WHILE many law students spend their university years buried exclusively in textbooks, Jamaican Brianna Bell was busy handling real-world immigration and asylum cases. The Birmingham City University standout balanced legal research for vulnerable children with an internship at the Jamaican High Commission in London — all while graduating with first class honours.

It was not a path she’d anticipated, but it was a challenge she wholeheartedly accepted as her work aligned with her desire to make an impact and proudly represent Jamaica on the international stage. Reflecting on her achievements, she charged Jamaicans seeking to study abroad to never limit themselves and take full advantage of the opportunities available.

Bell shared that she left Jamaica in 2023 with a suitcase and a dream of becoming a family lawyer, a move she said she made purely for its competitive advantage. However, when she saw the numerous opportunities available for students to grow in their field of interest through volunteerism, she decided to make the most of her time in England.

She volunteered for Kids in Need of Defence (KIND) — an organisation that supports vulnerable youth with immigration and asylum casework — assisted litigants with family and civil law matters — including child arrangements and divorce— mentored and tutored fellow students, and worked alongside big names in the legal arena such as immigration tribunal Judge Cordella Bart-Stewart, who is also the founder of the UK Black Judges Association and the Black Solicitors Network. Additionally, she served as the faculty representative for the Birmingham Law School Students’ Society, and course representative for Birmingham City University.

Through her activism Bell was awarded the 2025 Be Inspired Youth Award, presented by the Association of Jamaican Nationals in recognition of academic excellence, leadership, and community service. She was also the recipient of the 2023 Birmingham City University Graduate Plus Award, given to recognise and develop practical employability skills in students such as networking, volunteering, and work experience, among other accomplishments.

“I do know that legal experience is very hard to get, and the fact that I got these opportunities kind of motivated me to apply to do more, which I did. I knew that if I wanted to be a barrister the fact that I could join a pro bono clinic and help them with real world issues that they face would give me an edge.

Jamaican Brianna Bell graduated from the Birmingham City University in England with first class honours in law. 

“I’m not in the legal sphere yet but I’m actually helping people with their legal issues. I feel like that kind of motivated me, because not many people can afford an actual lawyer, and the fact that I was working in a pro bono clinic, doing this free labour, helping persons, it kind of made me feel like I was doing my part, my good part towards them,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

She said the most fulfilling and emotional moments came when she worked on matters related to immigration.

“Each time we closed a case, we had closing letters to write. I would do the closing letters for the immigration cases at the clinic, and each time I would send a closing letter it was like I helped another child come to the UK, which is nice,” said Bell.

“It was a bit more raw. You had a lot of people facing domestic abuse — not just the mother, but the child as well — so you had to kind of put on a brave face to deal with that. The high commission was really fun to be at; it was like a learning curve for me. I got to see the different requirements when you travel to the country, the people from different countries that are coming to Jamaica, and I got to help a lot of people to see the world, and also help persons coming from a different situation into the UK,” she added.

She said, too: “It kind of gave me a different perspective on life itself, because not many people are blessed enough to be born in a country that does not face any type of humanitarian crisis so helping people…and children come over into the UK, it was really raw, but it made me feel like I was doing something for the greater good,” she shared.

Even as she navigated the emotional and complex nature of her activism, volunteer work, school work, and personal life, Bell said she had her own challenges with time management and feeling homesick, but her foundation of faith and prayer kept her through it all.

“I know it sounds cliché but that was the only lifeline I had. Obviously, I had my parents, but I’m all alone there. I had to pray, I had to lean on my friends and keep the faith, and that’s all that really took me through balancing everything — just praying. I cried a lot, but God really took me through,” she told the Sunday Observer.

Brianna Bell (left) and tribunal Judge Cordella Bart-Stewart, who is also the founder of the UK Black Judges Association and the Black Solicitors Network. 

“It does feel surreal because even though I was crying and I felt like I couldn’t manage, I ended up managing and now I’m here with the first class honours. I didn’t even know I was going to be here with first class honours because I didn’t believe in myself. I didn’t believe in myself a lot of times, but now I’m here and it just feels surreal.

“It feels like God has really blessed me during this journey and has really kept me, because if it wasn’t for God I don’t know where I’d be right now. And a lot was on the line, so I’m happy that I made my parents proud,” she said.

The aspiring lawyer said she was also proud to represent Jamaica in everything she does, joking that she carried Jamaica on her forehead.

“Everyone at my university knew I was Jamaican. Whether through my volunteering experience at court or with the immigration clinic, I carried the Jamaican flag. There were not a lot of Jamaicans within the immigration clinic itself but I just felt like I was doing well, and I wanted people to know I was a Jamaican doing great things in the UK. I was up and down, and all around the university, and I felt like I was carrying the pride of Jamaica on my back,” said a proud Bell.

She urged fellow Jamaicans seeking to go abroad to do the same and make it known that great people, in all fields of life, come from Jamaica.

“If you’re scared and you feel like you don’t want to take the jump, just take the jump anyway into the deep end, and when fear kicks in, just start swimming. Your situation right now does not define your future so don’t limit yourself just because of what you see at face value because you don’t know what’s out there for you. God has a plan for you,” she encouraged.