When preparing for applications and considering firms, I found AS and these pages helpful. I reached out to several solicitors who I recognised as having similar a similar background to me who were generous with their time. No matter your background, seeing people you can relate to within the profession gives you confidence that you can also achieve. The contacts I made through these pages, despite not previously having any legal network, inspired me to apply and I would now hope to give back and help others.

I would welcome emails with any questions people have or feel free to add me on Linkedin.

Apart from using these profile pages, I also took part in an AS mentoring scheme with Bank of America Merril Lynch and Mayer Brown. This was fantastic at building my confidence, preparing me for interviews, and understanding the profession.

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I am an AS Mentor because I want to be able to pay all the help and support, I have received over the years, forward. I have experienced first-hand how difficult it can be to break into the legal industry, and I would like to pass on my knowledge and experience to others so that they do not experience the same difficulties I did, or to the same extent that I have. I want to empower others to pursue the career paths that they wish to take without fear or self-doubt.

I am happy to provide support in all facets, students can, email me, set up calls, add me on LinkedIn, and ask for advice on things such as email etiquette, commercial awareness etc.

I have previously been part of, or received support from:

• AS Aspire candidate.
• AS Virtual Diversity Law Firm.
• Legal mentorship.
• Mentorship scheme with partner firms such as AstraZeneca and Paul Hastings.
• Mock Interviews.
• Application Reviews.
• Springboard schemes.

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This legal experience gave me the kick up the backside I needed, and I decided to study the LPC part-time whilst working full-time, and to continue to look for a training contract. Luckily during my first year of the LPC, I managed to secure a training contract at a West-End law firm. Since qualifying I have had experience both in-house and in private practice. I am currently a Commercial, Media & Entertainment Associate at Simkins LLP. I joined Aspiring Solicitors as my journey into law was not conventional. As a mixed-race person with British/Irish and Filipino heritage, I always struggled to find lawyers with a similar identity as me. Further, being state-school educated meant I did not have the networks or exposure to practising lawyers that many of my peers have had. It is extremely important that there is representation in the legal profession so that the next generation of aspiring solicitors see people who look, sound and have come from a similar upbringing to them.

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In order to support myself through education, I worked a variety of retail jobs: a make-up artist at MAC, a No7 specialist, counter manager at Smashbox, and even as a customer assistant/supervisor at Morrisons! After finishing my education, I really struggled to get paralegal jobs – there were many rejections! I thought outside the box and started working at the Home Officer as a Presenting Officer within UKVI which was really great adversarial and advocacy experience. I did this for just under 2 years prior to starting my TC. 

Diversity is incredibly important to me as I am first-generation immigrant: I was the first person in my immediate (and extended) family to go to university and to pursue a career in law. As mentioned, I had no legal experience or connections which did hinder me at points. Also, being a British-Indian woman in the legal world can be very daunting! However, through Aspiring Solicitors, I began to see these as strengths and things that set me apart from others in a good way. The support that AS has provided has been invaluable and I am very excited to be able to repay this back to others so please feel free to get in touch!

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People from different backgrounds tend to have different perspectives on the same issue and tend to approach the same problem in different (and perhaps more creative or efficient) ways. Diversity in a workplace therefore creates the perfect conditions to foster greater creativity and innovation. Diversity is also important as a goal to be achieved, because it results in a more equitable distribution of opportunities across different groups, some of which may have been historically excluded from accessing those opportunities. As someone from a non-UK background who works in a diverse team in London, I can attest to the fact that the different perspectives I have witnessed around me have challenged me to question my own thinking and helped me grow as a lawyer and a person.

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Since returning from my first maternity leave at Allen & Overy in 2018, I have worked on a flexible working arrangement (fixed days working from home and certain hours when I will be offline) and was one of the first to do so in a transactional department. I have continued this arrangement at Simpson Thacher. This allows me to share the school and nursery runs with my husband (who also works full time as an in-house lawyer) and spend time with my children during the week.

I grew up in Leeds and studied Law with French Law and Language at Leicester University. I had previously never considered applying to a London law firm, let alone Magic Circle. However speaking with Allen & Overy trainees at a recruitment event gave me the encouragement to give it a go. I have since been heavily involved in graduate recruitment for Leicester University students to encourage others to do the same.

Diversity is critical to bring different perspectives and ideas and to challenge the status quo so that companies and our communities can evolve and thrive.

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I nonetheless enjoyed teaching in secondary schools of all different kinds, where I learned a lot about people, relationship building, adaptability and organising myself. I continued volunteering at my local Citizens Advice, as my background had taught me that the impossible is around us all the time, so one day, a legal career might become a possibility for me. Often the doors we think are closed just need a little push at the right time.

When my children left home, I decided it was now or never. In my early 40s I returned to university. I worked full time as a courier, and ran a business online while I studied. I wasn’t afraid of hard work, but I needed help to direct my energy where it’d be most effective. Aspiring Solicitors’ support was invaluable in showing me how to research and evaluate different firms to know which ones really ‘walk the walk’ in terms of diversity, building my confidence to aim for the top.

Since starting my TC at Withers, I’ve often found that elements of my unique background turned out to have taught me many soft skills such as how to & work smart cope under pressure, establish good relations and healthy boundaries, all of which complements the academic and practical skills I’ve picked up through my life experience and studies.

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As an international student who struggled for a while to secure a traineeship, it is important for me to be a role model for other international students who aspire to join the British legal profession and are maybe uncertain or doubtful of fitting in while preserving and showcasing the flair and personality of their nation’s culture. After all – an office where individuality and multiculturalism thrive, is a successful office.

I would love to offer my experience, insights, and advice in relation to what I have struggled with during trainee applications and my career. I can also provide insights around my current traineeship. I can also share what I do on a daily basis to further my career and promote my personal brand; and support candidates from international backgrounds feel included in the legal industry.

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I studied Law at the University of Surrey and during my penultimate year, I did a placement in accountancy. I finished university in 2021 with a high 2:1 and went straight onto studying the LPC at the University of Law. Prior to university, I attended a state school and obtained a small amount of legal work experience in two local firms and one city firm.

I was diagnosed with dyslexia at an early age and found school difficult. However, since starting at BCLP, the firm has helped me identify my obstacles and find reasonable adjustments to support me in overcoming these. With the support provided by BCLP, I have been able to thrive and learn about how my neurodiverse strengths benefit my team and work.

I have become an AS Mentor because I am passionate about helping others and hope to share my experiences and learned knowledge with aspiring solicitors with similar backgrounds to myself.

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