We’re delighted to launch series 2 of the Clarke Willmott podcast Life, Lemons and the Law – this time we’ll be discussing social mobility. A subject close to our hearts. You’ll hear from our colleagues and friends about their experiences, the immediate impact and the long term – often positive – consequences of their experience and the people they met. We’ll also share how our firm is looking to do more to improve in this area.
In 2023, we announced our new community strategy focusing on improving social mobility for those entering the world of work. Part of a wider commitment as a firm to its ESG plans.
Social Mobility Foundation (SMF) was chosen as the national partner as it aims to level the playing field for students with the ability and ambition to flourish academically and in the world of work, but who lack the opportunities and networks to help them get there. The SMF’s Aspiring Professionals Programme opens up 11 different professional sectors to young people. Each January 2,000 Year 12s join the programme from across the UK and are supported for five years, giving them the skills to achieve their aspirations.
The intention behind Life, Lemons and the Law is to bring experiences and connections to the forefront. We want to start conversations, offer you an opportunity to get to know some of our people and bring new perspectives to the relationships we have with those we work with.
We were delighted with how well series 1 was received and are looking forward to sharing more stories to help us shine a light on the challenges social mobility poses and how we can all do more to help.
Both Clare Gregory and Mamunul Wahid knew from an early age that they wanted a career in law. But neither came from what the industry, and perhaps society, would see as a typical background for becoming a lawyer. Clare and Mamun talk about their individual and very challenging journeys to becoming lawyers, from the expectations of family, friends and teachers through to understanding their own self-limiting beliefs.
10 Jun 2024
Confidence and Career
Umar Farooq and Chelsea Mace sit down with Ed to discuss their journeys as Trainee solicitors and focus on their future aspirations in the legal environment.
The UK’s lack of social mobility can manifest itself in many ways and Umar and Chelsea talk about the lack of encouragement they received from the education system and how their families didn’t have the experience to support their career aspirations, meaning they faced all sorts of challenges in navigating the legal profession.
Umar and Chelsea are both keen advocates of mentoring the next generation to ease their path to law and their advice includes the importance of confidence, preparation, and embracing differences as strengths.
They also cover their involvement with the Social Mobility Foundation and other charities, highlighting the need for more support and opportunities for young people from non-traditional backgrounds, changes in the recruitment process and the provision of soft skills training to improve social mobility in the UK.
Find out more about Clarke Wilmott and the Social Mobility Foundation here, https://www.clarkewillmott.com/news/national-charity-partnership/ (https://www.clarkewillmott.com/news/national-charity-partnership/)
23 May 2024
Opening Doors
Tabitha Candy and Sam Harkness join us to discuss their experiences and the challenges they’ve faced in pursuing a career in law.
The issue of social mobility has been significant for both Tabitha and Sam, proving an obstacle first as school, then university, then again when it came to finding a training contract.
The conversation touches on touch on the vital importance of personal connections in accessing opportunities in the legal profession and how mentorship may be the key to levelling the playing field, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Both Tabitha and Sam credit the impact of programs like Pathways to Law and the Sutton Trust in shaping their career paths and they’re keen to offer opportunities to young people who, like themselves, find their path to the law seemingly blocked by a lack of opportunity.
Sam and Tabitha are bringing their own experience to bear with their work on Clarke Willmott’s diversity and inclusion committee, and they touch on their desire to make legal work experience accessible to everyone.
The episode emphasises how essential it is to change perceptions with open and transparent discussions about social mobility.
Find out more about Clarke Wilmott and the Social Mobility Foundation here, https://www.clarkewillmott.com/news/national-charity-partnership/ (https://www.clarkewillmott.com/news/national-charity-partnership/)
5 Apr 2024
Challenging Assumptions
Tom Costin works as an IT trainer at Clarke Willmott, while Ryan Rahim is a solicitor in the business recovery unit. This episode explores the experiences and challenges they have faced in their respective careers as a result of the issue of social mobility.
Tom and Ryan share a story of struggling within the education system, while Ryan faced additional obstacles as an immigrant student.
The conversation explores the challenges faced by individuals from underprivileged backgrounds in pursuing their career aspirations and highlights the impact of ADHD and dyslexia as well as and the barriers posed by financial constraints.
Tom and Ryan's stories both show how the education system needs to provide better support and opportunities for individuals who, for whatever reason, don't "fit"within classrooms.
It also becomes clear that, as Ryan points out, "language is the heart of the social mobility story in Britain"
Find out more about Clarke Wilmott and the Social Mobility Foundation here, https://www.clarkewillmott.com/news/national-charity-partnership/ (https://www.clarkewillmott.com/news/national-charity-partnership/)
6 Mar 2024
Mentoring Matters
In the next chapter of our look at the problem of social mobility in the UK we hear the stories of Charlotte Murray and Karl Brown, both lawyers at Clarke Wilmott.
Charlotte and Karl discuss the challenges they faced in attempting to enter and advance in the legal sector, from a lack of role model, to the ill-considered advice of careers advisors, to landing that elusive training contract.
Both Charlotte and Carl emphasise the importance of mentoring and providing support to individuals from less privileged backgrounds.
They also discuss the partnership between the Social Mobility Foundation and Clark Willmott, designed to address these issues and the need for action to create a more inclusive and accessible legal sector.
