As a final year English and History student at Nottingham Trent University, the question has been looming over my head for three years now, of what will I do with my degree once I have graduated. Moosa- Duke Solicitors have offered me the opportunity to explore what a career in medical negligence law would be like.

Whilst undertaking a university module in my second year that required a placement, I reached out to Moosa- Duke. I was successful with my application which meant that I attended Moosa-Duke once a week for six weeks from January – February 2022. I was tasked with supporting the solicitors and paralegals with their day-to-day tasks that have such a profound effect on hundreds of lives. The friendly atmosphere, and interesting, varied work I was exposed to left me keen to explore medical negligence further, and really opened my eyes to how interesting a possible a career within medical negligence could be.

Having kept in contact with Kirsty Dakin throughout the year, I was delighted to be welcomed back for a second placement in February 2023 where I was re-immersed into the world of medical terms, quantum research and a whole host of photocopying (a necessary, and very important, evil). Having only a brief insight to the legal world before my first placement, I come away from the second with only a desire to learn more and that I owe to Moosa-Duke.

The firm enabled me to witness many client successes, this being due to the devout, hardworking team of individuals; striving to ensure client needs are met, maintained and valued. My biggest takeaway from the opportunity is that medical negligence is far more than the immediate stereotype of suing for money. The cut-throat association from criminal law could not be further than the truth of medical negligence. You must be diligent and empathetic as although dealing with multiple clients a day, each client is an individual. An individual with a painful story, a claim is often a form of closure to a traumatic injury, a way of grieving a lost loved one, a prevention mechanism and most commonly a way to enable a life to be lived with as much normality as possible following a life-changing injury. With all this responsibility, I was amazed at how nothing was too much of an ask to the solicitors at Moosa- Duke, who as I have witnessed first-hand, go above and beyond to advocate for their clients within the medical world, offering a guiding hand throughout the lengthy and often brutal process of a claim.

Upon completion of my time at Moosa-Duke, I really feel as though I have found a career path that would simultaneously challenge and reward me and I cannot thank the team here enough for giving me such a positive introduction into the legal world.

Emma Ralley