What inspired you to study law?

As we hit the halfway point in the academic year, it seems like the perfect time to step away from your studies and remember why you chose to pursue law in the first place. Some of our student associates share their stories below…

The musician who turned down the amps and dropped the sticks

Aaron Kirsopp, LLB student, University of Law

I didn’t study law to realise a fantasy of being Harvey Specter, nor did I do it to change the world. I just wanted to make my mark on the music industry, and maybe live a little like Harvey.

I’ve performed in bands since the age of 13 and was lucky enough to have parents who would drive me and my friends around Somerset with a boot full of amps and drums. What felt like a world tour at the time was us perfecting covers of The Pixies, Nirvana, and Joy Division to senior rockers in cramped pubs on a school night. 

I spent two years learning the science behind live and studio production, leading to a lot of late nights, ringing ears and projects I’ll forever be proud to be a part of. I had that infamous hunger to succeed as a musician or engineer, and I was on my way to making ripples in that pond. But towards the end of my studies, I had one of those ‘defining’ moments which demanded a change of path.

I saw a documentary on a band being sued for millions by their record label. The narrator explained the industry’s traditional business model and how artists don’t become half as rich and powerful as we think when they sign that ‘dream’ contract. Instead, they’re hundreds of thousands of pounds in debt, lose significant creative rights and don’t earn ANY money until they’ve ‘recouped’ their ‘advance’. 

Crazy right? Well that’s nothing. That’s why I c