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New Diversity, Equity and Inclusion changes to the Actuaries’ Code and Guidance
Jenny Higgins
Entering the legal profession is an extremely daunting task in and of itself. The odds of success are slim – 2% if you want to be specific (Chambers Student, 2020). Against this background, those seeking to enter the profession face a cacophony of dissonant perfectionism. It is a constant rhetoric that every part of your academic journey must be flawless, coupled with an exceptional level of work experience and a multitude of extra-curricular activities. It is frankly exhausting before you have even written a word of the application. So, what do you do when you don’t fit the mould of the perfect candidate?
I’m a first-year trainee at Kingsley Napley, and in my mind, I was not the perfect candidate for a training contract. At the end of my undergraduate degree, my anxiety had become so debilitating that I walked out of my final year exams which I had spent months revising for. In the following weeks, my anxiety lapsed into severe depression which was quite debilitating. After an uncertain and mysterious university process, I was allowed to graduate but I would have to take some further exams in order to obtain a qualifying law degree.
This sent me down a path of considering whether I could ever enter the legal profession. There’s a perception that if you suffer from a mental health condition that you cannot handle stress. That is absolutely untrue. Yet, I was very concerned that people look at me, look at my experience, and think “well she just can’t hack it”. Worse yet, there are well-meaning but misguided attempts to steer you away from the profession for your own benefit. I was told repeatedly by many that I should do something ‘less stressful’ and consider alternative careers. However, I felt that I could be an asset to the profession if given the opportunity.
I never thought that I would be able to get a training contract off a paper application. I thought that I would have to work in a firm first to prove myself. Nonetheless, I applied. Throughout the process, I was incredibly open about my mental health and I genuinely believe that this helped me to secure multiple training contract offers. The landscape of the legal profession is changing, albeit slowly. I hope that this can give some comfort to anyone who has suffered from a mental health condition which may have affected their academic performance.
At 21 years old, my experience felt like an insurmountable obstacle but I’m now six months into my training contract and I can see the value that individuals like me add to the profession. Firstly, diversity in all its forms is a good thing in any profession. It leads to the free flow of ideas from a wider range of perspectives resulting in more innovative solutions. Secondly, clients, especially when they are facing legal challenges, may suffer from mental health issues. Although I may not be able to relate to a client’s precise situation, I can empathise with how they may be feeling. Finally, what kind of profession do we want to be? Its an important question and one which should be considered perhaps more frequently than it is. There needs to be a deeper understanding of mental health in the legal sphere and how can that be achieved without individuals who have lived experience of these issues.
So, from one imperfect candidate to another, there was never any such thing as the perfect candidate.
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you have any questions or concerns about the content covered in this blog, please contact Shannett Thompson or Georgina Woodward.
ABOUT THE AUTHORs
Shannett Thompson is a Partner in the Regulatory Team having trained in the NHS and commenced her career exclusively defending doctors. She provides regulatory advice predominantly in the health and social care and education sectors. Shannett has vast experience advising regulated individuals, businesses such as clinics and care homes and students in respect of disciplinary investigations.
Georgina Woodward is a trainee solicitor at Kingsley Napley currently sitting in Real Estate having previously completed her first seat in Regulatory. Georgina’s current work includes assisting with a mixture of residential and commercial real estate transactions.
We welcome views and opinions about the issues raised in this blog. Should you require specific advice in relation to personal circumstances, please use the form on the contact page.
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