Member Article

Young legal eagles get set to soar

Four Ashington High School students have taken their first steps towards high-flying careers in law by visiting the Royal Courts of Justice and the London office of one of the world’s largest legal practices.

Budding legal eagles Tara Blyth, Daniel Cole, Jessica Mather and Matthew McCormack, were selected to take part in the Norton Rose Fulbright ‘Impress’ initiative, which aims to raise the aspirations of Ashington High School students aged 13-15, equipping them with the skills, knowledge and experience needed to achieve their full potential in the world of work.

The programme is the brainchild of Adam Smith, a former student at Ashington High School who now works at Norton Rose Fulbright as an associate.

“It’s great to welcome to our London offices four such talented young people who share my background. I hope their visit – and the Impress programme generally – helps inspire them to maximise their huge potential,” explained Adam.

“International law firms and companies are generally well-meaning and most run schemes to help schools in their local areas. Sadly, with so many based in London, opportunities elsewhere in the country are limited. Impress sets out to address this imbalance and my former school is an ideal partner. I had to learn how to make it into the profession at the coal face and my own experiences will hopefully help those who’d like to follow suit.”

The annual programme is also backed by Durham University. Students learn about the route into the legal profession and life as a commercial lawyer as well as experiencing what it’s like to study at a world-class university by taking part in event days at Durham.

A group of 18 students took part in the Impress initiative this year. They participated in exercises focused on commercial presentations, mock trials and complex legal negotiations. Tara, Daniel, Jessica and Matthew were judged to be the best performing students over the course of the programme by a panel comprising Norton Rose Fulbright and Durham University staff.

Their prize of a two day trip to London included a tour of the Norton Rose Fulbright office, discussions with some of the firm’s senior lawyers and shadowing solicitors for an afternoon. The students were also rewarded with visits to the Shard, the Royal Courts of Justice and the Rolls Building, which now hears the most complex and high value commercial disputes.

Commenting on the Impress initiative, Ashington High School principal Rob Kitching said: “We’re very proud to have Tara, Daniel, Jessica and Matthew represent our school at the very pinnacle of the legal world. It’s a highly competitive industry which rewards hard work and dedication. Adam has charted a path for our students and I am certain where he had led others will follow in the future.”

Norton Rose Fulbright is a global legal practice providing some of the world’s largest companies and financial institutions with a full business law service. The firm has more than 3,800 lawyers and other legal staff based in more than 50 cities across Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.

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