A desire to succeed despite adversity motivates people to pursue a legal career, but barriers caused by finances and careers advice are obstacles, a new study suggests.
Those who have become solicitors and barristers said experiencing difficult circumstances in their lives and their personal qualities had been a bigger influence than any structural class or education barriers. Some wanted to prove others wrong and succeed against the odds.
Experts say their findings could be used to devise systems to encourage and actively promote widening participation into the legal profession with support which is emotional and psychological rather than exclusively financial.
Experts analysed 650 UK tweets posted under the twitter hashtag #mypathtolaw in 2018, which was started by Dr Matthew Channon from the University of Exeter Law School – following his experiences - to encourage law students, solicitors, barristers and legal academics to share their personal paths to a legal career. It has already contributed in changing the narratives of entry into the legal profession by celebrating diverse routes and in providing inspiration for future lawyers from 'non-standard' backgrounds.
The tweets reveal an encouraging picture of the ability of many to overcome barriers to their entry into a legal career through support from family, or personal resilience and perseverance, or the financial and emotional support of legal firms or teachers. Tweeters said poor or discouraging careers advice had been a significant barrier to them.
Narratives of financial struggles and how they are overcome featured strongly in the tweets and the study says earlier financial support for aspiring lawyers is crucial to widen access.
