Reimagine Law

In episode 17 of ReImagineLaw, we welcome self-employed barrister Sonal Dashani and the Deputy Director of Clerking Emma Makepeace, from 25 Bedford Row.  

This episodes explores how self-employed practice at the criminal bar differs from the role of an employed barrister.  Our guest give a real insight to business of a set of chambers and the individual businesses of the barristers within them.  This episode looks at the symbiotic collaboration between barristers and clerks, building a business, and the importance of marketing to professional clients, typically solicitors. 

Listeners might be interested to listen to episode 14 (“A Career as a Barrister, More Than you Might Assume”) alongside this episode. 

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

1. Write a ‘for and against’ list for both an employed barrister and a self-employed barrister. Make sure these relate to your life, values and priorities. 
2. Think about the role of a clerk and how they support the legal services market (this link might be helpful: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/barristers-clerk).  Do a ‘for and against’ list for this role.  Could a role in the provision of legal services but not as a lawyer be the right path for you?  

Useful resources:

• The Inns of Court: https://www.chambersstudent.co.uk/the-bar/the-inns-of-court.
• Past Seminars from 25 Bedford Row: https://www.25bedfordrow.com/site/seminars/past-seminars/
• The role of a clerk: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/barristers-clerk
• About the Bar: https://www.barcouncil.org.uk/about/about-the-bar.html

In this episode of ReImagineLaw we speak with two experts who have developed careers in the financial side of law firms: Gillian Cobb (Finance Director (Europe) at Kirkland & Ellis) and Chris Ward (Law Firm finance expert and trainer/consultant on law firm finance).  Gillian and Chris explain to listeners the ‘nuts and bolts’ of how law firms make money.  How can firms create a profitable business? What are their biggest costs? 

The episodes addresses a few key questions.  Does the work of the team managing finance in a law firm connect with those managing clients? What are the pressures and challenges within this?  Most legal service businesses are ‘partnerships’ rather than a ‘PLC’ – but why is this, and what does it mean for financial management, career paths, and the culture of a firm?  Gillian and Chris look ahead at the impact of technology when managing law firm finance and which tools are used to improve client services like e-billing and ‘extranet’ sites.  

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

1. Pick a well-known business (in any sector) and then talk to a fellow student or someone in your network. Discuss together how you think it makes money. What generates the most revenue for the business, and what are its largest costs?
2. Search online for 3 different types of finance jobs in law firms.  Consider the skills they look for, and whether these match some of your own strengths?

Useful resources:

• The law firm as a business:

https://www.lawcareers.net/Explore/Oracle/31032020-The-law-firm-as-a-business 

• How do law firms make money?

https://graduate.pinsentmasons.com/law-as-a-business-how-do-law-firms-make-money/ 

https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/nlanter/files/driving_profitability_forward_whitepaper.pdf

• How law firms can benefit from e-billing:

https://www.busylamp.com/how-law-firms-benefit-from-legal-e-billing/

In this episode of ReImagineLaw we speak with two lawyers who work in the field of public interest law, solicitor Helen Mowatt from the Public Interest Law Centre and employed barrister Matthew Aluwahilia from the Public Law Project.  Helen and Matthew talk about how their work takes them to the front line of live social issues ranging from policy issues, to education and homelessness.  This episode explores the feeling of being ‘on the front line’ of campaigns and social movements and the rewards that having a career centred around social good can bring. 

The episode also discusses what it means to ‘be a human rights lawyer’. Helen and Matthew talk about the challenges they faced in developing careers in this area, the need for proactivity and how to ask for support at certain key moments.

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

1. Stop and think for a moment: what do I care passionately about and what type of impact do I want to have in my career?
2. At different phases of your career doors will close and you will need to open others.  Stretch outside your comfort zone and reach out to someone who does a job you would like to do: “I’ve admired what you do for a long time and am considering a similar career path: do you have 10 minutes for a quick call so I could learn more about your role?”

