Posted by The Law School
24 April 2026For students considering a placement in industry as part of their degree, the opportunity to gain real-world experience can be hugely appealing — but can also be quite daunting. Applications are competitive, rejection is common, and many students are unsure what a year in industry looks like. At Exeter Law School, a Student-led initiative is helping to bridge that gap by making placement experiences visible, relatable and honest.
Founded by placement students Davina Tuma and Pippa Palmer-Snellin, the Placements Network and its accompanying Placement Precedent podcast, were created to help students embarking on the application process feel supported by their peers. The impact of their work has already been recognised this year with Davina receiving a nomination in the ‘Changemaker Award’ in the Students’ Guild Awards 2026, and both of them nominated as the ‘Best Team’ in the University of Exeter Employment Awards.
The Germ of the idea
Davina explains, “There wasn’t really a space where students who had completed their placements could pass on their knowledge and lived experience to those in first and second year,” she explains. Her aim was to create a platform that felt personal rather than purely academic, tackling issues that students often find difficult to talk about.
“A big part of that was normalising topics that often feel like a taboo — rejection, commercial awareness, the uncertainty of the whole process,” Davina says. “I wanted students to feel seen and supported by someone who had actually been through it.”
Pippa’s saw the potential during her own year in industry. “While on placement, I felt there was a gap for a place where Exeter law students could connect, share experiences, and support one another during their year.” She describes the Network as “a community that gives something back — a place where students can ask questions, exchange advice, and build connections with both current and past placement students.”
She also highlights the deliberate choice of platform. “We were keen to make better use of LinkedIn as a professional space for placement students, so it felt like a natural place to bring the idea to life.”
From Idea to Impact
What began as a simple concept has quickly grown. The Placements Network is approaching 100 members on LinkedIn, and engagement continues to rise — particularly from students currently on placement.
Pippa notes that “It’s been great to see new voices contributing and sharing their experiences.” The Network now shares a monthly newsletter featuring placement opportunities, events, guest lectures and application advice, alongside the Placement Precedent podcast.
The first podcast mini-series breaks down different stages of the application process from a student perspective. The second series will focus on how to make the most of a placement once secured and covers what happens once you start: navigating your first week, asking questions without fear of judgement, handling mistakes professionally and making the most of the year ahead. “That evolution has been really exciting,” Davina says. “It shows that the project is growing beyond just applications — it’s about the full placement experience.”
Together, the founders see the Network as a confidence-building tool. As Pippa explains, applying for placements “can feel quite daunting”, and the aim is to create “a space to support, encourage and motivate first and second year students”.
Learning Through Their Own Placements
Both founders draw heavily on their own placement experiences. Davina completed an 11‑month corporate governance internship at HSBC’s London headquarters. The experience gave her “a deep understanding of corporate governance at a global scale” and insight into the complexity of operating a multinational organisation. “Most valuably,” she reflects, “I left with the confidence that even as an intern, I could make a meaningful contribution.”
Pippa’s placement took her into a very different sector. She spent her year in industry in the Regional Legal and Business Affairs team at The Walt Disney Company, primarily supporting Disney+. Coming from outside the media industry, she found the experience both challenging and transformative.
“It was incredibly varied,” Pippa says, describing work across production, employment matters, and corporate and business restructuring. The placement strengthened both her legal and commercial awareness as well as her confidence in working within a “fast-paced, collaborative environment”.
Skills Beyond the Workplace
Running the Placements Network has developed yet more skills. Davina has developed confidence on camera and learnt how to balance being personable with delivering genuinely useful advice. She has also built design and digital communication skills through producing podcast artwork and LinkedIn content.
“Speaking to a camera and sharing advice was completely new to me,” says Pippa, “but it’s something I’ve grown much more confident in.” She highlights learning how to engage an audience online and create content that encourages interaction rather than passive reading.
On a personal level, Pippa emphasises the impact on her professional confidence. “Posting on LinkedIn can feel daunting as a student — especially knowing your future employers might see it,” she says. “I’ve learned to view that exposure as a positive, not just for me but for growing the Network and supporting other students.”
For Davina, the project has reinforced her belief in student-led change. “It’s built my confidence in my own voice and my ability to create something from scratch,” she says, adding that it has strengthened skills she plans to take into her future legal career.
Looking Ahead
Both founders have clear plans beyond Exeter. Davina will begin her SQE this September and start her training contract at Stephenson Harwood LLP in 2027. Pippa will graduate this summer and plans to start her SQE1 in September 2026, with a training contract at Ellis Jones Solicitors planned for 2027.
Despite this, their focus remains firmly on the Network’s future. “I’d love to see future students take ownership of it,” Pippa says, hoping it becomes “even more interactive, with students actively sharing their experiences and supporting one another.”
Davina shares that vision. “I want it to outlive my involvement,” she explains. “If it remains authentic, student-led and genuinely useful — and helps even one student feel less alone — then it will have achieved exactly what it set out to do.”
Follow the Placements Network on LinkedIn, and our website has details about our LLB Law with Professional Placement.