The president of a university law clinic and a Pro Bono Award winner. Not bad for 21-year-old aspiring solicitor Maddy Nicholl.
Maddy is president of the University of Southampton’s Global Legal Clinic. She joined in her first year as a student adviser when the clinic was being set up and went on to become general secretary, quickly rising to the rank of vice president.
‘When the clinic first launched, no one knew what it was; it was difficult to get people to sign up,’ she recalls. ‘I signed up and joined a few programmes. I was really interested in getting more people to join and helped with the recruitment process in that first year.’
Maddy helped to bring in 150 students. ‘It was easy to sell it to students because everyone is keen to get legal experience. I really emphasised that you’re not only getting legal experience but you’re also giving back to the community. You can make a difference while you’re studying.’ The clinic now has 250 students.
During her second year, Maddy did more than 450 hours of pro bono work. She won the award for Best Contribution by an Individual Student at the 2025 LawWorks and Attorney General’s Student Pro Bono Awards. ‘To be thanked by the attorney general was an unreal experience.’
'It was a bit mental, but I found that with my studies, it was a lot easier to work smarter, not harder. I focused on the core aspects so that I had a solid understanding of my studies'
Her 450 hours comprised client and project work. ‘We get sent an email with a brief of what the project is going to be and who the client is. When the email comes through, you can put yourself forward and apply to take on that project. As more things came through, I found myself thinking, “that’s interesting, I want to try that”.’
One project involved drafting an overview for the Environmental Law Foundation of legislation involving river protection. ‘I was concentrating on the River Uck, which is part of the River Ouse in Sussex. I looked at the sources of pollution and what laws there are that can be used to prevent that.’ Another project saw Maddy supporting Lawyers Against Poverty by contributing to a guide on healthcare rights for vulnerable women.
On top of her studies and pro bono work, Maddy was juggling two part-time jobs. ‘It was a bit mental, but I found that with my studies, it was a lot easier to work smarter, not harder. I focused on the core aspects so that I had a solid understanding of my studies.’ Her clinic work inspired her to do an environmental justice module as part of her degree. ‘I discovered that I had a much more practical outlook on it.’
As president of the legal clinic, Maddy has focused on how the clinic functions as a whole. Student engagement, transparency and teamwork have been priorities. Maddy saw the value of teamwork during her project work, with better outcomes achieved when everyone was working as a team and sharing ideas. ‘I wanted to build on that foundation. It’s not about competing for experience but a better outcome for the client.’
What’s next after graduation? Maddy has secured a graduate position with Hodge Jones & Allen as a legal assistant in the personal injury department. Ultimately, she hopes to qualify as a solicitor.
She is also one of 20 finalists for the 2026 Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work and one of six finalists for the inaugural Patsy Robertson Award for Outstanding Communication Skills.
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