In almost 15 years at the Bar I have variously been employed, self-employed, worked in both the public and private sectors, undertaken internships and worked in Brussels, the Bank of England, Pinsent Masons LLP, St Kitts and Nevis, the British Virgin Islands and Canada.

I consider that my career is a result of: (i) working hard on my core skills as barrister, (ii) being open to any and all opportunities, including those that are unrelated to law, and (iii) continuously and consistently investing in my own personal development.

  1. My first top tip is to consider the competencies that you have and how those might transfer to other areas, roles and/or organisations. Most barristers have a whole array of competencies of which they might not be fully aware.
  2. So my second top tip is therefore to undertake some constructive critical self-evaluation so that you have good idea of all your competencies. As the poet and author Maya Angelou said: ‘You can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been.’
  3. My third top tip is to consistently maintain and develop your core skills as a barrister.
  4. Having followed tips one to three, my fourth top tip is to have the confidence to say ‘yes’ to opportunities and/or seek out different opportunities where you have some if not all of the requisite competencies.
  5. My fifth top tip is to invest in yourself and enhance your skill set. You are more likely to take up a myriad of different opportunities where you have bolstered and diversified your skills. Practically, this may include: taking relevant courses, attending lectures, scheduling down time/activities that you enjoy so that you are better able to engage in work and/or undertaking a secondment.
  6. My sixth top tip is to have a business plan. I have found it helpful to consider what I would like to achieve professionally in the short-term, medium and long-term at least once every quarter.
  7. My seventh top tip is to tell the right people about your ambitions. I have found that vocalising your goals to the right individuals generates opportunities e.g., telling an instructing solicitor that you are interested in area of work in which you are not currently instructed, telling a member of the judiciary that you would like to follow their career path or signalling to your employer that you are interested in internal or external secondments.
  8. My final and eighth top tip is to have self-belief. Many of us fall prey to imposter syndrome and/or self-doubt. Every practitioner is unique and full of possibilities. Practical steps that I have taken to quiet my self-critical voice include: (i) counselling/therapy (insofar as it is affordable to you) – in the same way that people take care of their physical health by going to the gym etc., I consider it vital to take care of one’s mental health. Sometimes we might need some professional help to interrogate why our critical voice is somewhat clamorous; (ii) try something new that is wholly unconnected to law – realising that you can learn and excel at a new skill can do wonders for one’s self-confidence; and (iii) try to remind yourself regularly of all that you have achieved so far – irrespective of your chosen methodology, I find reminding oneself of one’s capabilities and capacity can enhance and improve self-confidence and self-belief.

I consider that the eight top tips above can serve as a practical foundation to developing a diverse career, as well as practice management more generally. I hope that they are helpful for you, too.