Life Before Law
There is no one way of getting into law and multiple careers are no longer simply accepted, they are often respected.
Here at Birketts, we have a number of employees who have had careers prior to joining the law. Our cohort of trainee lawyers are no different.
Some of their previous titles include, but are not limited to; a Royal Navy Mine Clearance Diver, a foreign language teacher based in Taiwan, and a Chief of Staff to an ultra-high-net-worth entrepreneur. We interviewed some of our trainees to find out why they choose to a career path in law and what advice they would give anyone thinking of doing the same.
Explore some of their stories below:
Whilst retraining hasn’t been easy, I believe that good things rarely are. Ultimately, I’d rather deal with the challenges presented by the career-path I want to be in, than deal with the challenges presented by compromising.
Case Study: David Brescia
“Before joining Birketts, I worked for ten years as Chief of Staff to an ultra-high-net-worth entrepreneur in his family office in Mayfair. Many of the legal concepts I studied were already familiar to me from my previous career. Having a ready appreciation for the business context of many client matters helps in understanding their issue and being able to give commercially pragmatic advice.”
Case Study: Helen Blakey
“I’ve worked as a teacher and as a part time Support Worker for adults with acquired brain injuries. Becoming a teacher is a meaningful and challenging career, but I believe that in order to be truly successful, a career must be your passion. Whilst retraining hasn’t been easy, I believe that good things rarely are. Until you try something, you will never know it’s right for you. It’s better to take a chance than live your life wondering about missed opportunities.”
Case Study: Jennifer Faulkner
“I have a background in policy and project management predominantly worked for the European Parliament in the field of democracy and human rights and for the National Trust on environment, agriculture and sustainability. I made the decision to become a lawyer in lockdown. My role was coming to an end, and it seemed like a good juncture to re-assess my career path. I’ve clung on to the ‘growth mindset’ – the idea that you cannot do something ‘yet’, it’s a matter of effort and determination.
Case Study: Ryan Smith
“I was in the Royal Navy as a Mine Clearance Diver. After leaving the Navy, I decided to revisit my earlier interest in law, I wanted a career and something to be proud of. Birketts is expanding and merging with other reputable law firms. I wanted to be a part of a law firm that is climbing through the ranks and play a part in that growth.”
Are you thinking of a career in law, but don’t know where to start? At Birketts, we have a range of ways we can support you.