Pegah Sharghy
Call Year: 1998
Why did you decide to become a barrister?
It is a profession like no other. Despite its many challenges particularly for those of us who are mothers and domestic captains, the rewards of practicing as a barrister are endless. For starters, you get to make a difference in direct and often profound ways to lives, freedoms and rights of others – being less corny: you get to HELP. The intellectual challenges are rigorous and however bleary eyed you become after reading a box full of papers in humanly impossible time-limits, you’re never bored and get to be a coffee connoisseur.
What is the biggest change you have seen at the Bar / what has surprised you about being a barrister?
The only expectation I had 20 years ago when entering my beloved profession was that I had to work hard, which was met – and how! I did not expect it to be so holistically rich and rewarding. Things can get better and I have no doubt will.
What advice would you give to aspiring barristers today?
You have the privilege of fighting someone’s corner, getting the inside view and dissecting /challenging assumptions. Best of all, it draws out strength and skills you had no inkling you had within.
Clare Ciborowska
Call Year: 2009
Why did you decide to become a barrister?
I have no other lawyers in my family but when I was at university a friend of mine said she thought I would make a good lawyer. When I looked into I decided I wanted to be a Barrister. Throughout my life I had always found myself sticking up for people less fortunate than myself or speaking up in situations where others were afraid to speak up. I was very drawn to Family law and being able to articulate a person’s experience and communicate that to the court and to advocate on a client’s behalf. I enjoyed legal research and writing and I was attracted to the prospect of going to court each day and being able to argue legal points with a judge and handle witnesses.
What is the biggest change you have seen at the Bar / what has surprised you about being a barrister?
The withdrawal of legal aid in private law children cases has had an immeasurable impact on access to justice. When I first started almost all parties in family cases were represented by qualified lawyers. More recently there is a high proportion of people tasked with navigating the court system and legal principles unassisted as litigants in person. It makes me despair to see people who are ill-advised or struggling to work out what to do and especially in emotionally sensitive circumstances involving children. I always knew that being a Barrister would involve a heavy work load but I was surprised at how much of the work was last-minute and what a Barrister is expected to do in a very short timeframe.
What advice would you give to aspiring barristers today?
Listen to people carefully. Spend time working out what the real issues are. Often there are underlying issues that may not be immediately obvious but are impacting significantly on the issues before the court. Showing empathy and allowing the client to feel as though you have understood them goes a long way. The law is a very rewarding career and I have made lifelong friends at the Bar. It is challenging in so many ways and each case is completely different and will involve a fresh analysis each time. That makes for a very rewarding job.
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