I didn’t follow the traditional route into law. In fact, at one point, I wasn’t sure I’d make it into the profession at all.
I left school at 17, having only completed my AS Levels. Personal circumstances had affected my education, and I didn’t get the grades I wanted.
University felt out of reach and, honestly, it didn’t feel like the right fit for me anyway. But I still had the drive to make something of myself. I didn’t have a full plan, but I knew I wanted a career where I could help people, solve real problems, and be someone others could turn to in their time of need.
Starting at the Very Beginning
My foot in the door came through a Level 2 Business Administration Apprenticeship at a small local law firm. I was 17, eager to get into the working world, and spent 11 months handling admin, answering phones, scanning files, and shadowing secretaries, paralegals, and lawyers. It wasn’t legal work - not yet - but it gave me my first insight into how the legal world operated.
Then, across the road (literally!) I saw a CILEX Level 2 Apprenticeship vacancy. I’d already completed a Level 2 Apprenticeship, so I applied speculatively and ended up being offered a CILEX Level 3 Paralegal Apprenticeship in the dispute resolution department.
I accepted, moved over, and started my first actual legal role as a Dispute Resolution Paralegal, working on real client matters while beginning my CILEX studies. That shift from admin to apprentice was small in distance, but massive in meaning. I’d taken my first real step into the profession.
Redundancy at 20 and Delivering Parcels
At 20, just as I was finding my feet in law, the pandemic hit. I was made redundant. One week I was preparing court bundles, the next I was a delivery driver, navigating postcodes instead of case law.
It was a humbling time. I felt like my career had been derailed before it had even properly begun.
But, I didn’t give up. I continued my CILEX studies independently, determined to stay on course. I revised in the evenings, studied between delivery shifts, and held onto the belief that I would find my way back.
Climbing Back Up
Eventually, I secured a role at a personal injury firm in Sheffield. It wasn’t where I saw myself long-term, but it brought me back into legal practice and gave me the space to rebuild.
From there, I joined a North Nottinghamshire firm, where I was able to take on a broader range of dispute work and complete both Level 3 and Level 6 of my CILEX qualification.
I studied hard, passed every exam, and steadily developed a specialism in dispute resolution - particularly contentious probate and trusts, which became a real passion.
The £180,000 Pension Victory No One Expected
One of my proudest moments came when I represented a client whose father had passed away, leaving behind a £180,000 pension. It wasn’t part of his estate, but instead it had been nominated to a ‘friend’. My client had been left with nothing.
Most thought there was little we could do. But after listening closely to my client and investigating further, I believed there was a strong argument that the nomination had been made under coercion, and it was worth the fight.
I took the case on, against the advice of my colleagues and managers, challenged the circumstances of the nomination, and fought for justice. In the end, we secured £90,000 for my client - half of the pension, when she was originally entitled to nothing.
That win wasn’t just about money. It was about integrity, about challenging assumptions, and about giving someone a voice when they felt powerless. It showed me just how impactful this job can be and how far I’d come.
CILEX Wasn’t My Plan B, It Was My Best Decision
There’s a misconception that alternative routes like CILEX are “easier” or second-rate. They’re not. They’re for people who learn by doing. For those who need to earn while they learn. For people who don’t come from privilege but still have drive, intelligence, and resilience.
CILEX gave me:
- A way into the profession without debt
- The ability to study and work simultaneously
- The flexibility to keep going through redundancy
- The structure to develop as a legal professional
Where I Am Now
I now work at Foys Solicitors as a Dispute Resolution Executive, where I’m close to completing my portfolio to become a Chartered Legal Executive - I’m also President of the Doncaster & District Law Society and the long-standing President of the Doncaster Junior Lawyers Division, the youngest person to ever hold either role.
I’ve led legal community initiatives, built strong professional networks, and supported the next generation of aspiring lawyers. And I got here because I didn’t give up - and because I took the other route.
To Anyone Looking In from the Outside
If you’re wondering whether law is for people like you, let me say this clearly: It is.
- It’s for the school leaver who didn’t get the grades.
- It’s for the apprentice who feels out of their depth.
- It’s for anyone with drive, grit, and passion.
You don’t need a traditional background to build a meaningful legal career. You just need belief, and the right platform.
Final Thoughts
I’m proud of my path. It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t linear, but it’s mine.
And if you’re standing at a crossroads right now, wondering if the “other route” is worth it, let me reassure you: it absolutely is.