Class of 2024 Spotlight: Alexandra Gibbons’ vision for a more equitable legal system

Alexandra, a recent graduate, shares her dissertation on class discrimination, her experiences at the University of Leeds, and her plans to build a successful career.

We recently caught up with Alexandra, a fresh graduate from the University of Leeds School of Law, who’s making waves with her bold dissertation on class discrimination. Through an insightful interview, she shared the inspiration behind her research, reflected on her time at university, and gave us a glimpse into her exciting post-graduation plans.

An ambitious dissertation project: advocating for class as a protected characteristic in UK law

Alexandra's research, titled “Levelling the Playing Field – Should Class be the Tenth Protected Characteristic in the Equality Act 2010?,” delves into the underexplored issue of class discrimination, which she believes deserves legal recognition and protection alongside other characteristics such as race, gender, and disability.

Alexandra’s passion for her dissertation topic was ignited during her second year at university while studying employment law. She noticed a significant gap in legal scholarship addressing class discrimination, despite its pervasive impact on individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Coming from such a background herself, Alexandra has firsthand experience with the caused by class disparities.

"I attended an Ofsted-rated ‘inadequate’ state school where only 35% of students achieved a grade five or above in English and Maths, made it to university and yet still faced class discrimination," she shared. "This dissertation was my way of shedding light on this issue and hopefully driving change, even if it just raises awareness."

The importance of discussing class discrimination

For Alexandra, research on class discrimination is not just an academic exercise – it’s a necessary step towards social justice.

Alexandra pointed out that classism is often overlooked in discussions about inequality, yet it has far-reaching implications, from societal attitudes to education and employment. She explained:

"The class pay gap is even larger than the gender pay gap, and is exacerbated when intersected with other protected characteristics.

“The psychological impacts include anxiety, depression, and stress, while the physical impacts are stark – with women from lower classes living 8 to 11 years fewer than their higher-class counterparts, and men facing a 10-year disparity.”

Additionally, Alexandra recognised that the lack of legal scholarship on this issue is concerning, and more attention needs to be given to this form of discrimination if we are to see real change.

As such, Alexandra’s dissertation aimed to raise awareness about classism in England, affirm to those experiencing classism that they are not alone, and contribute to closing the knowledge gap on this topic.

Life at leeds and advice for new students

Reflecting on her time at Leeds, Alexandra highlighted the importance of getting involved in university life outside of academics. Whether it was powerlifting with the Barbell Society, surfing in Morocco with the Surf Society, or teaching English to refugees through the STAR society, these experiences were invaluable to her personal growth.

To new students she suggested engaging in mentoring and career programmes like SEO London, UpReach, and the Plus Programme. These programmes provide mentors, answer career-related questions, and offer opportunities for work experience.

For job research, Alexandra advised using career websites like Legal Cheek to explore different firms and their rankings. Additionally, she suggests visiting firm websites, LinkedIn pages, and employee profiles to understand their work and culture.

Finally, Alexandra recommended mastering the ability to quickly scan documents for key information and organizing your findings systematically in a table with website titles, links, and notes for easy reference. Particularly, she highlighted the usefulnes of research tools like Lexis Nexis, Westlaw, Google Scholar, Legislation.gov.uk, and Hansard. Similarly, she recognised the value of exploring parliamentary debates on Hansard to deepen your understanding of new legislation and enhance your ability to engage in informed discussions on legal issues.

While Alexandra acknowledged the challenges of studying law, she also emphasised the importance of enjoying the experience. To incoming students, she said:

Law school is difficult; you ultimately get out of it what you put in. Although the pressure is hard and it feels like there are so many deadlines and things to do, do not forget to have fun, make new friends and learn new skills because, although you will forever be proud of yourself for achieving an amazing grade, you will cherish the friends, skills and memories you make so much more and these things will stand out about you to future employers.

Looking ahead

Alexandra is not satisfied with just writing about class discrimination – she is actively working to disseminate her research and spark wider discussions.

In September, she will be presenting her dissertation at a Working-Class Staff networking event at the University of Leeds and has applied to present at the upcoming "Student Success in Education – Where are we now?" conference. Additionally, she is working towards getting her dissertation published, with hopes of continuing to present it at various conferences and workshops.

Reflecting on the importance of Alexandra’s work for both the University of Leeds community and beyond, Rachael O’Connor, Associate Professor and Alexandra’s dissertation marker, says:

“There is a growing recognition across our campus of the need to ensure we are considering class and its intersections with other marginalised identity characteristics when we are looking at important topics such as community and sense of belonging where experiences of classism can be extremely damaging.

One of the big reasons why class is often overlooked is owing to the fact it is not currently a legally protected characteristic under the equality legislation. Alexandra’s excellent dissertation really shines a light on this important aspect of debates and the Working-Class Staff Network is absolutely thrilled to have Alexandra presenting on this topic so we can all learn more about it as a community.”

As she embarks on her post-graduation journey, Alexandra’s future plans are as ambitious as her academic endeavours. Currently working full-time in hospitality to save up for a 3–5-month travel adventure, she plans to kickstart her legal career upon her return. Whether through securing a training contract or starting as a paralegal, Alexandra is determined to become a successful solicitor.

But her aspirations don’t end there. She also aims to run a marathon, compete in powerlifting, and hike as many mountains as possible. "My goal is to learn new skills and push myself in every area of life. I’m excited to see where this next chapter takes me," she concluded.

Want to start your own journey in Law? Sign up to one of our upcoming undergraduate October Open Days and learn more about what Leeds can offer!