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 started my training contract at Clyde & Co in August 2021. I am now an Associate at Stephenson Harwood.

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 Clyde & Co 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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