My diversity networks

Non-Russell Group
State School Educated
Low Income Family
Race

Profile:

“I attended a non-Russell Group university so I’ll never get a training contract at a top City firm”. If this sounds like you or if you feel your diversity in some way is a barrier to your success, then you are in the right place. Aspiring Solicitors helped me obtain my training contract and through them, I would be delighted to help you.

I am a commercial litigation associate at Stewarts. I graduated from Keele University with a Law LLB (Hons) in 2012. I worked at a leading local law firm for a year before completing the LPC at The University of Law London Bloomsbury (which I self-funded). After completing the LPC, I began my career at Stewarts as a paralegal in 2014. I applied to the firm’s training contract scheme in 2017 and was offered a training contract, which started the same year. I qualified as an associate in 2019.

The road to my obtaining a training contract was not a direct path or one without its challenges. I come from a BME background, received state education at secondary school, and graduated from a non-Russell Group university. In addition, at a critical time during my education I suffered bereavement in my family which negatively impacted my A-levels. It soon became clear that I had to do more in order to be on a level playing field with my peers, many of whom did not belong to an underrepresented group. I sought out mentors, received invaluable advice and support from the Aspiring Solicitors team, gained legal and non-legal work experience, attended networking events, and built up my legal network.

As a result, I am passionate about increasing diversity in the legal profession. I have spoken at events such as the 2019 InterLaw Diversity Forum’s Student Lab Conference, the 2019 WCAN Annual Law Conference, and the 2019 Women in Law Summit. I am a member of a number of diversity and inclusion focused networks and groups in the City and I sit on my firm’s Inclusion Committee, responsible for driving diversity and inclusion strategies internally.

Whether it is to help you with your CV and applications, preparation for interviews or just general advice – please feel free to get in touch!

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