Nadia M

Profile:

I studied law at the University of Southampton and was the first female university graduate in my family. With no role models or contacts in the legal industry, I struggled to grasp the technique behind successful training contract applications, and to understand what life as a solicitor actually entailed. Therefore, after university, I sought to build my confidence and gain commercial experience, so worked in the oil and gas industry for 4 years, before returning to law and self-funding the LPC. I subsequently worked in a couple of paralegal roles, including at a magic-circle firm and at Reed Smith, where, after one and a half years, I went onto secure a training contract.

During my unconventional and prolonged journey to obtaining a training contract, I visited and interviewed at various law firms for both paralegal and training contract opportunities, but came to notice that my cultural, religious and ethnical background was seldom represented among the people I aspired to be professionally. This, in some way, justified every rejection as, “I wouldn’t fit in there anyway”. With that, I believe that in order for people from all backgrounds to feel represented in the legal profession, and for future lawyers to continue aspiring to join this rewarding profession, we must all play a part in encouraging and welcoming diversity.

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