All I want for Christmas in an OULS Membership

Organised and run by a band of jolly elves, scattered all over the UK and Europe, The Open University Law Society (OULS) is the UK’s largest student law society (at over 1000 members) and is now in its 12th year of existence.

Organising their public guest lecture series (which in recent years as welcomed Members of Parliament, prominent lawyers and legal academics, judges and journalists), the OULS keeps the spirit of giving alive all year around by always sending a ‘thank you’ gift to each person who provides a talk.

Currently run by our Chair, Johnathan Doran who is based in Edinburgh, the OULS coordinates the University’s participation in external mooting workshops: sending students to criminal, tort, and property moots (amongst others). The year Johnathan and his teammate Rebekah Zammett are representing us in the Oxford University Press & The Inns of Court College of Advocacy Competition and have recently defeated their Round 1 opposition to advance on in the contest - proving that wishing on a Christmas star really can work!

The OULS also runs the Gary Slapper Memorial Moot, named for the first ever Head of the Law School at the OU, which this year invited more participants than ever before. Its final is to take place in January at the OU campus in Milton Keynes - a very exciting way for us to see in the New Year.

Although our Committee are beginning to wind the Society’s September - December calendar down (with 20 events having taken place during that window time), we have recently completed our January - March calendar of events. Far from a lump of coal, this calendar will feature our first mooting workshop in Wales, courtroom tours in both England and Scotland, social events throughout the country and a host of interesting guest speakers sourced from both the U.K. and U.S.A. - including a special guest from Netflix!

Not just at Christmas, but all the year over, we hope you’ll agree that the OULS provide a lot of opportunities for OU students! But it’s important to note that we do so on the voluntary efforts of our Committee, through the generosity of the law firms and other companies who support us, and the membership fees from those students who we’re very lucky to welcome into our community!

The OULS truly has generosity and inclusion at the heart of its values and for this reason, as well as the fear of being visited by three ghosts at this time of year, we keep our membership fee very low compared to other law societies, at just £5 per year, and we would be delighted to welcome you to the Open University Law Society also! You can join us via the following link: https://www.openuniversitylawsociety.co.uk/membership …and every time someone clicks this link an angel gets their wings!

It’s a well-worn notion that still bears repeating that Christmas is about people and community, and not things. We hope to welcome you into our community soon.

Have an excellent, and very well-earned, festive season this year and we at The Open University Law Society wish you a very successful and happy 2023!