My Cambridge degree is a universally recognised hallmark of quality. When I graduated, I was unsure which career path to pursue but my degree made a critical difference at each stage. I started off as a derivatives trader in the City and later became a barrister. It was not just the academic recognition that mattered – I was state school educated and my time at Cambridge was great fun but also helped build my resilience and develop my interpersonal skills which are key qualities in all my work. My time at Cambridge gave me a unique mixture of analytical skills combined with an ability to articulate myself persuasively.
My practice at Matrix Chambers is incredibly diverse: I do an eclectic mixture of financial crime, extradition, human rights, public law, media law and international law. I love the variation and diversity of my work, which is a mixture of courtroom advocacy and advisory work. It now also involves a lot of international travel. I am lucky enough to have well paid, interesting work. My current caseload ranges from Official Secrets Act cases to financial regulatory work - with clients based across the globe. I am very wary of over-specialisation but whatever area I am immersed in, my Cambridge background continues to make a positive difference. When I am overstretched at work, I do daydream of going back to Cambridge for a year, floating down the Cam with my friends on a slow punt to Granchester Meadows and having all that time to think and enjoy!