I am lucky enough to be half way through a training contract at the age of 24 with 3 years of experience behind me already. I am also a woman and a woman who has a particularly young face.
I still find that every time I walk into a court room, which is more often than not filled with white middle aged men, I feel like the underdog. However, I see it as an extra challenge. There is nothing quite like winning a case when the odds are not in your favour simply due to being a young woman.
For some unknown reason, many men seem to find it very difficult to see a young woman succeed in law. Even before my training contract interview, a fellow applicant, a male, tried to throw me off by highlighting the £30,000 deal he had secured the firm that week. He knew full well that as a human rights lawyer, I could never compete.
Sadly for him, I did secure a training contract and I went on to secure the city’s Junior Lawyer of the year award – the shortlist was only women, which I was immensely proud of.
Sadly I know these battles will continue into my career as a solicitor. However I know that my only competition is with myself; to be the best Lawyer and human I can be.