This month our Director Samira Cakali presented to a room full of likeminded female legal professionals providing them insight, inspiration and instruction on the world of an entrepreneur.
Speaking at the Women in Law: Alternative Career Paths, Samira covered why she diverted from the traditional career path of working in established legal practises and instead broke out and created her own; focusing on client care and being able to create an environment where people can thrive, celebrating the individual. It also has enabled her to have experience on a wide variety of cases and issues, deepening her understanding and enhancing her skills, quicker than she would have ever been able to do in a traditional route.
She also shared how it was her husband, who is naturally entrepreneurial minded, that told her that it was an equally safe option and that she was young enough, that if it didn’t work that she could go back to being employed.
Samira discussed the achievements and challenges associated with her career decision, which included still working with clients that she took on from day one, being able to have a child and return to work and finding the right team members. She also highlighted that there is a completely new skill set that needs to be learnt when becoming business owner and strongly advised the audience to never, ever, think that things are running smoothly, as inevitably they immediately won’t afterwards.
There were also two other insightful legal ladies, alongside our Samira, who explored alternative career paths within the law, sharing their unique stories at the evening event.
Samira was inspired by Maria Walsh who juggles running her own practice, being an active mum of two, teaching, running training and online seminars while also finding time to keep fit!
Her main takeaway from the evening was how much can be learnt from sharing experiences.
The seminar, hosted by the Leeds Law Society is part of the Women in Law network created for women solicitors, both in private practice and in-house in Leeds.
The format is informal and aimed at addressing issues that are at the centre of a working woman balancing the demands of career in the legal sector. It is followed by time to chat, share ideas and build relationships.
