What was your route into the profession?
I studied tourism management at university and was the first person in my family to get a degree. I worked as a territory manager for Kelloggs and as a market analyst for Reuters before being made redundant in my mid-twenties. I decided I needed a plan, and chose a career in law.
Initially I worked as a legal secretary and signed up to the University of the West of England to convert my non-law degree and become a solicitor. A colleague told me about ILEX (as CILEX was then), and the ‘learn while you earn’ route appealed to me. I decided to go the CILEX route instead and qualified in 2010.
I stayed in private practice, specialising in claimant personal injury work until I joined the Royal College of Nursing in 2011 as an in-house regulatory lawyer, predominantly representing nurses subject to fitness to practise proceedings.
What has been your biggest career challenge so far?
Ongoing imposter syndrome, particularly heightened after returning to work following the birth of my first child. I didn’t realise I was struggling with post-natal anxiety and tried to keep too many plates spinning for too long, with an outward smile, before I spoke to someone about how I was feeling. That sparked a much-needed journey of self-development and self-care—an investment in my mental wellbeing which set me up perfectly to deal with a breast cancer diagnosis a few years ago.
I still get imposter syndrome, but I’m now better equipped to channel any nervous energy into achieving those ‘big scary things’ and to continue to push myself out of my comfort zone.
Which person within the legal profession inspires you most?
Solicitor Emily Green and barrister Susan Marsh who both worked at my old firm, Symes Robinson & Lee. They took me under their wing when I first started as a legal secretary, realised my aptitude to learn and gave me opportunities and encouragement from the outset. I admired how they conducted themselves in a predominantly older male environment, advocating for their clients and for the good of the firm, while also juggling motherhood. Now with children myself, I have even more respect for the way they balanced parenting and a professional career. Nearly 20 years later and we remain in contact, championing each other on.
If you weren’t in the legal sector, what would you choose as an alternate career?
I would be an author. I self-published my own book in 2020, Take my hair, but not my humour: One mum’s journey seeing off breast cancer. It’s a chronological journey of when life served me the biggest curveball.
Who is your favourite fictional lawyer?
I binge watched Suits, and while I enjoyed Harvey Specter and Louis Litt’s characters, my hero is Donna Paulsen. What a strong, independent powerhouse of a woman—the glue that kept that firm together, and never a hair out of place.
What change would you make to the profession?
That’s simple—a united legal profession that provides equitable opportunity for learning and career development; one that rewards people based on merit and is only concerned with what someone brings to the table rather than the route they took to get there. A united and diverse legal profession would only better serve our diverse society.
How do you relax?
Music—I love trance, house, happy hardcore and I love it loud, whether I’m driving, pounding the treadmill at the gym, or enjoying myself at a club or music event.
Emma Davies is a regulatory law specialist at the Royal College of Nursing & the president of CILEX (www.cilex.org.uk).