Useful resources:

• Public interest law, what is it? - https://www.pilc.org.uk/ 
• Skills and characteristics of Public Interest lawyers - https://www.thebalancecareers.com/public-interest-law-2164664 
• Information on being a Justice First Fellow like Matthew Ahluwalia: https://jff.thelegaleducationfoundation.org/  
• The Public Law Project: https://publiclawproject.org.uk/   

The title Barrister conjours up all kinds of images, and it is easy to think careers as a barrister always take one form.  But that is not always the case.   

In this episode the ReImagine Law team are joined by Angharad Price, a Welsh, employed Barrister, at the Equality Human Rights Commission.  Angharad talks about how her non-traditional background, has been a catalyst for a successful career at the Bar.  This episode encourages listeners to think of the variety of ways that barristers practice and Angharad goes through some of the student questions she addressed at this year’s pupillage fair. 

This episode encourages listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode. 

1. Log on to the Supreme Court website and watch a court hearing. 
2. Think about other ways that you can get work experience – it might be different but there are still lots of opportunities to attend online events.  

Useful Resources:

• The Bar Council – I Am The Bar
• Watch a court hearing at the Supreme Court
• Have a look at the Chambers Student website and select the Bar tab 
• Have a look at the student section of the Bar Council website 

In this episode, Deepak Malhotra, Corporate Adviser and former senior in-house lawyer (General Counsel) explains how he developed his career as an in-house lawyer. He discusses the experience of moving to a role where from day 1 was literally ‘sitting amongst your clients’ in corporate business. Deepak speaks about the critical skills of communication, building trust, influencing, being proactive and how he saw his in-house team’s role as being ‘educators’ of the businesses he sat within.  The episode also explores the growth of in-house roles (with 1 in 4 solicitors now working in-house) and how that opens up opportunities to hold for roles in corporate businesses, government, charities and human rights organisations.  Finally, Deepak discusses the long-term career options, and the wide range of opportunities that in-house roles can offer to develop different skill-sets. 

This episode encourage listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode. 

1. Consider what interests you most. Do you want to be a deep, niche specialist in an area of law, or have a broader, commercial role?
2. In your network, ask if anyone knows a solicitor who has an in-house legal role and seek an introduction.  Ask them what they enjoy about the role, and compare this conversation with another contact who works in private practice.

Useful resources:

• Look at websites such as the ‘Association of Corporate Counsel’ where there are career resources and information about in-house roles.
• Explore what opportunities exist for in-house training contracts, and the different government or corporate entities which offer them. 

In this episode, Kishan Mathy (trainee solicitor, insta @sqbrkt) speaks about how he tried to stand out from peers in a competitive job market, seeking a role at a City law firm, especially as he did not ‘tick all’ the traditional boxes; e.g. his academic grades.  Job hunters can focus too much on the employer they want to work for and rarely look from the point of view of the clients of the organisation they are seeking to join.  However, focusing on the ‘client angle’ can both demonstrate great commercial awareness and differentiate you from the rest.  Kishan explains how he showed curiosity to explore, research and gain experience in a range of industry sectors which interested him – where the organisations were the clients of law firms.  In subsequent interviews, these broader experiences allowed Kishan to speak from experience about trends in industry sectors, showing the broader industry understanding which law firms often seek from future trainees. 

This episode encourages listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode. 

• To stand out, be curious about sectors of industry or public sector bodies which interest you – which might be clients of law firms.  Attend talks and speak to people who work in those organisations, so that when you have interviews with law firms you can speak about these broader commercial topics and the range of people you have spoken to and the insights it has given you 
• Meet people who are actually doing the job you are aspiring to gain – get ‘beyond the marketing brochure’!
• Look at LinkedIn profiles of peers you meet – what do you notice from their profiles that they have studied, or experiences they have sought out?  How is it different to your own?

Resources

• Attend school, college or university careers fairs and events, be proactive and ask questions (prepare some in advance).
• LinkedIn and Google search.
• Law firm websites – look at which industry sectors they focus on to guide you on which industries their main clients may be in.

Anyone can say that they have transferable skills, but demonstrating these skills in the context required of you can be the challenge.  In this episode, the ReImagine Law team consider law as a second career.  What are the challenges and advantages of undertaking law as a second career, and what lessons can be learnt for aspiring lawyers who are on their first career. Our two guests Robert de Souza and Christine Ohuruogu highlight the value of talking to others, understanding the landscape and embracing an adaptable journey. 

