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#mypathtolaw stories

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Using the hashtag #mypathtolaw, solicitors, barristers and academics have been sharing details of how they overcame obstacles and battled against the odds to bag their dream career in law.

The hashtag was created by Exeter Law School's Dr Matthew Channon, to find lawyers from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The cost of training and competition for training contracts makes pursuing a career in law tough, even for those with high grades, privileged backgrounds and degrees from top universities. But if you come from a disadvantaged family, a legal career can seem out of reach.

“Lawyers are seen as privileged, from posh schools and posh universities,” says Matthew Channon. According to the Sutton Trust, 74% of judges and 71% of QCs are privately educated. “But not everyone comes from that background. I was the first in my family to go to university.”