Matteo M

Profile:

I am an LPC MSc graduate from the University of Law and am currently working as a paralegal. I graduated from the University of York with a BA in French and Spanish in 2016. I will start my training contract at Clydes in August 2021. As the son of two immigrants, I initially perceived my chances of becoming a lawyer to be relatively small; I was the first person in my family to even go to university and we had no connections to the legal world. I was constantly told that law was about “who you know”. My perception was reinforced when I started applying to City firms because I received countless rejection letters with no explanation; I began to believe I was not “the right type of person” to become a lawyer.

It was only when I attended my first AS event that I found out that there was a push for people like me to enter the legal profession and this encouraged me to continue and, in particular, to apply to Clydes given the firm’s staunch commitment to increasing diversity. I then did a lot of networking and managed to get some vital work experience which enhanced my applications and gave me things to talk about in interviews. I completely understand how daunting the training contract application process is, especially for those who feel they are at a disadvantage compared to other candidates. However, it is really important not to give up on these applications because we need lawyers from all different walks of life. For this reason, I would be more than happy for AS members to reach out to me if they have any questions.

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