Find out more about Clarke Wilmott and the Social Mobility Foundation here, https://www.clarkewillmott.com/news/national-charity-partnership/ (https://www.clarkewillmott.com/news/national-charity-partnership/)
31 Jan 2024
Invisible Barriers
As our new series of Life, Lemons and the Law focuses on Social Mobility we knew we wanted to invite former guests Clare Gregory and Mamunul Wahid onto the pod again.
In many ways Clare and Mamun's experience encapsulates the problem of social mobility and the reasons that Clarke Wilmott has partnered with the Social Mobility Foundation.
Neither Clare or Mamun come from what we might perceive as a typical background for becoming a lawyer. In this episode they discuss how their ambitions were stifled by the challenges of expectations, a lack of role-models and network, and, perhaps most importantly, by self-doubt.
Find out more about Clarke Wilmott and the Social Mobility Foundation here, https://www.clarkewillmott.com/news/national-charity-partnership/ (https://www.clarkewillmott.com/news/national-charity-partnership/)
12 Dec 2023
Episode 1 – Positive Partnerships
‘Positive Partnerships’, features Karen Higgins, Head of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) at Clarke Willmott; Peter Swinburn, CEO of Clarke Willmott; and our special guest, Sarah Atkinson, CEO of the Social Mobility Foundation.
In this episode, we delve into why social mobility matters to us as firms and why shedding light on this topic is crucial. Karen, Peter, and Sarah share their thoughts, discussing imposter syndrome, the struggle to fit in, and how these adversities motivated them to collaborate with the Social Mobility Foundation.
Stay tuned on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podbean, and other platforms where you access your favourite podcasts for Season 2 of: Life, Lemons and the Law: Social Mobility in Action
Find out more about Clarke Wilmott and the Social Mobility Foundation here, https://www.clarkewillmott.com/news/national-charity-partnership/ (https://www.clarkewillmott.com/news/national-charity-partnership/)
12 Oct 2022
Thirty-Two Years Later
Charlotte Murray knew from a young age that she was adopted. She always had access to her adoption papers, but it wasn’t until she was a teenager that she felt affected by what was written in her notes. She talks about fear of rejection, meeting her birth father for the first time and why she would love to adopt a child in the future.
15 Sept 2022
From The Ground Up
Building and exiting a business can be a rollercoaster. Joe Cripps and John Lam share the highs and lows of their business journey, including their initial inspiration, why they exited and what they learnt along the way. Joe talks about the impact of the pandemic on Trail, an app designed for the hospitality industry, and seeking co-founder relationship advice. John shares how he forged ahead with an idea when others didn’t see his vision and the impact of his commitment to Mazuma Mobile on his family.
14 Jul 2022
Normalising menopause
Would you recognise the symptoms of menopause in yourself, your colleagues or your loved ones? Lauren Chiren (Women of a Certain Stage (https://www.womenofacertainstage.com/)) and Juliette Staunton didn’t know what was happening to them when they entered menopause and peri-menopause, leading to worries about early onset dementia and whether they’d be able to continue with their careers. From sleepless nights to suicidal thoughts, in this episode they share their menopause stories. They talk about how employers can support their staff, how every woman’s journey through this period of their life is different and the importance of normalising conversations about menopause.
16 Jun 2022
Oak and Dora
Starting a family isn’t always plain sailing and adding a pandemic into the mix brought new challenges. Kristian and Grace both had difficult entries into parenthood during lockdown. Kristian and his wife began IVF treatment just as covid hit and Grace’s son spent one month in a neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) after he was born with significant health complications. They talk about welcoming their new babies, Oak and Dora, into a world that was social distancing, how life doesn’t always go as expected and the value of living in the moment.
30 May 2022
Muddy Boots
Many of us dream of living ‘The Good Life’ and for good reasons - spending time outside can fire our imagination and aid our mental health. In this episode Helen Wallwork talks about how, over lockdown, her passion for food, her husband’s love of gardening and a successful crop of lettuce led to a small vegetable patch becoming a bigger part of their life than they’d planned.
7 Apr 2022
An Unexpected Friendship
Good friends are a lifeline at the best of times, even more so when life gets stormy. Joe Campbell and Ruth Preston share how over lockdown, their professional relationship blossomed from discussing business development to supporting each other virtually through challenging and life changing periods of their lives. They talk about multiple sclerosis, the death of a parent, and the of value of opening up and sharing our vulnerabilities.
9 Mar 2022
Changing the Game
Former England rugby players Damian Hopley and Christian Day talk about the psychological and emotional impact of retiring from the game under very different circumstances. They share the challenges of giving up their identities as professional players, the lessons they are grateful for and the positives of retiring. Both are still deeply involved in rugby through their work with the Rugby Players Association. They talk about their mission to make sure players are treated as well as possible and the achievements they are most proud of.
8 Feb 2022
Running to a New Perspective
Running has helped Kat Quinton and Philippa Hann to keep going through difficult times and find a new perspective. In this episode they talk about their love of running and how it has changed their lives, helping them deal with experiences including the death of a close friend, life-limiting medical conditions and relationship breakdown.
7 Jan 2022
Misadventures in Mental Health
Beth Evans and Martin Palmer share life changing experiences related to their mental health. Beth was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) at the beginning of the pandemic. She talks about the significant impact of her intrusive thoughts and how she manages them day-to-day. Martin remembers his ‘beautiful breakdown’, how it hit him more than 20 years ago and how he moved – and continues to move - forward.
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