LETTER TO A YOUNG BLACK LAWYER

Dear Young Black Lawyer,

I know lawyers are not afraid of the detail, so this is not a TL:DR thing. This is a letter from a concerned elder who has spent many years working alongside lawyers as a coach, speaker and consultant.

As a young Black lawyer either just getting ready to join the workforce or recently joined, I think it is essential for you to read this. Why so? Beyond the glossy brochures and the pride you will inevitably bring to your family upon joining a law firm, it is crucial to have a peek at what happens behind the door. So that when those conversations or challenges that you least expect raise their head, you are ready and equipped to deal with them.

But you are probably thinking, 'Who TF is David McQueen, and why does this Uncle think he can tell me something I don't already know? Is he even a lawyer?’

Walk with me.

I studied law at London Metropolitan University, previously known as North London Polytechnic. I was not bothered by which university I went to, and I didn't want to leave London. My ambition was to get my degree and use those skills as an agent - I had ambitions of running a talent agency. However, after a year and many hours of reading contract, tort and English legal system law, I realised it was not for me. Snails in a ginger beer bottle was not my portion. If you don’t know that case, are you even a lawyer? Anyhoo, I decided my best bet was to hire a lawyer to support my business ambitions instead.

That said, my fascination with law never faded. As a music promoter, my contracts were drawn up by lawyer friends. As an accountant, primarily working for property companies, the number of joint venture contracts I had to understand to do my management accounts and financial forecasting was not fun. Every single venture I have been involved in has made me realise how important even the most basic understanding of the law was for me. I also realised that I had very few interactions with senior Black lawyers, especially in the commercial sector. When I was a youth worker, senior Black lawyers in the criminal justice system seemed commonplace, but there was a dearth in the retail sector and elsewhere.

I also spent a lot of time working with young Black students, mostly undergrads aspiring to one of the 'Migrant Four'; Medicine, Law, Finance and Engineering. I helped write CVs, taught interview skills, provided guidance with Oxbridge/Russell Group entrance requirements and internships and provided other career advice. The nature of this work meant I built up a solid network of varied professionals. In law, it meant a lot of networking with Magic Circle firms, barristers from various Inns of Court, paralegals, and lawyers across various disciplines, from conveyancing to criminal law to music. I wanted young Black professionals to be informed of what lay ahead, not just at entry-level but also if they ever wanted to become partners or heads of firms. So while I was never going to be a lawyer, I was happy to move heaven and earth for students who shared a similar heritage to me to get into a good firm and excel while they were there. This is very much still the case.

Currently, I coach lawyers of all backgrounds and seniorities around leadership. In addition, I have spoken at many plenaries and symposiums on leadership and narratives. Amongst other things, I run a business that mentors Black business owners. Both of my cofounders are lawyers and both running successful businesses themselves, one having exited a seven-figure firm she started.

Now that I have shown you my credentials (some of them) let’s talk about your career.

Most of the law graduates I have known aspired to work in a top magic circle firm or as barristers in particular inns. The advice I am penning to you is to help you thrive in the aforementioned.

You’re In

So you’ve won the pupillage, contract or whatever route you’ve taken, you are in. You're told that if you keep your head down and work hard, you will be able to succeed. Although this is partially true, working hard is only part of the deal. There are three additional areas you need to manage to succeed in these spaces.

Working hard is a thing. You will be assigned to client briefs where you will have to put in the hours. Twelve-hour days are a norm in the industry. The concept of work-life balance is a myth in law. Whether you are going into practice, in-house legal departments or in the Civil Service as a lawyer, there will be a demand for your time and energy. I say this because people don’t speak enough about the reality of this. It is par for the course, especially if you are on a career fast track. The higher you climb, the more likely you will work crazy hours. A seventy hour week at the senior associate level is the floor, not the ceiling. You will miss special events and family commitments and be expected to be on call if a serious client issue arises.

Family and friends will have to get used to not seeing you socially during the week and, in some cases, the weekends too. Weddings, christenings and sometimes funerals may get parked because you are working. This is a genuine choice you have to make. But be mindful that your hard work doesn't come at a cost to your health.

Working smart is the second part of the equation. You may notice that some of your peers and sometimes those slightly senior to you don't seem to be bugging out as much about workload and deadlines. While you are working “twice as hard” (please stop believing this bullshit narrative), they have found ways to be more efficient, be that email management, delegation, time blocking etc. So start to think about how you will be more effective and efficient in the use of your time. Who can you collaborate with so you are not always doing the heavy lifting? What systems and processes can you put in place to streamline or automate some of your work?

