The new Underwoods partner calls for more to be done to help vulnerable & minority groups
Solicitor Leah Waller has recently been appointed a partner at Underwoods Solicitors.
What was your route into the profession?
I suppose that I have taken the "traditional route" into the profession. I am the first in my family to go to University and I completed my LLB Law Degree at the University of Glamorgan and then the Legal Practice Course at Cardiff University.
I then completed my training contract at Underwoods Solicitors in Hemel Hempstead, with Kerry Underwood as my principal, where I have now been made partner.
What has been your biggest career challenge so far?
In being at such an early stage of my career I guess the biggest challenge is yet to come with being made partner in a firm that I started at as trainee. This will be a new role for me and will take some getting used to for both me and my colleagues.
As a solicitor, especially in a "high street" practice, dealing with different people is what I enjoy and is part of my day-to-day work and learning to deal with this can be a challenge. Working in a high street firm with a high profile means that I can go from working with a matter from a client that has walked in to the office as a passer-by to a high profile matter or issue that has sparked media interest within minutes.
Which person within the legal profession inspires you most?
There is no one person within the profession that inspires me—I am fortunate enough to work in a profession that has a lot of inspirational people working within it to improve access to justice.
If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you choose as an alternate career?
For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a solicitor and, in all honesty, I have never thought that I wouldn’t eventually get there. That’s not to say it hasn’t been tough and that I haven’t questioned my choice but I have persevered and always had the determination to become a solicitor and so no other career was an option for me.
Who is your favourite fictional lawyer?
My favourite fictional lawyer has to be Elle Woods—she is a great character that is all about defying people’s expectations while standing up for what she believes in and that is what a lot of the legal profession is about for me.
What change would you make to the profession?
I do not think that there is one change that can be made to the profession and as a whole I think that the profession gets a lot of bad press that is largely undeserved.
However, a lot more could be done to help vulnerable and minority groups interact with the profession both by way of access to justice and also in helping those looking to pursue a legal career.
How do you relax?
Working in a busy solicitors firm is not a 9-5 job but when I do get a chance to relax outside of work I love spending time with my family.
