Inspirational Women in Law: Kayleigh Leonie
The Women Lawyers Division at the Law Society supports and advises all women solicitors and aspiring women solicitors, from trainees to retirees and are dedicated to meeting the needs of their women solicitors.
Providing an opportunity for women solicitors to have their voices heard, their members work in private practice, and in-house within corporate, public sector and not-for-profit organisations.
We will hear from women who are members of the Division, how it has helped them through their journey in law, as well as insightful nuggets of advice.
Kayleigh Leonie is a WLD Committee member and a Law Society Council Member for solicitors zero to five years’ PQE and an ex-officio member of the Junior Lawyers Division. Hearing from Kayleigh, we learn about the importance wellbeing plays in retaining and attracting lawyers.
Why did you choose employment law?
I have a real passion for diversity and inclusion and chose to write my university dissertation on discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief, with a particular focus on the workplace. Having studied employment law as a module at university and on my legal practice course, I enjoyed the ever-changing nature of employment law and the developments through case law all of which have a tangible impact on the people’s lives. Employment law seemed like a natural choice bringing together my interests.
When sitting on the WLD committee at the Law Society, what are important issues you think must be addressed in 2019?
With women now making up the majority of the profession, one of the most important issues that needs to be addressed in 2019 is the lack of women in senior roles. It is incredible to think how far the legal profession has come since women were permitted to be admitted to the roll and the first woman qualifying in 1922, however, there is still considerable work to be done to ensure that women are supported and encouraged to aspire and obtain senior roles from an early stage.
What do you think are important changes or issues to be addressed in order to retain and attract aspiring lawyers?
Some of the key changes include the introduction of the solicitors qualifying examination (SQE) are due in September 2021, giving the ability to qualify as a solicitor through the apprenticeship route. I hope that aspiring solicitors will soon have more diverse methods by which to qualify into the legal profession as solicitors, as a result of the introduction of these changes.
In terms of important issues that need to be addressed to help retain aspiring lawyers, I think lawyer wellbeing is a key priority. You may have seen in the Junior Lawyers Division’s resilience and wellbeing survey for 2019 that over 93.5% of respondents reported experiencing stress in their role, with almost a quarter experiencing severe/extreme levels of stress. Over three-quarters of respondents stated that their employer could do more to provide help, guidance and support in relation to the high levels of stress experienced by junior lawyers at work. The key reasons for stress at work were stated as high workload, client expectations, lack of support and ineffective management. It is imperative for the legal profession to retain its best talent, so law firms need to ensure that they are providing adequate support to their lawyers to combat these pressures.
Has the legal sector changed with the times? What will the next generation want out of being a lawyer and how should the profession adapt to this?
I started my training contract back in 2010 and a lot has changed, even in the last nine years. Due to the advances in technology, it is increasingly difficult for lawyers to switch off, as they are now permanently connected to their work through their smartphones. This inability to switch off and take valuable recuperation time away from work is having a significant impact on lawyers’ wellbeing. Lawyers need to ensure they set themselves clear boundaries to give themselves sufficient time to relax outside of work to then be as efficient as they can be whilst at work.
Three tips for aspiring lawyers?
Be kind to yourself, work hard and aim high.
Who are your biggest inspirations?
My biggest inspiration, like many other junior lawyers, is Lady Hale. Her commitment and dedication to reach the most senior position in the judiciary being the first female President of the Supreme Court is incredible. I also take inspiration from the current President of The Law Society, Christina Blacklaws, who also sits alongside me on the Women Lawyers Division Committee. She is a fantastic role model and has been very supportive of me as a junior lawyer to encourage me to stand as a Council Member of The Law Society and use it as a platform to represent all junior and female lawyers.
