Question 1: Where did you study law and why did you want to become a lawyer?
I studied law at the University of Sheffield, where I also completed the Legal Practice Course. I loved my time at Sheffield – it is a fantastic city for students and I was able to get a flavour of what it would be like to be a lawyer by working on real cases as part of the University’s Freelaw legal advice clinic.
My interest in law goes back a bit further than that though. I first started studying law relatively early when I was at sixth form, and have always enjoyed learning about the theoretical side of the subject as well as the practical aspects, gaining an understanding of how the law has adapted over the years to meet changing social needs and attitudes. Points of law very often divide opinion and spark debates, and I suppose, ultimately, I wanted to become a lawyer so that I could be a part of this evolving area and have the opportunity to weigh up the nuances of different arguments and opinions, rather than just dealing with questions that have a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.
Question 2: Why did you want to specialise in Litigation work?
I was exposed to a great deal of litigious work during my Training Contract, so I think I naturally fell into this area because I had acquired so much experience of it at an early stage in my career. I may be biased, but to me Litigation work is the most exciting. I enjoy formulating arguments, weighing up the strengths and weaknesses of a case, and putting my client’s best foot forward to obtain the best result possible. I also really appreciate the variety of work I get to deal with as a Litigation lawyer, whether that be assisting an individual with a neighbour dispute or representing a business in a multi-million pound contractual dispute. No two cases are the same.
Question 3: What has been your greatest achievement at Swinburne Maddison?
Since joining the firm in March 2020, I have worked on a number of high value and complex cases which are certainly some of the highlights of my career so far. However, I think my biggest achievement has been managing to build my own caseload during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. I started working at the firm just one week before the first lockdown – I had barely got started in my new role before being sent away with my PC in a box to work from home! It was a challenging time, but with some determination, and the encouragement of a very supportive team, I have been able to establish great relationships with a number of the firm’s key clients and develop my experience across a wide range of matters.
As life slowly becomes more “normal”, I look forward to meeting some of my clients in person and continuing to build my network of professional contacts.
