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Profile:
I am an Associate specialising in Employment Law at Herbert Smith Freehills.
Before joining the firm and completing my training contract, I studied law at the University of York and completed vacation schemes at DLA Piper, Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith Freehills. I first met Chris at a ‘Springboard’ event. Attending Aspiring Solicitors events and having the assistance of Chris and the AS team was invaluable. The Aspiring Solicitors team really helped me to appreciate my background, and to draw out the skills I developed from my ‘non-traditional’ experiences of life living and working in a small Northern seaside town throughout my teenage years. I urge everyone to talk with pride about the transferable skills they have learnt from their non-traditional backgrounds.
As you may have experienced, or come to experience, obtaining a training contract is a very tough and thorough process. There are likely to be times when you will face setbacks and this can be very disheartening, but it often part and parcel of the journey. Resilience is key and, remember, the interview process is as much about finding out whether a firm is the right fit for you, as it is about the firm assessing you.
During my career I have faced, what I considered at the time to be, setbacks – developing chronic illnesses that have meant spending time away from the workplace and working reduced hours over my career. That said, living with ill-health has in fact enabled me to better delegate, build my resilience and ability to prioritise. The firm has been immensely supportive throughout this, including encouraging me to host endometriosis awareness raising days and speaking at panel events about living and working with chronic illnesses.
Diversity is important to me as it helps to ensure that the legal profession is representative of both our society and the clients who seek our advice. I truly believe that having a range of backgrounds, lived experiences and personalities within a team is imperative to its success. At HSF I feel you really can be yourself (with no pretences) and succeed.
If you have any questions about Herbert Smith Freehills or my experiences noted above, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
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