Chloe G

Profile:

My journey to a legal career has been far from traditional – more of a squiggle than a straight line. I was the first person in my family to go to university. Although I considered an LLB when I was 18, the whole world of law felt foreign to me. I knew nobody in the field, and had no idea what lawyers actually did on a daily basis. That’s part of the reason why I think we need organisations like Aspiring Solicitors, to demystify and widen access to this profession.

Instead of law, I completed a History BA. I loved it. I then trained as a teacher and worked in education for several years. Teaching was brilliant, but the itch to explore legal work grew stronger. I eventually took the plunge and applied for a GDL. I was accepted, but the financial hurdles were huge: I spent lots of late nights doing sums, trying to work out if I could afford it. Thankfully, I was awarded a full fee scholarship from ULaw, without which I simply wouldn’t be where I am today.

During the GDL, I paralegalled for three days a week. This gave me practical experience to discuss on those dreaded training contract applications. Thankfully, it worked: I was lucky enough to secure LPC funding and a TC with WBD. I trained and qualified into the Employment team there, was promoted to Associate, and stayed for five years in total. I then spent a year at Burges Salmon before deciding I wanted to try life in a smaller, boutique firm, doing more work for individuals, which is how I ended up in my current position.

If there’s a moral to my (squiggly) story, it’s that anyone can become a solicitor- but it’s much harder without advice and information from those who’ve walked the path before you. I’d be glad to do what I can to fix that. Whether you’re after advice on applications, making a career change, GDL/LPC issues, social mobility matters, or even just lawyer life more generally, I’d love to hear from you.

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