AS Asian Success Stories

Asian
Success Stories
“ Committed to increasing diversity
in the legal profession.”

“ I come from a minority ethnic background,
attended a state school, and was the first
generation in my family to attend university.
Getting my foot in the door at a City law firm
seemed difficult, but with Aspiring Solicitors’
events and opportunities I was able to do just
that. The AS team took the time to refine my
CV and reviewed application answers in detail.
Looking back at my early applications, I cannot
stress enough how much of a positive difference
AS made to fully showcase my skills and abilities.”
Khamisha Patel
Future Trainee Solicitor, CMS
Contents
Introduction 1
Roxanna Sarkar-Patel 2
Norina Arif 4
Jagwinder Kaur 6
Arjun Patel 8
The Aspiring Solicitors Goals: to provide
free access, opportunity and assistance to
students from underrepresented groups; to
educate and inform the next generation of
the legal profession about the importance
of diversity; and to promote and encourage
diversity from within the profession.
Our aim has always been, and will always be, to increase
diversity in the legal profession, to break down barriers for
underrepresented individuals entering the profession, and to
educate and inform current and future generations about the
importance of diversity and inclusion.
In the short space of time since Aspiring Solicitors was founded, we have
helped our members from a variety of underrepresented backgrounds obtain
over 3,550 vacation scheme and training contract offers. We are committed to
ensuring that this number increases year-on-year by working with our partner
firms and providing the support and access to the profession that our members
need. From our bespoke mentoring schemes, to unique opportunities like
our Commercial Awareness Competition, our aim is to continue to provide
candidates, from a whole range of diverse backgrounds, with an equal playing
field so that their success is measured only by their talent and drive.
Receiving emails, texts, and phone calls from our members, telling us they
have secured a vacation scheme or training contract, remains the best part
of our job. Every vacation scheme and training contract offered is a reflection
of the dedication of our partner firms, the Aspiring Solicitors team and, most
importantly, our Aspiring Solicitors members.
We’re delighted to share a selection of our Asian members’ success stories
in this publication.
1

Roxanna Sarkar-Patel
Trainee Solicitor
Mayer Brown
2
“ Diversity is an integral part for the
legal profession’s future. I believe that
encouraging diversity in a firm creates
an inclusive, happy and energetic
environment...”
I am a British Asian female trainee solicitor and the first person in my
immediate family to attend university. I have always felt that diversity
is important, as it has helped me to overcome language and cultural
barriers and become confident in understanding people from all walks
of life. In a general sense, diversity and inclusion are important, because
awareness of each ensures that a profession, such as the legal one,
disregards social stereotypes and offers equal opportunities for every
candidate to succeed.
Diversity is an integral part for the legal profession’s future. I believe that
encouraging diversity in a firm creates an inclusive, happy and energetic
environment. From a commercial angle, diversity is essential in driving
productivity and achieving better results, but also to demonstrate to potential
clients that the lawyers of a firm reflect the diversity of modern society. It is often
a requirement of large corporate clients that their legal advisers are diverse
and this is no surprise as diversity demonstrates individuals’ differences and
strengths. It is precisely this that helps firms to strategize and present new and
innovative ideas and perspectives.
AS helped me secure a training contract by offering one to one coaching,
application assistance and the opportunity to participate in the 2015/16
Commercial Awareness Competition. My team and I won this competition,
which led to vacation scheme opportunities and a chance to widen my
professional network.
We believe our ability to remain a world-class,
international law firm depends on how well we
attract and retain the best talent. To achieve
our goal, we focus on building an ever-more
diverse and inclusive work environment. We
recruit, develop and promote the highest calibre
lawyers and staff, and are committed to providing
them with opportunities to realise their potential
regardless of background. Inclusion begins with
opportunity and we continually seek innovative
and effective ways to increase the number of
diverse students that we attract and recruit.
By engaging schools, colleges and universities
directly, and by collaborating with organisations
focused on widening access to the profession,
Mayer Brown offers programmes that enable
students to kick-start their career, whatever their
background or circumstance.
3

