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16 May 2019 / Rabina Ahmed , Dr Tunde Okewale
Issue: 7840 / Categories: Features , Profession , Training & education
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Your background is an asset—make the most of it

Aspiring BAME students should play to their strengths to stand out from the crowd, say Rabina Ahmed & Dr Tunde Okewale

There’s a perception that in law, as in other professions, the background you come from matters. And that’s right, it does. But these days that can mean many different things. It’s not simply about belonging or not feeling you belong to a certain group, it’s about what you can bring to the table.

So, if your heritage means you can speak more than one language, that’s a selling point, particularly as law firms look to attract global clients. In the same way, your cultural or religious understanding will be an advantage when it comes to cementing client relationships.

Law is not only about technical expertise, it also relies on excellent interpersonal skills, and as globalisation gathers pace, more and more it requires understanding of and sensitivity to different beliefs and customs. Clients are placing great emphasis on law firms that reflect their ideals and philosophy—firms

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Boodle Hatfield—Tom McLaughlin

Boodle Hatfield—Tom McLaughlin

Boodle Hatfield welcomes new employment partner, Tom McLaughlin

Arc Pensions Law—Victoria Thompson-Hill, Jonathan Mason & Georgi Ivanov

Arc Pensions Law—Victoria Thompson-Hill, Jonathan Mason & Georgi Ivanov

National specialist pensions law firm strengthens team with three new appointments

Jurit—Christian Abletshauser

Jurit—Christian Abletshauser

Jurit appoints Christian Abletshauser to lead family law practice

NEWS
Burges Salmon appoints Benn Richards to strengthen Contentious Insolvency offering
A High Court decision has clarified that a home may be unfit for human habitation not only where conditions endanger health or safety, but also where they seriously undermine comfort and convenience

A longer time limit for employment tribunal claims, new charity law thresholds, property tribunal recruitment and appellate guidance on small-claims costs feature in the latest Civil Way round-up

A recent High Court ruling could make issue estoppel considerably more complex in cross-border litigation, requiring parties to consider the foreign law governing the underlying claim
The Supreme Court has overturned Cheshire West’s bright-line test for deprivation of liberty, replacing it with a broader, more contextual assessment that gives greater weight to an individual’s wishes, feelings and apparent consent
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