Legal Fever Dream

Introducing a candid series examining the legal industry, and the challenges faced by junior lawyers trying to break into it.

Why did you start this series?

There are far too few unglamorous accounts of trying to make it as a lawyer in the UK. The shelves are full with success stories, there is a lack of representation within the legal industry, and the narratives surrounding paths to qualification (or the lack thereof).

I hope to share these accounts to help those who are struggling to navigate the arduous long journey into the legal profession, which can sometimes feel more like a secret society we strive to access. Once many make it into the ‘inner circle’, they tend to spend more time scrambling to make it to the top, than sharing their struggles, or criticisms of the profession and industry.

I have made some excellent friends in law, throughout my LLB, LLM, LPC and MSc. Those are a lot of letters to have accumulated, yet I am still bottom of the proverbial food-chain – as are many more qualified than I. Our stories span many different issues that emphasise where the problem in the legal industry’s recruitment lies.

I have many friends who have left the law after facing too many barriers to their entry, intelligent people who require visa sponsorship and are denied opportunity on that ground. People who have faced adversity, illness or other struggles which do not allow them to fit into the neat path carved out for aspiring solicitors.

What about you?

My interest in law began with a love for human rights, I worked in courts with litigants in person to mitigate cuts to legal aid, was elected Pro Bono Officer of my university Law Society and worked on initiatives to empower refugees through legal education. I have also worked on Death Penalty cases in the US and acted as a paralegal within various firms.

Despite this, I have faced countless rejections, opportunities that I eagerly accepted to have them fall through, prejudice, workplace sexual harassment (to name a few) all before qualifying.

I did my LPC part time on weekends, whilst undertaking full time Corporate work, a monumental juggle that taught me a lot, as well as highlighting key problem within the industry, and Universities.

The personal issues I faced throughout these two years further highlighted the problems within the perfectly paved path to success we are sold. Dealing with bereavement, disability, illness, war, pandemic and a family member’s cancer diagnosis within this time is atypical; but nonetheless valuable experience in demonstrating the real need for adequate D&I efforts. They further highlight that sometimes the solution to the lack of a training contract is not simply to build commercial awareness or gain further experience. Sometimes the system’s failures are to blame, more than the candidate’s lack of effort.

Upon completing my LPC, the SQE got introduced, changing the legal path to qualification. This signals a positive change within the industry, apart from its introduction partially invaliding the LPC for those who have yet to secure a Training Contract. A rising number of firms are excluding the LPC qualifications, requiring trainees to undertake another SQE exam upon successful completion of the LPC (many of whom self funded).

My experiences have been varied, and have given me a unique insight into our industry, and the ways it must change to become more accessible – factors I am acutely aware of as I continue to try and penetrate the barriers within it.

Through this series, I hope to chronicle my story, and the stories of my friends and colleagues to provide an honest account of the tumultuous journey to qualification many undertake, and the hidden struggles they face.