Law - most definitely a career choice for women
Students at St Mary’s recently welcomed two solicitors into school – Claire Pillinger and Becky Garner - who returned once again to share their experiences of working in law. Both offered valuable advice for anyone considering a legal career.
Becky, an alumna who left St Mary’s in 2013, is now a commercial solicitor specialising in dispute resolution. She admitted she didn’t always know that she wanted to work in law and that there was a time when she wasn’t even sure what a solicitor was! After studying English Literature, she completed a one-year postgraduate diploma in law, proving you don’t need a law degree to enter the profession.
She spoke about the wide range of legal careers available, from property and commercial law to more client-focused areas. Her own work involves managing several cases at once, dealing with contract disputes, and occasionally attending court in London. She highlighted the importance of communication, analytical thinking, and organisation, and mentioned that a solicitor apprenticeship is another possible route into the profession for those not wanting to go to university.
“If you’re interested in Law, explore your options,” Becky said. “Law needs people with a wide range of skills and backgrounds.”
Claire works in family law, helping people through difficult personal situations such as divorce. She described her role of solicitor, collaborative lawyer and family mediator as being about trust, empathy, and problem-solving, aiming to resolve disputes through mediation rather than court wherever possible. She provides legal services to individuals rather than businesses, which makes her role more personal and emotionally involved.
“A client will often tell you things they won’t tell anyone else,” she said. “You have to build trust and really listen.”
In contrast, non-contentious areas of law, such as property or transactional work, suit people who prefer structure and a defined process.
Both speakers discussed the growing flexibility within law, with options to work from home depending on clients’ needs. They also reflected on how the profession has changed: while once male-dominated, many firms now have a majority of women lawyers and partners.
Both were adamant that:
“Whatever form you choose, law is definitely a career for women.”
In describing how AI could affect future careers in law, Claire explained that while lawyers are cautious about using it to shape cases (because of reliability issues), it’s already helping with administrative tasks like minute-taking and document checking.
Their final message was encouraging: if you’re interested in law, explore your options. Whether your strengths lie in people skills or problem-solving, there’s a place for you in the legal world.