Building Confidence as a Young Legal Professional

Why Confidence Matters in Law

Law can feel intimidating at the best of times. As a young professional, you’re constantly surrounded by people with decades of experience, and it’s easy to feel like the smallest fish in the biggest pond. Confidence isn’t something you just wake up with one day; it’s something you build over time, usually by stepping into situations that make you nervous.

For me, confidence has never come naturally. I’ve always been open about the fact that I struggle with anxiety, but I’ve also always been very ambitious. Quite an odd combination really? 

From the start of my legal career, I promised myself that I wouldn’t allow my anxiety to hold me back. That’s how I ended up creating the Doncaster Junior Lawyers Division (DJLD) at 21 years old - a decision that would change my life, and my confidence, forever.

Feeling Alone, Then Finding Purpose

At the time, I was a very junior fee earner. There were only two or three other people at my firm in similar positions, and they were spread across different departments. We had similarities, but our day-to-day realities were quite different. I remember thinking: it can’t just be me? Surely not. There must be others out there who feel the same way?

That thought became the trigger. I knew I couldn’t be the only one feeling isolated, so I decided to do something about it. My idea was simple: get the junior sector of Doncaster’s legal community together, and maybe we could build connections, share experiences, and support one another.

I didn’t know it at the time, but acting on that thought is where the DJLD was born. What started as a way to help myself became a growing, vibrant network of junior lawyers who might never have met otherwise. And while it came with plenty of anxiety, it also gave me purpose - and the first building block of real confidence.

The First Leap – Launch Night at The Chase

The first DJLD event was our launch night at The Chase in Bawtry. It was a networking, pizza, and drinks event, and around forty people turned up. That number floored me.

Walking in, I was terrified. Forty people had actually come to an event organised by me and the newly formed DJLD. It just didn’t feel real. I wanted everything to be perfect, typical of an anxious perfectionist, I know... 

I worked the room, tried to talk to everyone, made sure to get some pizza amidst the busy evening, and then came the moment I’ll never forget: my first time addressing a crowd.

I tapped a spoon against a glass and the room fell silent. Forty faces turned towards me. I quickly realised that I hadn’t really rehearsed what I was going to say, and so I just had to wing it - pretty standard for those that know me. My voice shook as I spoke, and I fumbled over my words a few times, but I made sure every word came out. It was equal parts terrifying and exhilarating. That moment set the tone for what was to come: if I could get through this, maybe I could get through anything.

Anxiety, Honesty, and Competitiveness

Outside of law, I’ve never really been a shy person - but anxiety has always been part of my life. My approach has always been to talk about it openly. I’ve learned that the more you normalise it by talking openly and honestly, the easier it becomes for others to open up too.

I’ve never allowed my anxiety to stop me from achieving my goals. I’ve found that the build-up is always worse than the reality. And perhaps, my competitive streak helps. I grew up competing in gymnastics across the region, which gave me that drive to push myself, even when things felt uncomfortable.

I want to be living proof that even if you’re anxious, nervous, or unsure of yourself, you can still achieve whatever you set your mind to. You just have to keep showing up.

The Speech That Changed Everything

One of my biggest leaps in confidence came at the first Doncaster & District Law Society Ball after Covid. I was asked to give a speech in front of 180 people. To this day, it remains one of the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever done.

I didn’t prepare alone. I tried to, but I procrastinated pretty hard, and didn’t come up with much at all… My best friend helped me draft the speech, and then I practised it in the reception of our office. We formed a little circle: My colleagues, roughly seven or eight of them, sat around me and listened, gave me feedback, and even helped me time my pauses and jokes. At one point, a client walked in to find us all sat in a circle in the reception like it was story time. You couldn’t write it really. 

When the big night came, I shook from start to finish. I barely knew anyone in the room, and I felt vulnerable and exposed. But I delivered the speech. It felt good (once it was over I mean…) Afterwards, senior lawyers and Judges came up to congratulate me, saying it was inspiring, and I should be proud of myself. I’ll never forget that pinch-me moment.

From Vulnerability to Belonging

Fast forward to the most recent Ball of the Doncaster & District Law Society. The crowd was a similar size, but this time the experience felt completely different. I was still nervous - I don’t think nerves ever disappear entirely - but I wasn’t uncomfortable anymore. I felt like I belonged.

In that room, there were plenty of people I didn’t know, but there were also plenty that I did know, who had connected with me through the DJLD or the Doncaster & District Law Society, and who were rooting for me. 

The shift was huge: from feeling like an outsider to feeling like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Learning to Live with Anxiety

People often ask me how I overcame my anxiety. The truth is, I didn’t. I don’t think you ever completely get rid of it. What I learned, is how to live with it.

I tried breathing techniques. I tried writing my chaotic thoughts down. I vented endlessly to my best friend. None of it made the anxiety vanish. But I found that each time I pushed through an anxiety triggering situation, it got easier the next time something similar arose. I have learnt that avoidance brings unhappiness, and growth only comes from leaning into discomfort.

For me, it became like exposure therapy. After Covid, I even had to relearn something as simple as going to the shops on my own. At first, I’d drive to the car park, sit in my car for ten minutes, and then go home. Next time, I’d walk to the shop front. The time after that, I’d go and buy something simple, like a sandwich. Eventually, I was able to go in and do the weekly shop. It sounds strange, but for those that suffer with anxiety, this will be a very relatable experience. 

I found that the same principle applied to public speaking, networking, and leadership. Step by step, day by day, the fear lessened, and my confidence grew.

What I Tell Junior Lawyers

When junior lawyers say to me, “I don’t feel confident enough to network, lead, or speak up,” I tell them this: I’ve been there. And look at me now.

You have to trust your instincts and believe in yourself. You are good enough. You are capable. No matter your title - Partner or Paralegal - everyone is just a person. If you’re happy and proud of your achievements, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. 

Start small. Put yourself into situations that make you anxious, and take it one step at a time. Build up, slowly. Don’t aim for perfection. Just keep showing up, keep investing in yourself, and before you know it, you’ll look back and barely recognise the person you once were. I know that I sure do. 

That’s growth.

Final Thoughts – True Confidence

Confidence is often misunderstood in law. People assume you have to be bold and outspoken from day one. But true confidence takes years to build, and it isn’t about arrogance or bravado. I’ve met plenty of people with misplaced confidence - and it’s not attractive.

The reality is, most of the people who look confident are just as nervous as you. The difference is, they push themselves through it. Confidence is often about optics and perception, and about how you channel nervous energy in front of others.

For me, the journey from a terrified 21 year-old tapping a spoon on a glass in-front of an audience of forty, to feeling comfortable addressing a ballroom of over a hundred people, proves that confidence really is built over time. It’s built through discomfort, vulnerability, and persistence.

So if you’re a young legal professional doubting yourself, my advice is simple: step into the uncomfortable. Because that’s where the growth happens.