FARMER'S daughter Jodie Mozley has actor John Thaw to thank for helping settle her mind on a career involving the law.

Jodie explains: I lived with my grandparents until the age of eight. I was brought up very old school minding my p&qs, keeping my elbows off the table and whenever we watched TV it was always a show with a proper actor in it as my grandma used to say, none of this soap rubbish.

And so it was that I watched everything that starred the likes of Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, David Jason and the late John Thaw.

It was while snuggled up watching one of John Thaws most famous characters, Kavanagh QC, that I started dreaming about a career in law. I loved the thought of being a barrister, helping people that needed help and the thought of wearing the robes and wig at work!

Says Jodie: I always knew I would study my A-Levels and I always knew I would go to university. This probably sounds like the standard path for many my age, but for a farmers daughter from a very, very small village on the outskirts of Sheffield where nobody else in my family had been to university this was huge!

I attended Aston Comprehensive School and picked up 11 GCSEs from A* to C Grade. I eventually left with 4 A levels two As and two Bs.

I was all set to go to Nottingham University. I had been given an unconditional offer, I had been to see the halls of residence and I had spotted where all the best shopping areas were!

I was four weeks away from starting my law degree when I realised I needed to stay in South Yorkshire. My mum and little brother, who is 10 years younger than me and aged eight at the time, needed me and I needed them too.

I cancelled my place at Nottingham, knowing it would go to somebody who truly wanted it.

I called the University of Sheffield that same day. I was lucky enough to get an appointment with Tony, the head of admissions for the law department, the following day. Off I went, driving up to Crookesmoor the home of the law department.

I parked my car in an area that said wheel clampers operate in this area. I could not see a pay and display machine, and nobody else seemed to have a permit or ticket, so I just popped in for my meeting.

I spent an hour with Tony, where he reviewed my grades and asked me why I had turned down my place at such a prestigious university as Nottingham. I explained why, and Tony understood completely. I was offered a place there and then.

Term was to start in four weeks, so I had a lot to sort out, the first being the parking fine I had received while I had been chatting with Tony!

It did not matter, I was on cloud nine and not even a parking ticket could have dampened my spirit that day.

Jodie studied for four years at Sheffield with a year out in-between.

For three years, I read law and gained my LLB degree, graduating with honours, she says.

I returned and spent a final year at Sheffield to gain my solicitors Legal Practice Course.

It was during my degree that I sampled many areas of the law. Criminal law was not for me, neither was family and property law as they just did not interest me.

But then I chose employment law as an elective. I studied employment law during my degree for a whole six months and similarly for the LPC, too.

I loved it from day one. It was so interesting, it changed so quickly and the case law was like a good book, unlike several of the other subjects I had studied.

After graduating, Jodie was living in Doncaster where she was offered a job with Simpson Millar LLP.