Law firm Hedges launches essay competition for school students in Oxfordshire

Hedges, one of Oxfordshire’s longest-establsihed law firms, has announced the launch of its annual essay competition.

Now in its ninth year, this year’s competition launched during National Careers Week 2023 and provides an opportunity for those interested in a career in law to win a week-long internship at the law firm this summer.

The employee-owned law firm is inviting female students, in years 11 and 12, from around 80 schools across Oxfordshire to take part, with three winners being chosen at a prize-giving event in Oxford on the evening of May 11.

The prize-giving event will also be fundraising for the Prince’s Trust’s Women Supporting Women initiative.

Hedges has a long-standing relationship with the Prince’s Trust, the firm’s Managing Director, Nicola Poole, is an ambassador for the Women Supporting Women initiative and has committed to raising £15,000 for the charity over the next few years.

Nicola said: "We are thrilled to support young women at a vital point in their academic education. This is an opportunity I would have loved to have had at school; I was a comprehensive student and the first in my family to attend university. It would never have occurred to me at the age of 16 that I could be a lawyer, let alone run my own firm. That is why we believe this competition and the internships will inspire more young women to enter the legal profession."

While the proportion of women in the legal profession is higher than their male counterparts (61 per cent), there is still evidence of a glass ceiling in the industry with only 35 per cent of women in the top positions.

Hedges hope that by giving students the opportunity to experience working in a law firm, headed up by Nicola, it will inspire them to firstly pursue a career in law and secondly break down the barriers to the top positions.

To take part in this years’ essay competition, students will need to submit a 1500 word essay by 5pm on April 10.