Teresa R

Profile:

I trained and qualified as Legal Counsel in 2017 with the RBS Group which included a seat with Herbert Smith Freehills. I worked within the RBS Group for 6 and a half years (including with brands Coutts and NatWest). I left in 2022 to join Close Brothers as a Consumer Credit Lawyer and I have since joined JP Morgan. Before this I trained and worked for 4 years as a Secondary school English Teacher through the TeachFirst scheme and also worked for Transport for London in various areas ranging from Projects to Commercial.

Law has always been an interest of mine having studied law at degree level. However at the time of my graduation I was sceptical as to whether I would ever be able to secure a training contract.

Having grown up in an area of social and economic deprivation and being an ethnically diverse woman I am very much underrepresented in the legal industry. It was diversity groups like Aspiring Solicitors that gave me the opportunity and confidence to speak to a diverse range of lawyers as well as those committed to increasing diversity in their firms.

Persistence and resilience is key when pursuing a career in law. If qualifying as a lawyer is something that you really want then take the initiative to speak to people in the industry, attend networking events and be ready to confidently respond to the question – why do you want to become a solicitor?

I am happy to talk about my career journey and give tips that helped me when applying for training contracts.

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