Tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Molly Lewis. I am an associate in the Commercial Disputes Group in the London office of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. I completed my training contract in March 2020 and have been a qualified solicitor for the last 4 years. It’s flown by!

I work on a variety of matters including both litigation mandates and regulatory investigations. A lot of my recent work has been focused on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on sports broadcasting licences. It’s not an area I ever expected to know much about, but I absolutely love it. One thing about working in a commercial law firm which is really exciting is that every day is different. One week I might be focused on preparing a research note or memorandum of legal advice for a client, meaning that I spend more time reviewing textbooks and case law. The next week, I could be helping to prepare a client attend a regulatory interview, preparing bundles and analysing documentary or other forms of evidence. Alongside my fee earning work I try to incorporate as many pro bono opportunities into my schedule as I can. For example, I regularly attend free legal advice clinics at the Islington Law Centre and the RCJ Citizens Advice Bureau.

How did you get to where you are now?

I consider myself to be from an under-represented socio-economic background within the legal profession. I grew up in a single-parent household on a council estate in Leicester, which is a social mobility cold spot in the East Midlands. No one in my family worked in a professional job or had attended university and my mum was unemployed for a long time. I knew that I wanted to aim high in my education and in my professional life, but it was hard to shake the feeling that there was no one I could turn to for advice. I had this sense that I might make a decent lawyer, but I didn’t know any lawyers! I also didn’t know much about what pursuing a career in law would entail.

I was very fortunate to be supported by my teachers and several charitable organisations, including the Sutton Trust. In 2012, I was lucky enough to attend a Sutton Trust Summer School at the University of Cambridge. I had a great time. I got to stay overnight in the university’s accommodation, I walked to lectures in the morning, and I spoke to the professors about what they were looking for in UCAS applications. As a direct result of that summer school, I decided to apply to Jesus College, Cambridge University to study an undergraduate degree in Law.

I had a wonderful time at university, and I met some fabulous friends, but at times I still felt like I didn’t know many people with backgrounds like mine. So in 2013, during my first year at University, I decided to apply to the Sutton Trust’s inaugural Pathways Plus Programme (now the Careers Plus programme). Thank goodness I got in! If I hadn’t, I don’t know if I would be here today. On the programme, I learned how to shake hands, what to wear to an interview, how to develop commercial awareness, and how to advocate for myself. I gained a lot of knowledge, a lot of confidence and a lot of contacts, including a fabulous mentor who I still see regularly, over 10 years later. I stayed in London for the first time. I walked into a law firm for the first time. I could finally picture myself as a solicitor, for the first time. I learned so much, and I owe a debt to the Sutton Trust team who supported me through it.

Next, I took all of those new skills I had acquired, and in the summer between my second and third year at university, I attended three vacation schemes at some wonderful firms. Shortly thereafter, I had the joy of accepting an offer of a training contract from Freshfields.

What do you do outside of work?

Outside of my day job, I recently bought a house in Essex, where I live with my husband and our two rescue greyhounds. We love taking the dogs out at the weekend for long walks in the forest – it’s a world away from that council estate in Leicester.

I also support a number of social mobility initiatives at Freshfields and beyond. In July 2020, I joined the Social Mobility Network Committee at Freshfields and in 2021, I took over as Co-Chair. Our aims include promoting inclusion by increasing understanding and awareness of social mobility as a diversity strand. We host events to support socially mobile individuals to connect, celebrate and share experiences. Most recently, we hosted a breakfast for individuals working in commercial law firms in London who are care experienced or estranged. We also work with our graduate recruitment team to reach and attract students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, including by hosting workshops to enable such students to learn more about Freshfields.

In February 2020, I was appointed as a trustee of a charity called PRIME. PRIME’s aims are to improve access to the legal profession for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. We do this by working with law firms to deliver high quality work experience to school age children who meet our eligibility criteria. Two of the projects I have been most closely involved with over the past four years are the establishment of a virtual work experience programme which is totally free to access and the delivery of a careers workshop to Year 8 and 9 students in social mobility cold spot areas all over the UK. We have also recently launched an alumni project to help us find out what our alumni from the past ten years are up to now! You can find out more information about PRIME on our website: primecommitment.co.uk.

In 2022 I was shortlisted by the UK Social Mobility Awards in the Rising Star category for my contributions to advancing social mobility. I was delighted to receive the Highly Commended Gold Award in that category at an awards ceremony in October.

What advice would you give to other Sutton Trust students and alumni?

My advice is to be curious, stay driven, and be kind.

Be open to learning, unlearning, and relearning. Look to grab every opportunity which comes your way with both hands. In the legal profession, staying open to learning is a lifelong commitment, so try not to see it as a burden. Embrace the unexpected and the unfamiliar and challenge your own perspectives.

Nurture your drive and determination. Sometimes it can take a long time to reach your goals. You have to try to keep a positive mindset and remember that you’re forging your own path. You may have to deal with disappointment or setbacks. Maybe you won’t get into your first choice of university, maybe an exam won’t go as well as you were hoping it would. It’s important to develop resilience in those moments, and to be honest with yourself when things go wrong. Take a step back and ask yourself: why did this happen? what could I have done differently? how can I get it right next time?

Be kind to yourself and to be kind to others. Give yourself the grace to make mistakes and to embrace your lived experience.  Try to remember that you don’t have to be a specific type of person or be from a specific background to be a great lawyer. Perhaps most importantly, do not suffer in silence. Do not be afraid to reach out to family or friends or colleagues when you are struggling or need support. Help each other to climb up the ladder of success… and then drop that ladder back down, so that others can follow in your footsteps.

Adapted from a keynote speech given by Molly at the 2023 LSE Pathways to Law graduation.

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