I was everything a law student wasn’t. For a start, I was old, compared to other students on my course, I was positively elderly. When I enrolled, I was thirty-nine weeks pregnant with my third child; she was just two weeks when I sat down for my first lecture on the very dusty topic of The English Legal System, and yes, it really is as dull as it sounds. That same two-week-old was seven by time The Law Society admitted me onto the Roll of Solicitors. But I’m not special or unique, I went to a very average high school where I was a very average pupil who obtained very average GCSE results. The only reason I managed to get into law school was because they encouraged mature applications. I grabbed opportunities when they arose, took a few chances, and the rest was luck.

So, why am I telling you this? Because, I suppose, what I’m really about is supporting people. That’s why I went into the law. To help those who have, perhaps, found themselves through no fault of their own, in a tricky spot and in need of advice.

These are stressful times, you may be worrying about your job – is it secure? What happens if you’re made redundant? Or you may have financial worries that are having an impact on your wellbeing. Perhaps your relationship has broken down and you need advice. My role is to be your advisor, your confidante, your friend – in short – your legal parent, holding your hand and guiding you through all those difficult times of life where you want someone else to take the strain, to relieve the pressure and fight your corner. Well, that’s me. That’s what I am about.