Alumni profile - Joan Wee

20 January 2025

Introduction

Hi everyone, my name is Joan Wee, and I hail from Malaysia. I graduated from Queen Mary’s LLB Senior Status programme in July 2024.

What was your background before studying the Senior Status? 

Prior to my studies at Queen Mary, I studied History at King’s College London, graduating with a BA in July 2022. Halfway through my History degree, I became intrigued by the prospect of studying law. I wanted an intellectually stimulating course that would allow me space to develop my advocacy skills, sharpen my logical thinking, and use my knowledge to help people in the community. As an aspiring barrister, I also wanted time to enhance my mock trial and mooting skills in preparation for the Bar Course.

Why did you choose to study Senior Status at Queen Mary?

I chose to study the fast-tracked graduate-entry law degree at Queen Mary for several reasons. Whilst I wanted to complete my degree as soon as possible, I didn't want to complete it at the pace of a conversion course (GDL). I wanted the opportunity to branch out, find my areas of interest, hone my advocacy skills and develop them throughout my degree. The Senior Status programme allowed me to do exactly that: I volunteered with the Legal Advice Centre, actively participated in the Queen Mary Mooting Society and learn law from some of the most dedicated and impressive lecturers.

To any prospective students at Queen Mary, my advice is this: do not be afraid to seize opportunities as they come your way. Granted, you will not be able to participate in everything advertised at university, but you can always prioritise the things you want to join by thinking about what you want to improve on or try. Remember though: opportunities come and go – so seize them while you can. 

What were the highlights of studying your programme?

If I had to pin down my highlights or the best experiences I had while studying at Queen Mary, it would be the following three:

1. Volunteering with the Legal Advice Centre (LAC). In my two years at Queen Mary, I volunteered with the LAC – first as a notetaker for the students conducting client conferences, before then becoming a Student Advisor myself. Volunteering at the LAC taught me many skills that prepared me for the Bar Course: managing my time, completing cases within specified deadlines, adapting my communication skills to different clients and conducting legal research tailored to the client’s needs. It was a fun learning experience to input my legal knowledge, I will always be thankful for the support and discipline volunteering at the LAC provided me. I learned how to cope under pressure, manage client expectations, take constructive feedback, and ask for help when I need it.
2. Being a Student Ambassador. A highlight of my journey at Queen Mary was when I won the Senior Status Scholarship and became a Student Ambassador. I loved speaking to prospective students on Open Days and Offer Holder Days, giving candid advice and speaking as part of a student panellist to share my experiences at Queen Mary. It gave me an opportunity to branch out from my comfort zone, meet new people and share the wonderful opportunities Queen Mary provides their students, especially when it comes to social mobility. I can say with great certainty that Queen Mary is very good at actively trying to increase social mobility for under-represented groups. I was constantly surrounded by first-generation university students, classmates from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and witnessed the support Queen Mary provides to students requiring extra assistance on campus.
3. Queen Mary Mooting Society: I was invited to join the Queen Mary Mooting Society through their flagship internal moot, the George Hinde competition, after making it into the Quarter Finals of the competition. From there, my journey with advocacy has only improved. Participating in moots and mock trials enhanced my advocacy skills and allowed me to work with some of the most hardworking individuals I have ever encountered. I learned about public international law through the Jessup Moot (we won the 8^th best memorial!), and made lifelong friends with some of my committee members. I will always miss our Jessup weekly meetings, evening meetings in the library to organise moots, and the excitement I would feel when mooting with my friends.

What are your plans for the future?

I am currently doing the Bar Course and am excited to begin my journey towards becoming a barrister qualified to practice in England and Wales. My time at Queen Mary has shaped me into a better advocate, a more empathetic individual and a logical legal practitioner who can balance the two when dealing with clients.

What advice would you offer for future students?

To any prospective students at Queen Mary, my advice is this: do not be afraid to seize opportunities as they come your way. Granted, you will not be able to participate in everything advertised at university, but you can always prioritise the things you want to join by thinking about what you want to improve on or try. Remember though: opportunities come and go – so seize them while you can. I am grateful that I attempted the George Hinde competition in my first year. Despite the nerves and anxiety I had about presenting legal arguments in front of others, I managed to make it to the top sixteen candidates in the competition with some time, practice and a lot of hard work.