How postgraduate study helped me shape my career
By Narayani, from India – studied LLM Criminal Law and Criminal Justice and graduated in 2024
Choosing Law – and choosing Edinburgh
I completed my undergraduate Law degree in India, focused on my country’s domestic legal system, and from the outset I was interested in courtroom advocacy. But I was also curious about legal policy reforms and the research that goes into shaping them. That’s what motivated me to pursue an LLM, and why I chose Edinburgh.
At the University, I found both the space and the tools to really think through what kind of career direction I wanted to take.
Planning ahead: Skills, strategy and support
Right from the beginning, I was aware of the skills I already had – and the ones I still needed to develop during my postgraduate degree to pursue the kind of career I wanted.
That’s where the Careers Service became very important. I started using it early in my first semester and had one-on-one appointments where staff helped me identify what kinds of roles and sectors I could explore with the degree I was working towards. They reviewed my CV very early on, which helped me map out a timeline for when and where I wanted to start applying for opportunities.
Building a legal career through my Edinburgh Master’s in Law
The course I chose had a strong focus on criminal law. During my time at Edinburgh, I also contributed to legal journals as part of day-to-day sessions related to criminal law. That gave me opportunities to read more, and to write more – and that really helped me prepare for the next stage of my career.
Working on journal articles helped me think through how to edit, reference and present things properly. I also got to meet people who had similar interests and wanted to work in the same field.
Since graduating, I’ve passed the bar exam and begun practising, alongside part-time work focused on legal research and reform.
Don’t be shy about applying for jobs
One piece of advice I always give: don’t wait for the ‘perfect’ time to apply for jobs or opportunities. There’s no fixed timeline, and no such thing as applying too early. Don’t reject yourself before someone else even has a chance to consider you.
Apply for any opportunity you’re eligible for or genuinely interested in. You never know where it might lead.
Even while I was still working on my dissertation, I was submitting job applications. Later, I ended up working with people I first connected with during that period, even though I hadn’t finished my degree at the time. So even if you don’t get the role, you still get something valuable: insight, networks, and practice.
The programme is intense
It was a very intense programme – but I think that helped me become more focused. I didn’t get the chance to do an internship or placement during the programme because there was just so much to learn and work on. But there were a lot of other opportunities, like working on research papers, contributing to journals and attending conferences. Those experiences helped me grow professionally, build a network and connect with others working in the same space.
A job offer doesn’t always come from an internship. It can come from a conversation, a conference, or a paper you’ve written. So don’t limit yourself – use every opportunity the University provides.
Know what you want – but be open too
It really helped that I had a sense of the direction I wanted to take before I arrived in Edinburgh. I knew what I wanted from the programme. I’d already identified what I was interested in, and I’d had conversations with people working in that field. That meant I could focus on what I wanted to build.
But your plans can change – and that’s okay. If you’re not sure yet what comes next, don’t worry. The University gives you time and space to figure that out.
Make the most of the support – from the Careers Service, from your lecturers and from the other students on your course. Be open and try to say yes to as many opportunities as you can. That made a real difference for me.
Narayani was sharing experiences of Master’s study during our ‘Developing Your Career’ webinar that took place in June 2025. Find out more about our online recruitment events:
To find out more about Criminal Law and Criminal Justice:
LLM Criminal Law and Criminal Justice