Norina Arif
Associate
Dentons
Diversity is important to me because I believe it optimises productivity
and creativity. Knowledge and insight of other cultures is a valuable
asset that organisations can use to provide a higher quality of service
and a better working environment for their employees.
I know this all too well from my own experiences. I was born in Kabul,
Afghanistan during the Afghan Civil War and came to the UK at the age of 8.
Having come from such an unconventional background, there were times where
I felt wary of my prospects of entering into the legal profession, which is typically
seen as an old English profession.
To combat this, I started to characterise my diverse background as an asset and
used it to my advantage to demonstrate how I could bring something different to
the table. I went on to study law at Brunel University and later secured a training
contract with Maclay Murray and Spens LLP (which has now merged with
Dentons). In 2017, I achieved my dream of qualifying as a Corporate lawyer at a
top city law firm. I once considered my background to be a weakness. I now see
it as my greatest strength.
At a time when the legal market is changing so
rapidly, being the biggest law firm on the planet
puts Dentons in an enviable position and with over
175 locations in more than 78 countries, we can
offer a world of opportunity for your career.
One of the defining features of Dentons is what
we call our polycentric approach: we have no one
global headquarters. That doesn’t mean we don’t
have a distinct identity, rather it signifies that our
firm’s culture reflects the diversity of our clients
and of the communities in which we work and live.
You will be part of a truly global proposition and
have the opportunity to work with the very best
legal minds from around the world, wherever that
might be, and our CSR work is truly global too.
The security offered by our size and scale is
reinforced by a clear vision of what our clients
need Dentons to be in the future. Whether that’s
reimagining the business of law or developing
new technologies to improve efficiency, we’re
leading the way.
“ I once considered my background
to be a weakness. I now see it as my
greatest strength...”
4 5

Jagwinder Kaur
Future Trainee Solicitor
Macfarlanes
The support of Aspiring Solicitors was fundamental to my success in
securing a training contract. Attending AS Open Days introduced me
to graduate recruitment teams and enabled me to make my applications
stand out. I secured a place on the Barclays Legal Work Experience
Scheme and attended the “HeadStart into a Training Contract”
workshop. This increased my confidence so I could get the most out of
networking and put the best version of myself forward at interviews.
The weekly telephone appointments made juggling applications whilst
working full-time so much easier; I genuinely looked forward to my
appointments every week, I would receive tailored advice, and finish the calls
with a clear idea of what I needed to do to improve. This had a remarkable
effect on my applications, and I started being invited to final stage interviews
at numerous firms.
I cannot stress enough how valuable Aspiring Solicitors has been to me, and
to increasing diversity in the legal profession. The team give their wholehearted
support and time to everyone that asks for it, and the success of each
Professional Ambassador is a true testament to their dedication.
6
“ I cannot stress enough how valuable
Aspiring Solicitors has been to me, and to
increasing diversity in the legal profession.
The team give their wholehearted support
and time to everyone that asks for it...”
At Macfarlanes, we are committed to the creation
of a culture of fairness. For us, a fair culture is one
which respects the contributions which can be
made by talented people from all backgrounds –
people with differing views and experiences. It’s
also about providing an inclusive and supportive
working environment. We firmly believe that our
culture significantly enhances our ability to provide
a service of quality to our clients.
This culture of fairness underpins our recruitment
practice and guides our policies in relation to
the development and retention of our people.
They are our biggest asset and vital to our
continued success.
7

