Amna

Amna Aziz has recently joined national law firm, Partners in Costs, as a Legal Costs Negotiator. She is coming to the end of her first year of the ACLT’s Costs Lawyer Professional Qualification and hopes to be fully qualified by 2026.

When I started my law degree at Huddersfield University in 2019, I was unclear what area of law I wanted to practice. Costs were not mentioned on my course so I was unaware this area existed until I was offered a paralegal role at national law firm, DWF. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the firm and was promoted to fee earner within eight months of joining. My introduction to this specialism gave me a clear understanding that working in costs requires you to regularly adapt and evolve to mirror the changes in law.

I know from my fellow alumni at Huddersfield that getting into the legal sector can prove extremely difficult, with many graduates facing intense competition for opportunities. I, however, was quite fortunate, as I secured three paralegal opportunities during my job search, one of which was in costs. Once I started researching the area I realised it was quite niche as opposed to the other roles I had considered, which appealed to me. Choosing to pursue this path turned out to be the right decision as it has allowed me to work in a niche area that I can see myself progressing in.

While studying sociology, law and business at college I started my own cosmetic business at 17. I had amassed a keen following via my fashion website and social media channels, which I repurposed into a cosmetic business. Within the first three months of trading, it returned a six-figure revenue. Juggling both a business and my studies proved challenging, but it provided me with the many transferable skills that I use regularly to maintain a healthy balance between my weekly studying, professional expectations, and personal life. Having a personal life is very important to me and I think it is vital for all students to still have fun and participate in their hobbies alongside their studies and day job.

The structure of this course has proved to support this desire. All learning materials are uploaded onto the student portal within ample time to allow you to plan your weeks accordingly. I dedicate one full day over the weekend to studying and if necessary, a few extra evenings in the week. The tutorials are incredibly engaging because the tutors ask lots of questions and encourage everyone to share their views, which offers an additional layer of learning outside of the textbooks.

So far we have studied civil litigation and professional standards and ethics. It feels incredibly motivating to know that everything I am learning I will put into practice during my career. The assignments also echo this, for example, I am currently drafting an advisory letter to a client and looking at the consequences of an example of negligent professional behaviour for my end-of-term assignments. Everything we study and learn is relevant which has boosted my confidence at work and cemented my decision that this is the correct specialist path for me.

Costs law is forever changing, which excites me as I know there will be ample opportunities to evolve throughout my career and develop through further training. Unlike other areas of law, you get vast exposure to many differing fields as you may spend one day drafting a bill on a medical negligence case and the next day spending time advising a client on costs regarding an RTA credit hire file.

Once I pass this course and have secured my qualifications, I feel confident that it will help make me stand out to employers and demonstrate to clients that I am a specialist they can trust to deliver a high standard of work that is ethically driven.
In the future, I hope to combine both my passion for costs law and my interest in business by taking on a dual role that incorporates business development alongside my legal expertise. My experience will allow me to identify opportunities for growth, build strong client relationships, and implement strategies that align with the firm’s values and objectives.

Added April 2025