This episode encourages listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode. 

• Reflect on skills that you may have obtained from other experiences / jobs / volunteer positions. 
• Speak to others and build your networks on Linked In. Use this as a method to be confident when being adaptable.  
• Look into what pro bono opportunities are available to you.  Use it as a platform to develop your drive and commitment. 

Useful resources

• LawWorks are a national charity who help to Coordinate pro bono opportunities, they may be able to point you to pro bono opportunities in your area.
• LawCareers.Net: https://www.lawcareers.net/ 
• The University of Law is one of a number of legal providers.  Have a look at their website for ideas.
• Have a look at the Chambers Student Guide 2021.

Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not.  The profession has made some improvement in relation to recruitment but how do we retain lawyers from all backgrounds within the profession?  The ReImagine Law team are joined by Debo Nwauzu (founder of the Black Lawyers Directory) and James Alao (Clifford Chance).  James and Debo discuss a number of themes including; the challenges with the breadth of the phrase 'BAME' when trying to identify specific challenges around inclusion, how possible it is to bring your whole self to work, and the importance of work allocation to enable equality of opportunity.

This episode encourages listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode. 

• Speak to people from the 'inside out' to understand and learn what the culture is really like within an organisation.  Then consider, what suggestions you could make to create a greater sense of inclusion in a team of which you are a member?
• Make yourself aware of 'unconscious bias' and how that might be impacting your style as an colleague / manager / fellow student, and how you create inclusive team cultures. We all have it, and can reduce it through awareness.  

Resources

• Read the bias page on the Pearn Kandola website  
• Watch this YouTube video titled: "How can racism at work: The danger of indifference help?" by Professor Binna Kandola OBE
• Read or listen to the Book "Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People" by Mahzarin R Banaji. 
• Consider undertaking the Project Implicit Test run by Harvard University where you can test and see where your own unconscious bias may lie by taking Implicit Association Test/s: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/selectatest.html 

Building networks to explore which pathway into the legal sector might best suit you can be daunting, especially if you have few existing contacts or people to contact.  In this episode Sabrina Polito (Associate in the Energy & Climate Change group at City firm CMS UK) looks back on how she explored law as a career at school, and where she turned to for advice. She reflects on the methods she found successful to build networks and create job opportunities.  Peter Arnold (Early Talent Development Manager at CMS UK) also explains the skills his firm seeks, and both guests then suggest ways to build these capabilities.

This episode encourage listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode.

1. Be aware: Look widely for tips on what different legal roles are really like - use social media such as Twitter, LinkedIn, bloggers, and 'follow' lawyers on these platforms to hear their views they post on their day-to-day experiences, projects and successes.

2. Be client-centric: Put yourself in the shoes of a client of the firm you are interested in, choosing a client in a specific industry sector where that firm focuses.  To be ready to impress people at the firm when you speak with them, carry out some research on that sector and create 3-4 bullet points to answer "what are key commercial issues in this industry sector where you would need a law firm's help?"

3. Be reflective: To be ready for interview questions consider, "when did I face a very tricky problem, what was it, and how did I solve it?"  Can you build some great personal stories and examples, bringing in your work and study experiences?

Useful resources:
- Using and finding industry groups on LinkedIn so you can find more about your chosen sector
- Putting yourself in a client's shoes, what clients really want from their law firms
- Problem-solving ideas considering the 'how'
- What do you really want from your career / working environment? 

This episode takes an in-depth look at the advantages and opportunities of qualiying into the legal profession through the CILEx route. Three wonderful guests talk through the advantages and practical realities of studying while working.

This episode encourage listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode.

- Research into the different routes available in CILEx including distance learning.
- Research what a career in the legal profession means to you and how it fits with the kind of life you want long term.

Resources
- Here is a link to the CILEx website with details of specialist practice areas
- Look at the costs of CILEx qualification here
- Check out the Regulation Matters webpage
- This is a video on the CILEx continuing professional development