Raksha’s Journey at Essex Law School

Raksha Sunder is a final-year LLB student and was Vice President of the Essex Law Society for the 2024–2025 academic year. As a dedicated Law Star, she has played a pivotal role in mentoring peers, organising events, and championing student engagement across Essex Law School. 

Driven by a passion for creating meaningful connections and a more inclusive student experience, Raksha has helped transform the Law Society into a thriving community where students feel supported both academically and socially. 
 
We sat down with Raksha to hear more about her journey, her leadership in revitalising the Law Society, and the moments that made her time at Essex truly unforgettable. 

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi! My name is Raksha. I’m a final-year Law student and the Vice President of the Essex Law Society for the year 2024-2025. I’ve also been a Law Star, involved in mentoring, academic events, and everything in between. I’m passionate about making law school not just about lectures and deadlines, but about creating a community where students genuinely enjoy learning and growing together.

What is your favourite thing about Essex Law School? 

What I love most is how involved the staff and SU reps are in shaping the student experience. As a rep myself, I attended several Student Voice Group meetings and saw firsthand how much effort the professors put into listening to student feedback and making real improvements. It makes you feel like your voice actually matters.  

Another amazing part of Essex Law School is the Essex Law Clinic. It’s such a valuable way to gain practical legal experience while studying, and at the same time, give back to the local community. I was able to build my confidence in legal research and advice, especially in family law, which paid off in my final year when I got a family law placement through the Clinical Legal Education module. Thanks to my Law Clinic experience, I felt well-prepared and really excelled in it. 

How did you get involved in the Essex Law Society? 

In my first year, the Essex Law Society was one of the biggest and most active groups on campus, full of events, socials, and opportunities to connect. It’s where I met a lot of my closest friends. But in second year, I noticed the society had become quite disengaged, especially within the law school itself. It was disappointing to see such a valuable platform lose momentum. So, a few of us decided to do something about it. My friends and I joined the exec team with the goal of reviving it, and we did! We grew the society from around 60 members in 2023-24 to over 200 members in 2024-25. 

What did you enjoy most about being VP of Essex Law Society? 

Without a doubt, it was seeing students make new connections through the events we organised. Our very first event was a pizza party. We expected maybe 25 people, but 90 turned up! It was chaotic in the best way. That level of participation continued throughout the year, even in our academic sessions like the CV-building workshop and the commercial awareness event. There’s something special about learning law and making friends at the same time. Being part of that vibrant community and knowing that I helped create it made the experience incredibly rewarding. 
 
As VP, I planned most of the society’s events, managed our exec meetings, delegated weekly tasks to the exec members, liaised with the SU, and even organised the annual Law Ball, which is the biggest society event of the year. I also used my role as a Law Star to connect with first and second years in different settings and encouraged them to get involved, which helped widen our reach and impact. 

Tell us about a funny experience with the Law Society. 

One of our funniest moments was at our quiz night in the LTB. We had a mini game where five volunteers sat at the front, and when an item was announced, they had to run into the crowd to find it. The moment “shoe” was announced, one of our members, also a good friend of mine, got a little too excited. Instead of running, he launched his own shoe straight across the room… and accidentally hit the society president in the head. The entire room was in stitches, even the president had to laugh (after recovering from mild confusion). Despite the direct hit, my friend still won the game and walked off proudly with a giant chocolate Easter egg. Truly, justice served. 

How can students get involved with the Law Society? 

Get involved from your first year! Whether you’re looking to meet people, learn about different legal careers, or improve your commercial awareness, the Law Society has something for everyone. You don’t have to know everything about law, just be open to new experiences. It’s one of the best ways to make the most out of your time at Essex Law School.

What do you hope to do once you graduate? 

I’m graduating in July 2025 and heading to UCL to pursue a Master’s in Law, something I’ve always dreamed of. It’s going to be intense, but I’m excited to explore new challenges and hopefully get involved in student life there too, just like I did here. 

Raksha is pictured above, attending this years Law Ball.