My diversity networks

Non-Russell Group
State School Educated
Low Income Family
First Generation to go to University

BPP university alumni

Profile:

I am currently an associate in the M&A/private equity team at Milbank, having completed my training contract in 2021 with Clifford Chance.

After deciding to pursue a career in commercial law, the largest barrier I perceived was access into the profession from diversity groups. I am a state-school educated, first generation lawyer from a low-income family, however, my most pertinent barrier was gaining initial contact and opportunities with firms as a Loughborough University student. Albeit highly regarded among commercial recruiters, Loughborough does not contribute to the profession due to having no law school, and therefore is not visited by legal graduate recruitment.

Meeting Aspiring Solicitors at the Springboard into a Vacation Scheme event was fundamental to my understanding of commercial law as a profession, the recruitment processes and the requirements of candidates. Gaining insights from Chris, the AS team, and future trainees allowed for broad perspective and shaped my future approach into researching law firms, working on commercial awareness, and generally being proactive and persistent. More importantly, through invitations to AS open days at various partnering firms, I gained a wider appreciation for law firms as a business including how trainees fit into a firm’s business model, and how to differentiate firms and tailor applications accordingly. Through regular conversation with the AS team via the AS+ Mentoring Scheme, I was able to concentrate efforts and above information into pragmatic application. I learned to leverage my unconventional background in professional football, position as co-founder of a charity, and experience in a regional firm to achieve “Aspiring Solicitor of the Month”, and then to gain further legal placements, including with Morgan Stanley, which in turn led to an offer from my first-choice firm in 2017.

Therefore, I support Aspiring Solicitors in providing this unrivalled service for candidates facing barriers of any kind.

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