Arjun Patel
Future Trainee Solicitor
Baker McKenzie
At University, I first became involved with Aspiring Solicitors by
taking part in the Commercial Awareness Competition and becoming
a Campus Ambassador. Aspiring Solicitors has been instrumental in
helping me secure my vacation scheme and ultimately my training
contract. The Commercial Awareness Competition has been the best
platform to help prepare me for numerous assessment centres. In
addition, the workshops AS provide have helped me to understand
how to turn my internship into a job offer.
As a British Indian, diversity is extremely important to me. I believe that
diversity is about bringing people from diverse backgrounds together and
working towards a common goal. Diversity is a powerful tool for motivation
as it can show future generations anything is possible. I am passionate about
the work that Aspiring Solicitors does in order to help candidates achieve
their career goals.
8
Diversity is central to our success. We are at home
anywhere in the world and we rely on our people
to navigate cultures, borders and practices with
ease. Our global community is made up of many
creeds, colours, ethnicities, religions and people
with different sexual orientation, gender identity
or expression, people with disabilities, and other
human differences. What really sets us apart is
our ability to leverage the different languages,
cultures, generations and perspectives we have
to create a truly international law firm that places
a real focus on diversity and inclusion.
Cultivating a diverse and inclusive workplace
is top of our agenda – we have been named
as The Most Innovative Lawyers in Diversity by
the Financial Times, and we understand that
fostering a culture of respect and inclusion creates
a dynamic and happy workforce. To ensure we
maintain a focused agenda, we have a Global
Diversity & Inclusion Committee comprised of
members from all four of our world regions that is
chaired by a member of our Executive Committee.
We’re determined to stand out from the rest.
This is illustrated by the tangible steps we’ve taken
towards attracting, supporting, developing and
retaining a diverse workforce. These steps include
being one of the first UK law firms to demonstrate
a strong focus on social mobility (we’ve just
been ranked 10th in the government’s top 50
UK employers for social mobility) and are one of
the first organisations in the country to introduce
name-blind recruitment.
“ Aspiring Solicitors was instrumental in
helping me secure my vacation scheme
and ultimately my training contract...”
9

“ I am delighted that we are working with Aspiring Solicitors,
which continues its great work in promoting careers in
law to a wide and diverse range of future lawyers. Aspiring
Solicitors provides an invaluable insight into the world of
legal practice, truly helping students with their career
choices and encouraging individuals to make applications
to law firms. The professional education we provide at
BPP for the lawyers of the future is highly valued by our
students and the firms that we work with.”
Andrew Chadwick, Dean of BPP University Law School
Get all the
guidance you need
to start your legal career
journey through our Law
Careers Workshops and
Open Evenings.
To register, visit
bpp.com/events
Becoming a solicitor with BPP University Law School
With over 25 years’ experience, we are proud to be one of the UK’s leading
law schools. Designed in close collaboration with legal employers, our courses
focus on the technical, professional and personal skills that firms are seeking.
You will be taught in small groups by our highly skilled tutors, who bring their
professional experience to the classroom and use realistic case studies to
thoroughly prepare you for your career as a solicitor.
As a BPP student, you’ll become a member of the legal community from
your first day, with frequent opportunities to expand your contacts. And by
volunteering for a project with BPP Pro Bono Centre, you’ll see the impact of
law in everyday life while developing vital legal skills.
Through the Law School and our Careers Service, we’ll prepare you to secure
that all-important training contract, with access to expert applications support,
intensive interview coaching and CV advice from the moment you accept your
place with us.
Postgraduate funding
and scholarships
Don’t let finances stand in the way of your
legal training. Our LLM courses incorporate the
essential legal training you need to become
a solicitor and are eligible for a government
postgraduate loan up to £10,906.
We also offer a wide range of scholarships to
support the brightest future legal talent, from
all backgrounds. Each year over £1,000,000 is
available across our fund.
Exclusive opportunities for
Aspiring Solicitors members
If you choose to study with BPP University Law
School, you can access unique employability
opportunities and other benefits through our
partnership:
• The chance to apply for exclusive BPP
scholarships and bursaries
• Access to careers coaching from the likes of
Barclays Legal, Bristows, Freshfields, Mayer
Brown, Reed Smith and Dentons
• Mentoring schemes with a number of law firms
• The chance to undertake a legal placement with
organisations such as American Express,
Barclays and Network Rail
10
11

First
Become a member of
Aspiring Solicitors
Visit the Aspiring Solicitors
website and register today:
www.aspiringsolicitors.co.uk
AS First is an exciting programme
open to Aspiring Solicitors
members across the UK and will
ensure our members build the
knowledge and confidence to
kickstart their legal career.
AS First is our employability programme targeted at
students in their first year of an undergraduate degree.
The programme, designed and delivered by the
Aspiring Solicitors Employability Experts, will focus
on equipping students with the knowledge and skills
required to successfully kickstart vacation scheme
and training contract applications. Visit the Aspiring
11
Solicitors website to register your interest.
www.aspiringsolicitors.co.uk/coaching-programmes/first-year-plus
“ Committed to increasing diversity
in the legal profession.”
All images © John Ferguson

“ Committed to increasing diversity
in the legal profession.”
www.aspiringsolicitors.co.uk