NLJ PROFILE: Alison McAteer, Tomorrow's Forum of Insurance Lawyers

What was your route into the profession?

I studied the LLB at the University of Edinburgh and in my third year, took part in a summer placement at Brodies LLP. Following this I was lucky enough to be offered a traineeship, and joined the firm after completing the Diploma in Legal Practice. I enjoyed my traineeship and was pleased to secure a qualified position in the litigation team, specialising in health and safety and defending liability claims.

What has been your biggest career challenge so far?

I think the biggest challenge was at the very early stages of my career. I was at university just after the credit crunch, so a number of firms were limiting their intake of new lawyers, and there was a good deal of competition for placements and traineeships. This encouraged me to work hard and keep an open mind on what area of law I wanted to work in—which has lead me to an area of work that I really enjoy, and might not have come across otherwise.

Which person within the legal profession inspires you most?

It sounds trite but I’m inspired by the people I work with—I learn so much from the colleagues around me every day, from dealing with particular aspects of cases, to presentation styles, or hearing about their journey in the profession. Lawyers who are leaders in their own particular field can give junior solicitors something to aspire to, and I really admire those who take the time to pass their experience on to others.

If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you choose as an alternate career?

I enjoyed history at school and still go on trips to castles and museums at weekends; I always find it fascinating to hear about the lives of the people who lived there. If I had not studied law I would have become a historian—or maybe worked on TV period dramas!

Who is your favourite fictional lawyer?

I like Diane Lockhart from The Good Fight (and The Good Wife): she has so much poise and deals with everything with complete confidence and elegance. I’m also fond of Elle Woods from Legally Blonde—she broke the mould and most likely inspired many young women who may not have thought about a career in law before.

What change would you make to the profession?

There have been recent proposals in Scotland for an apprenticeship route to becoming a solicitor. It is already an option in English law but I think it would be a really positive step to encourage entry into the profession in Scotland if it was available here as well. It would give more flexibility to work and study at the same time, rather than five years (or more) of studying and the costs that come with that, which can discourage some people from applying.

How do you relax?

I enjoy exercise and playing sport and always find it’s a good way to relax—you need to focus purely on the game rather than thinking about other things. At home, I like cooking and baking; as well as being relaxing, it has the added bonus that you can eat cake too!

Alison McAteer is a senior solicitor at Brodies LLP in Glasgow, and was recently appointed as the next president of Tomorrow’s Forum of Insurance Lawyers