24 November 2021
An insight into the range of careers in the legal profession was the subject of an engaging virtual session for students from Year 9 upwards on Tuesday 23 November, thanks to a panel of Woldingham alumnae who work in this field. With expertise in areas including family law, commercial litigation, residential property, real estate and conveyancing, and general counsel, panellists Sarah Binder (2000), Frankie Linsley (2014), Kate Stovold (2001), Pippa Winstanley (2009), So Yung Wong (2009) and Nicola Wager (1993) shone a light on the variety of career opportunities law offers. They also talked about their own route into the profession - none of them read law at university - and that the profession is expanding paths into careers in law, including with apprenticeships, to increase accessibility.
Our speakers dispelled some common preconceptions about law, such as that you must be a ‘straight A’ student, be exceptionally good at detail, or have every point of law committed to memory. They agreed that important skills for a career in law include common sense, the ability to build relationships quickly and a love of problem solving. The panel made it clear that getting into and working in the profession requires hard work and resilience, but our speakers’ obvious enjoyment of their careers was inspiring. Thank you to our panellists for their time to help Woldingham students considering following in their footsteps.