From the age of 10 I knew that I wanted to be a lawyer. The first lawyer I ever met was a close family friend. She had just qualified and spoke so passionately about the work she was doing, Being in and out of court sounded so exciting, the work was varied and fast paced and I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of. At that time the profession was heavily male dominated and having a strong female role model, and someone to aspire to was so important. I went on to do my research and did lots of work experience from the age of 16 in different firms, from local high street practices to larger national, commercial firms. Whilst I realised it wasn’t all glamorous – I was hooked! As I continued throughout my education, it became clearer that law fit my natural skillset and when I went on to do my LPC, it was the collaborative and problem-solving element of the work that interested me.
Graduating in the middle of a recession and after multiple training contract rejections, I thought this might not happen. Most firms were no longer taking on trainees and those lucky enough to have training contracts were being deferred – it felt like the odds were against me. I contemplated changing direction and doing an MBA but I was determined to see through my ultimate goal to qualify. I knew it was important to continue to build on my knowledge and expertise so I worked as a paralegal for a few years in the insurance sector and in commercial disputes. This experience was invaluable and really set the foundations for a future in law. I couldn’t believe my luck when after years of rejection, I landed two training contract offers.
