independent academic exploration is for YOU, not for us.
Think about it; if you’re seriously considering spending three years studying Law, doesn’t it seem like a good idea to give it a test-run? Reading books about the law, following legal news, chatting with lawyers, and attending events are all great ways to test the waters and discover what interests you most.
If you’re looking for some great springboards to help you discover what gets you excited to learn more, check out these fantastic websites:
HE Plus
The resources available on the HE+ website are written by academics from Cambridge University, specifically for prospective undergraduate students. Covering a range of topics, including several specialty areas of legal studies, these resources present you with information and questions, and encourage you to think like a university student.
Public Law for Everyone
This blog, written by the Cambridge Law Faculty’s own Mark Elliot, Professor of Public Law and Fellow of St Catharine’s College, aims to explain relevant aspects of public law. His posts are informed by facts and research, but are easy to digest even if you’ve never studied law before. You can find articles on topics like Article 50, devolution, and Brexit in the Supreme Court.
Law in Action
This radio series from BBC Radio 4, available online as a podcast, features engaging discussion with experts on legal issues. You can find episodes exploring ideas like terrorism and the law, the legal definition of “genocide”, and artificial intelligence and the law.
Legal Cheek
Written by students, and with a healthy dose of student attitude, Legal Cheek includes articles that take a cheeky outlook on legal issues in the news and updates from the world of legal practice. Their “morning round-ups” of legal news can be a useful springboard for tracking current events, along with a healthy portion of the outlandish in the form of absurd legal cases, lawyers in hot water, and celebrities on the wrong side of the law.
The UK in a Changing Europe
For those interested in the issues behind Brexit, this website offers an array of explainers, research, videos, and podcasts on the complex relationship between the UK and the European Union. The initiative, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, aims to provide impartial information for the general public on emerging issues surrounding the EU, including legal issues as well as political, financial, and social aspects of the relationship.
Full Fact
An excellent resource no matter what your subject interest, Full Fact aims to provide an impartial breakdown of “just the facts” in relation to controversial, often polarising issues in the news. Their section of articles, FAQs, and explainers on legal topics includes exploration of issues like Brexit, human rights, and the mechanisms behind the legal system in the UK. You can find law-related posts here.
Rights Info
Rights Info is a great starting point if you’re interested in the legal issues surrounding human rights. Although based in the UK, the site often takes an international view, and explores the legal basis behind big ideas like freedom of the press and freedom of religion, as well as current events that may be drawing these rights (and our interpretations of them) into question.
The Conversation
Another great resource, regardless of your specific subject interests. The Conversation offers articles on a wide range of topics, all written by members of the academic community. This means that the articles provided are based on evidence and research, and even site that research with links that will allow you to dig in further, should you find a topic that engages you. You can find their law-specific section here.
Looking for more resources? Follow @thinkcamlaw on Twitter for regular suggestions of ways to explore Law outside of school, including legal issues in the news, upcoming events, and more. For some excellent additions to this list, take a look at Websites for Exploring Your Subject in Law, Part 2.
Want to know more about how independent subject exploration fits in to your Cambridge application? Check out the University’s website for more information on what Cambridge is looking for.
