Campaigning is Underway
Now that the pretty amazing Easter break is over, it’s time for us to get serious about our campaign to find more lawyers who are ready to reignite their careers. We have opportunities at nine new member firms and between them they have roles for people in a wide variety of practice areas, so please do spread the word.
We know planning a return after any sort of career hiatus can be a little daunting, so we’re running a workshop on 7th May to help people with that journey (as they say on all the best reality TV shows). We’ll cover CVs, LinkedIn, how to mobilise your network and other practical hints and tips to help people get their careers back on track. Spaces are limited. Register here
The prize for “most ridiculous headline of the month” goes to the FT for this:
“Can you be a mother and a senior law firm partner?”
However, one of our founders, Melinda Wallman, was quoted and the journalist also gave Reignite a mention, so we will be somewhat forgiving. The link is here if you’d like a read,
As you will know if you read our first newsletter, the Reignite Academy is now a fully fledged, limited company. After the initial excitement, I’ve found myself paralysed with fear. What if it doesn’t work? What if there are no more people who want to reignite their careers? What if there is no real viable business?
And then I came across a short clip of Brene Brown, talking about her new book, Dare to Lead and the need for vulnerability in leaders. She says that there can be no courage without a sense of vulnerability, being open to failure, clear on your values and able to pick yourself up again. It didn’t make me any less scared, but it did make me feel a whole lot more comfortable with that feeling of extreme vulnerability. I’m off to buy the book but here, in the meantime, is a short clip.
Meet Sharon Samra – Sharon will be looking after all things recruitment related at Reignite. We talked to her about her previous experience and why she’s excited to be joining the team.
Tell us a bit about your previous experience
When I took a career break of four years I was lucky enough to join the recruitment company EJ Legal who saw the value in the nine years of recruitment experience I’d gained prior to the break. I was able to get my career back on track. I was there for five years and loved the work, but became increasingly frustrated by the lack of opportunities available to (mostly) women who had taken a break from their careers for a variety of reasons though usually it was to raise a young family.
How did you hear about Reignite?
I read an article in The Lawyer magazine talking about the launch of the Reignite Academy I immediately knew I needed to get involved. Having been a returner myself, I understood the pressures of hoping you could balance career with family. I also understood the self-doubt that can set in when things have changed so much while you have been away. Taking time out to raise a young family (or the plethora of reasons for a career break) should not mark the end of your ambition. It should simply be seen as a pause while you take care of the other things in your life.
What are you hoping for?
I hope this personal experience along with my deep understanding of the legal recruitment market will make me well placed to help women who want to get back into the law. I am particularly excited by the idea that these returners will hopefully move up the ranks and become partners which will go some way to improving gender equality at senior levels in law firms. The idea of influencing the gender balance at senior levels in the law is an exciting prospect and I fully believe that at RA we will be able to address this problem.
Quick Fire:
Fleabag or Line of Duty – Fleabag no contest
If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be? Michelle Obama
Best piece of advice you were given – Believe in yourself
That’s it for now. We have only one priority at the moment – and that’s spreading the word to potential candidates. So anything you can do to help very much appreciated. Word of mouth is the best comms channel in the world. Just send anyone interested to our website, all the contact details there. https://reigniteacademy.co.uk/