Shivi R

Profile:

I am an associate in the Family team at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP. I deal with all areas of family law, such as divorce and finances, children disputes, domestic abuse and cohabitation issues. I am also a Trainee supervisor.

Growing up, I always wanted to be a lawyer, but I knew it would be tough. I was state-school educated and did not attend a Russell Group University. I had no connections in the legal industry as a first generation lawyer, and I’m a female ethnic minority. Despite achieving a First in my law degree and a Distinction in my LPC, getting big firms to even consider me was a huge challenge.

Despite the barriers, I have worked my way up from a small high-street practice to a Top 35 global law firm, achieving awards along the way.

The legal profession is still not as diverse as it should be, though firms are becoming more proactive in this area. At Charles Russell Speechlys, I am a member of the Religion, Beliefs and Ethnicity committee and the Gender committee, and I run the firm’s D&I book club.

I am passionate about increasing access to opportunities in the legal sector for ethnic minorities and women. Through my role as a professional ambassador, I hope to motivate aspiring lawyers from under- represented backgrounds achieve their goals.

If you are an aspiring lawyer with a similar background and want some advice or guidance, please do reach out.

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