Najma A

My Law Firm

Profile:

I was born in Somalia but raised in Hackney, London. I was very academic at school and initially wanted to become a doctor (I did all three sciences for A-level). However, a short stint in the ICU and a love for history and debating signalled the end of my medical career.

After a year of soul searching during my gap year teaching physics, I decided to attend Warwick University to do a degree in Liberal Arts. Unsure of what I wanted to do after I graduated, I did various internships whilst at university, including at the Civil Service, a digital marketing internship at an Ed-Tech company and a vacation scheme at a law firm. I also volunteered to teach physics at a local secondary school. I enjoyed the technical and international nature of corporate law and following a successful vacation scheme, I accepted a training contract offer at Norton Rose Fulbright.

Following graduation, I completed the gradate diploma in law (GDL) and the legal practice course (LPC), and commenced my training contract in March 2021. During my training contract, I completed seats in financial services regulatory, banking (on international secondment to Dubai), investment funds and tax. I enjoyed the technical but also varied nature of financial services regulatory, and had a particular interest in asset management, so decided to move to Kirkland & Ellis following qualification in February 2023.

First and foremost, diversity is important because it is the right thing to do. People should not be prevented from accessing opportunities because of their background. Secondly, diversity allows firms to access and hire the best talent. Finally, it is now the expectation amongst clients that law firms reflect the diversity of the society they are part of.

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