{"id":6625,"date":"2026-04-24T10:55:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T10:55:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/?p=6625"},"modified":"2026-04-27T10:26:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T10:26:18","slug":"student-led-initiative-inspires-and-supports-llb-placement-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/2026\/04\/24\/student-led-initiative-inspires-and-supports-llb-placement-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Student-led initiative inspires and supports LLB Placement students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For students considering a placement in industry as part of their degree, the opportunity to gain real-world experience can be hugely appealing \u2014 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a>, and both of them nominated as the ‘Best Team’ in the University of Exeter Employment Awards<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pippa<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Germ of the idea<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davina explains, \u201cThere wasn\u2019t 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,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA big part of that was normalising topics that often feel like a taboo \u2014 rejection, commercial awareness, the uncertainty of the whole process,\u201d Davina says. \u201cI wanted students to feel seen and supported by someone who had actually been through it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pippa\u2019s saw the potential during her own year in industry. \u201cWhile 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.\u201d She describes the Network as \u201ca community that gives something back \u2014 a place where students can ask questions, exchange advice, and build connections with both current and past placement students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also highlights the deliberate choice of platform. \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Idea to Impact<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What began as a simple concept has quickly grown. The Placements Network is approaching 100 members on LinkedIn, and engagement continues to rise \u2014 particularly from students currently on placement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pippa notes that \u201cIt\u2019s been great to see new voices contributing and sharing their experiences.\u201d The Network now shares a monthly newsletter featuring placement opportunities, events, guest lectures and application advice, alongside the Placement Precedent podcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"two<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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. \u201cThat evolution has been really exciting,\u201d Davina says. \u201cIt shows that the project is growing beyond just applications \u2014 it\u2019s about the full placement experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, the founders see the Network as a confidence-building tool. As Pippa explains, applying for placements \u201ccan feel quite daunting\u201d, and the aim is to create \u201ca space to support, encourage and motivate first and second year students\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning Through Their Own Placements<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both founders draw heavily on their own placement experiences. Davina completed an 11\u2011month corporate governance internship at HSBC\u2019s London headquarters. The experience gave her \u201ca deep understanding of corporate governance at a global scale\u201d and insight into the complexity of operating a multinational organisation. \u201cMost valuably,\u201d she reflects, \u201cI left with the confidence that even as an intern, I could make a meaningful contribution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pippa\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was incredibly varied,\u201d 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 \u201cfast-paced, collaborative environment\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Students<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Skills Beyond the Workplace<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSpeaking to a camera and sharing advice was completely new to me,\u201d says Pippa, \u201cbut it\u2019s something I\u2019ve grown much more confident in.\u201d She highlights learning how to engage an audience online and create content that encourages interaction rather than passive reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a personal level, Pippa emphasises the impact on her professional confidence. \u201cPosting on LinkedIn can feel daunting as a student \u2014 especially knowing your future employers might see it,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019ve learned to view that exposure as a positive, not just for me but for growing the Network and supporting other students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Davina, the project has reinforced her belief in student-led change. \u201cIt\u2019s built my confidence in my own voice and my ability to create something from scratch,\u201d she says, adding that it has strengthened skills she plans to take into her future legal career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking Ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite this, their focus remains firmly on the Network\u2019s future. \u201cI\u2019d love to see future students take ownership of it,\u201d Pippa says, hoping it becomes \u201ceven more interactive, with students actively sharing their experiences and supporting one another.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davina shares that vision. \u201cI want it to outlive my involvement,\u201d she explains. \u201cIf it remains authentic, student-led and genuinely useful \u2014 and helps even one student feel less alone \u2014 then it will have achieved exactly what it set out to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow the Placements Network on LinkedIn<\/a>, and our website has details about our LLB Law with Professional Placement.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You can join their network on LinkedIn<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":263,"featured_media":6637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,5],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nStudent-led initiative inspires and supports LLB Placement students - Exeter Law School<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/2026\/04\/24\/student-led-initiative-inspires-and-supports-llb-placement-students\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Student-led initiative inspires and supports LLB Placement students - Exeter Law School\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"You can join their network on LinkedIn\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/2026\/04\/24\/student-led-initiative-inspires-and-supports-llb-placement-students\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Exeter Law School\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-24T10:55:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-27T10:26:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2026\/04\/IMG_8323_930.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"930\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"The Law School\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"The Law School\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/2026\/04\/24\/student-led-initiative-inspires-and-supports-llb-placement-students\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/2026\/04\/24\/student-led-initiative-inspires-and-supports-llb-placement-students\/\",\"name\":\"Student-led initiative inspires and supports LLB Placement students - Exeter Law School\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/2026\/04\/24\/student-led-initiative-inspires-and-supports-llb-placement-students\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/2026\/04\/24\/student-led-initiative-inspires-and-supports-llb-placement-students\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2026\/04\/IMG_8323_930.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-24T10:55:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-27T10:26:18+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/#\/schema\/person\/ae1bed489f384f447748a4eff91e78b9\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/2026\/04\/24\/student-led-initiative-inspires-and-supports-llb-placement-students\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/2026\/04\/24\/student-led-initiative-inspires-and-supports-llb-placement-students\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/2026\/04\/24\/student-led-initiative-inspires-and-supports-llb-placement-students\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2026\/04\/IMG_8323_930.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/lawbulletin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2026\/04\/IMG_8323_930.jpg\",\"width\":930,\"height\":500,\"caption\":\"Three students are sat around a table with their laptops in front of them. 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