Megha and Melina are joined by Claire Mitchell KC. Claire shares her legal journey into how she was called to the Bar and how she persevered through many rejections and hurdles on the way. Claire talks about her caseload and why Public Law interests her. She shares her top tips for advocacy and the structure she follows when speaking in Court. Claire also shares insight on her ‘Taking Silk’ experience and how her career has changed since becoming a KC. Claire also discusses her incredible Witches of Scotland campaign where she has advocated for justice to be served and pardons to be given out to those convicted of witchcraft in earlier centuries.

Megha is joined by Rahma and Nicola who are future trainees of Brodies and CMS respectively. They talk about their application processes and interviews and how they stayed motivated throughout. They give us some great tips on how to make applications stand out and give us some insight into what exactly these firms are looking for. They also share their summer placement experiences highlighting their favourite aspects and some challenges they faced. We also learn how the practical side of vacation schemes compare to the academic side taught at university. We also talk to us about their journey from gaining vacation schemes to securing traineeships and they reassure those who are on the path to securing direct traineeships. 

Megha is joined by Nick Earles who is a regulatory lawyer and commercial adviser to the psychedelic industry and is one of the few dedicated legal consultants to the cannabis and psychedelic medicines industry. In this podcast, Nick talks about what drew him into the Cannabis Industry and we talk about the incredible growth and popularity of Cannabis at this present time. We also talk about the stigma surrounding cannabis and how Nick navigates through these negative opinions. We also talk about the Cannabis industries in other countries such as the USA and discuss whether the UK would ever follow suit. Nick also tells us what his hopes are for the future of the Cannabis industry.

Megha is joined by James Smith who is a Criminal Defence Lawyer who specialises in Prison Law and Parole at McGreevy & Co. We talk about the stigma and negative perception around prisoners and how this reduces their chance of fitting back into society. James also talks about the extent to which our prison system favours rehabilitation and how it compares to that of the USA and Norway. We also discuss why it is important that prisoners should have access to basic human rights and the controversial decision of the UK's ban on voting rights for prisoners. James also shares more information on his blog and social media presence and gives students some top tips for succeeding in a career in Prison Law. 

Megha and Melina are joined by Ian Duddy who is the Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission. Ian talks to us about how his career at the Foreign Office developed his interest into International Human Rights. Ian also talks about his time as a UK ambassador and how he has had to make difficult decisions and how he deals with the aftermath of these decisions. Ian also talks about his strong belief about the retainment of the Human Rights Act 1998 and how he is campaigning and trying to influence the government to keep the Act in place. Ian also shares his proudest accomplishments, both professionally and personally and gives students who are interested in human rights some advice and insight into the job.

Megha and Melina are joined by Derek Parsons who is an Advanced Family Law Practitioner in International Family Law (IFL) with speciality in International Child Abduction, Child Law and Relocation. Derek talks about his legal journey and how his business module led him into a career in Family Law. He talks about how committed one has to be to succeed in this field as sometimes he finds himself on the clock 24/7, but he still emphasises the need to unwind and relax. Derek talks about what traits an inspiring international family lawyer needs to have and tells us how beneficial it is to be fluent in other languages. Derek also discusses how academically challenging IFL is as they talk about the significance of the Hague Conventions and other legal jurisdictions. Derek also discusses how he manages to keep a strong relationship with clients from all over the world and how he overcomes cultural differences. Derek also shares some advice for aspiring lawyers who want to venture into the realm of IFL.

Megha is joined by Lady Drummond who is a Judge in the High Court in Aberdeen. Lady Drummond shares how her transition has been from being an Advocate to being a Judge and explains some of the differences between the role of an Advocate and her new role as a Judge. As a Judge, Lady Drummond tells us what attributes she looks for in an Advocate to make them stand out and compares them to attributes a Judge is required to have to be independent and impartial. Lady Drummond also talks about if the law treats everyone equally and an area of law she would like to see be reformed. She also gives solicitors some crucial advice if they are looking to make this jump in their career

Megha and Georgia are joined by Edie Bowles who is the co-founder of Advocates for Animals. They discuss Edie’s love for animals and how this love motivated her to start the first law firm in the UK which was entirely dedicated to Animal Protection Law. They also discuss the issue of illegal dog farming and the recent advancements in Animal Welfare law and whether they provide adequate protection. They also talk about the controversial issue of how animals are regarded as property in the eyes of the law and how Edie and her firm are working to change this. Edie also tells us about the financial viability of going into Animal Protection Law and what students can do to get involved with Animal Law at an early stage. You can find more about the work that Edie and her firm are involved with on their website https://www.advocates-for-animals.com.

Megha is joined by Krista Johnston who is the solicitor member of the Scottish Sentencing Council. Amongst other work, the Council develops sentencing guidelines for the courts. We talk about how sentencing guidelines are developed and the extensive process behind it. Krista explains the importance of various sentencing purposes and factors including rehabilitation and mental health when developing sentencing guidelines. We discuss the Council’s new sentencing guidelines which can be found on their website at https://www.scottishsentencingcouncil.org.uk and learn about the ‘sentencing young people’ guideline (https://bit.ly/3yHKFMa) in detail. We also gain insight into why the law in Scotland allows offenders to get a reduced sentence when they admit their guilt.

Megha and Chiara are joined by Robbie Wilson who is the Head of Medical Negligence at Anderson Strathern. Robbie talks about how he became interested in medical negligence and how he deals with cases involving cerebral palsy, birth injuries and consent. Robbie explains how many years can be spent on individual cases and how rewarding his job is when his clients finally receive their desired outcome. Robbie also talks about the challenges he personally faces and compares them with the challenges the hospitals face in medical negligence litigation. We also discuss some of the personal and professional achievements Robbie has made in his career.