Thirdly, read the room. One of the first things you need to be aware of is the political dynamic in your place of work. This is shaped by class and alumni groups in many major firms. People will try to pretend that this is not a thing, but the truth is not even cocoa butter can soften the British stiff upper lip. Understanding who your allies are is vital in your early stages. Observe the dynamics.
Who gets to speak in meetings?
Who gets spoken over?
Who has visible or subtle support on issues?
Who can you learn from when navigating more senior roles?

Last but by no means least, build your network. From the get-go, start to make mutual connections within your firm and with your peers from other firms and of course, there's The Law Society. Just as important, leverage networks based on shared lived experience, such as Black Women in Law, Black Men in Law Network, The Law Collective and Black Young Professionals . There are even industry-specific collectives like the UK Black Music Lawyers Network. And never forget, LinkedIn.

Whichever networks you choose to invest in, the point is that we go further together.

Keeping your Wits

Don’t let the shiny sign on the door lull you into a false sense of security.

Speaking to many mid and early careerists who did not have the most pleasant start, my advice here is to join a trade union. Some people will cock a snoot at this, but remember, many things we now take for granted exist only because of the work of unions. Minimum wage, workplace pensions, maternity leave, health and safety procedures. At the individual level, they are a failsafe if things go wrong. Insurance, if you will.

For example, you will experience racism as a lawyer. I’m not even going to argue this point. It will happen. Of course, some senior Black colleagues will say it doesn't exist and that it never happened to them. I am happy for them and their version of utopia, but in the main, it happens. Every big law firm in the UK has one or more case studies of people who have suffered racism - but NDAs keep most silent. I don’t know of any Black barrister that has not experienced racism, especially in criminal law. Have you ever noticed how people working for the Civil service can never disclose the reason they left if it is implied racism? You take your money and bounce, but you can't talk about it. Some firms have an unspoken rule that they have no senior Black people as partners or lawyers. Even if you went to private school, Oxbridge and married Persephone or Tarquin. I am saying all this because no one else will. But having the backing of a trade union guarantees you level footing if there is an issue about lack of promotion, issues around work allocation or you discover that colleagues have had non-discretionary bonuses but you haven't.

And there’s the diversity tour. People will be keen to get you on brochures, promotional videos or celebrate when you have done work specifically around causes dear to the culture. They will want you to be in Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and take on other roles that help prop up their attempts at diversity and inclusion. While ERGs and the like have their place (I’ve written about it here), I will say this: run away unless you can clearly see how this is part of your career plan. If your line manager cannot indicate how being part of these institutions can help your performance or career give it a wide berth. And don't feel guilty about doing so - you did not cause the heavy lifting of improving diversity and inclusion in your firm, so it is not your remit unless they are explicitly paying for you to do this. The ancestors did not sacrifice for you to be volunteering to fix systemic issues.

Keep Your Options Open
Although the last section reads a bit cynical, it is not the main thrust of my letter. I believe you can and want you to do fantastically as a legal professional. Yes, there are negatives but that’s life, and even so, I strongly believe the positives outweigh the negatives. If you’re properly prepared.

You became a lawyer because you believed you could make a difference. Of course, the family pride and eyewatering remuneration packages were no doubt of equal appeal. But it’s the knowing you’re making a difference, the sense of purpose, that will keep you going through negative stints.

Be aware of where you want to go from the outset, not just as a lawyer. Your qualification opens up career doors beyond the legal profession, and it doesn’t hurt to explore those now. Stay curious and ask questions of those who are doing well. Don’t bank your whole career on one firm or confine yourself to this tiny island we call the UK; you have options far and wide.

I write this letter now because two years ago, the world was out in full trying to right wrongs that happened to Black professionals for decades. It took many organisations only a few months to move on to the next shiny thing, and all the lovely race action plans and promises to make a difference have been rolled into some BAME souffle, or we have seen the ambitions of many Black lawyers stall. So my simple advice is to take the bits from this you want and talk to other lawyers and professionals. Realise that your colour doesn't determine who you are, but be honest enough to recognise that it can affect your outcomes in the eyes of others.

Whatever you do, do it excellently. So many have come before you to make sure that you have a chance of being the best at what you do and being reaffirmed when you do it. Don’t let anyone take away from you the success that is your birthright.

With love,
Uncle Dave