Specialist LNAT and/or Cambridge Law Test Tuition From a University of Cambridge Law Graduate and Experienced Tutor

Find out more about Michael

• 1) When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  My field of tutoring mostly surrounds Law and Oxford/Cambridge admissions. My tutoring experience started in 2018 when I was a part-time tutor at a UK tuition company. There, I gained first-hand experience in tutoring Maths, English and specialist entrance exams for the 11+. Very quickly, however, I wanted to use my tutoring skills in other areas of interest, especially after going through the Oxbridge process, myself, in 2018 and receiving an offer to study law. Over the course of my law degree, I was part of the Cambridge Mentoring Scheme in which I delivered seminars to students and application support in law, having been trained by the University Admissions Department. From there, I have tutored hundreds of students and helped countless achieve offers at Oxford/Cambridge for many subjects, including law and other humanities. I spent some time teaching as an employed teacher, too, in schools situated in the South of England. I taught English and History at A-Level, however I much preferred private tutoring and felt more could be achieved in a 1:1 setting.

• 2) Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  My core subject is law, but this comes from two directions: current law students and prospective ones. Current law students usually like to have their modules broken down or essays supported to reach their goals of first class marks. Prospective law students ask me to support their university ambitions. For prospective law students, I enjoy topics such as: the debate around (i) what law actually is (e.g. HLA Hart, Dworkin, Fuller, Allan, etc), (ii) legal doctrine (e.g. causation, responsibility, what makes a human “human”, age of responsibility, etc) and (iii) constitutional theory (e.g. parliamentary sovereignty, rule of law, executive, judicial review, etc). For current law students, I enjoy tutoring the modules, but feel real achievement when a student comes back to me after some sessions excitedly telling me they have gone from a 2.2/2.1 to a first-class mark.

• 3) Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  At A-Level, I studied English, History, and Politics. My English teacher is most certainly my most memorable teacher at school. While many teachers have turned to the safety net of pre-made PowerPoints, that teacher never strayed from the benefits of a plain whiteboard. Every lesson was new - we had a rough direction but the lesson made itself. It was based on the content discussed live, and this has permanently shaped the way I teach. Every lesson has a background plan, but the content is shaped by our discussions. While at university, my inspiration came from Nicholas J McBride (author of “Letters to a Law Student” who was my law supervisor at Pembroke College, Cambridge. His insistence on giving the subject your all, determination and taking on constructive criticism with a growth mindset made me the essay writer/tutor I am. When I provide feedback, I will always focus on how to improve.

• 4) What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  A good tutor is adaptable. Of course, you have the background strengths: they are experts in their field, they are organised, they are supportive, etc, but more than anything, they are adaptable. This is the skill I focus on the most, and this is the skill that makes my lessons so praised by parents and students. There have been many occasions in which I came to a lesson with a planned direction in mind, for that purpose to be entirely changed by something the student wishes to go through, for example an essay they just had feedback on, a deadline approaching, a point of confusion, etc. This is the point of tutoring - not to re-teach you content, but to address specific issues and needs.

• 5) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  On my first day of Law at the University of Cambridge, my law supervisor, Mr Nicholas J McBride, sat us down and said the following: “Law is like the scene in Saving Private Ryan when they are running along the beach. You have to give your all to law, or you will not last to the end.”
  
  This was not only an inspiring start to the degree, but an incredibly accurate representation of the effort required to succeed in law. I carry this drive and expectation with me throughout everything I do.

• 6) What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  The main challenge is, of course, supporting students through the stresses of the Oxford and Cambridge interview. I am incredibly experienced in this area, and I am able to provide a wealth of resources, mocks and feedback. What I cannot do, however, is attend the interview on my students’ behalf. If, on the day, the pressure of the day is overwhelming, I can provide support, coaching, words of reassurance, but I cannot make the interviewers go easier on them, and this is challenging when I know how much the student deserves it.

• 7) Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  My passion is intellectual stimulation. The reason that despite going into legal practice, I still tutor, is that I crave the intellectual stimulation, debate and excitement around seeing a piece of legal news and debating/discussing with someone who is eagerly interested in that area. I fundamentally love meeting Oxford/Cambridge applicants and seeing their passion grow through ongoing discussions, sometimes around the very depths of human-thought.

• 8) What makes you a Superprof (besides answering these interview questions :-P) ?

  I take huge pride in delivering a top quality service, and that comes from giving my students everything I can. My effort levels that go into my sessions are unparalleled, and although these sessions are paid for, I commit so much time to the lessons and my students’ success not because of the financial consequence, but a genuine wish for my students to achieve their goals. It’s this commitment that makes me a Superprof.