Interview: Head of the School of Law

Many students find it difficult to secure work experience or even decide which career path to pursue when they leave university.

To explore how careers can develop in unexpected ways, I interviewed Donna Whitehead, Head of the School of Law, Accounting and Finance at the University of South Wales, to learn how she reached her current position and the steps she took along the way.

What is your current role and what does that involve?

Donna’s title is Head of the School of Law, Accounting and Finance, overseeing around forty staff members across three different sites.

She is responsible for strategic development within the school, setting objectives and ensuring the team delivers on them.

She makes sure staff teach to their strengths and places significant emphasis on improving the student experience and employability, guided by National Student Survey feedback.

Research is central to the school’s work, and she ensures that academic findings feed directly into what students learn. Her role also involves extensive engagement with professional services and local businesses, which means attending formal events and maintaining strong relationships with law firms to keep the school’s provision up to date and responsive.

Despite the demands of leadership, she insists on continuing to teach, believing it is essential not to lose touch with what happens in the classroom.

At what age did you begin to show an interest in a career in law? What steps did you take to make it to your current position?

Donna describes her path as unusual. She began with GCSEs and A levels in Biology, Chemistry and Psychology, but struggled with the mathematical elements and eventually stepped back to reconsider her direction.

She returned to study Law, English and Media, discovering a genuine enthusiasm for law that led her to pursue an LLB. Like many students, she initially assumed she would become a solicitor. She enjoyed some areas of law, disliked others, and gradually realised that the traditional solicitor route did not appeal to her.

During her second year, she gained voluntary experience in local firms and was even offered training contracts, but the day‑to‑day reality of practice did not feel right.

After graduating, she took a fixed‑term role in a local authority legal department, working on right‑to‑buy matters. She enjoyed the transactional nature of the work, but her career took an unexpected turn when her former university contacted her about a lecturing position.

She had never considered teaching so early in her career, but she applied, interviewed, and was offered the job. She graduated in June and began lecturing in September. The transition was daunting, but she embraced it, building her qualifications alongside her teaching: a postgraduate teaching certificate, a master’s by research, the Legal Practice Course, and eventually the New York Bar exams.

Over nine years, she progressed rapidly, becoming team leader for the law school before moving to her current institution to take on a larger leadership role.

Is a career in law exactly the way you thought it would be? Did you think this is where you would be?

Donna admits her career looks nothing like what she imagined. She once assumed she would be a solicitor, then considered probation work, entrepreneurship and other paths before discovering that lecturing suited her perfectly.

She describes her role as challenging but rewarding, especially given the pressures facing the legal sector. Balancing the expectations of students, parents and law firms is demanding, yet she rarely experiences the Sunday‑night dread that signals dissatisfaction.

For her, that is the strongest indicator she is in the right place.

What kinds of work experience did you do?

Donna gained experience in law firms during her studies, working in conveyancing, family and criminal departments. After graduating, she worked briefly for the local authority before moving into teaching.

Do you think the market is more competitive now for students trying to get work experience in law firms or has it always been this way?

She believes the market has always been competitive and that the perception of “who you know” still exists to some extent. Many firms prioritise offering opportunities to family members or clients, which is understandable.

She also notes that firms increasingly prefer longer‑term placements rather than short bursts of work experience. Firms receive countless requests from students asking for a week of shadowing, which places pressure on them to organise activities and impress the student.

Donna encourages students to seek placements where they can contribute meaningfully, even if that means starting with basic tasks such as manning reception.

She emphasises that the market is more competitive than ever, but students who take initiative and propose project‑based work stand out.

What tips would you give to students looking for work experience? Do you have any advice for students who are not sure what they want to do at the end of their degree?

Donna is impressed by students who commit to long‑term roles, such as a year at the Citizens Advice Bureau, but stresses the importance of variety. Students should aim to build a portfolio of experiences that demonstrate initiative, resilience and breadth.

Most graduates have mooted, debated and joined the law society; many have completed some form of work experience. To stand out, students must go beyond the standard list. Voluntary work, project management roles and responsibilities outside the legal sector all help build a stronger profile.

She also encourages students to consider teaching. Many focus solely on becoming solicitors or barristers, but teaching at a local college or assisting lecturers at university can be valuable for the CV and may open doors to academic careers later.

Donna’s story shows that career paths are rarely linear. Her journey demonstrates that uncertainty is normal, that opportunities often arise unexpectedly, and that taking chances can lead to fulfilling and successful careers.

For students unsure of their next steps, her advice is clear: gain varied experience, stay open to possibilities, and build a profile that reflects initiative and curiosity. The legal sector is competitive, but those who take ownership of their development will always find opportunities to grow.