Diana, a Trainee Solicitor with the WS Society, has been selected as our first Employee Spotlight. Our Director of Engagement and Membership, Sarah Leask, recently sat down with Diana to delve into her journey as a student, trainee, and Summer Scholar.
We are delighted to highlight Diana, who exemplifies the standards of excellence we uphold for all our members.
What/who made you consider law as a career?
Before committing to law as a career, I wanted to pursue either medicine, maths, or art. I found comfort in the accuracy of the exact sciences, and within the harmony of lines, shapes, and colour. But I’ve always known that the written word was my truest passion and, dare I say, talent. I loved to construct and dissect sentences since I first learned of clause analysis in school, and was regularly told I was good at composing and analysing text. Equally, I have always loved rhetoric and dialectics. That is what ultimately drew me to a career in law, which in its bare essence consists of persistently informing and persuading others through writing or speech, and of investigating the coherence of statements and robustness of narratives (as well as the ways in which the laws themselves work…!).
Which areas of law are of particular interest to you?
I have very broad legal interests, but mostly, I am devoted to social welfare law and charity law. These types of laws regulate the provision of social services within the public and third sector and safeguard the well-being of individuals, particularly people and communities facing barriers that are being disenfranchised by the system. Examples include housing law, immigration and asylum law, employment law, human rights, community care, and education. On the other hand, charity law regulates the ways in which not-for-profit organisations, which operate in the third sector for the benefit of communities in need, are set up and operate.
I am also very passionate about planning and environmental law, as these regulate the way we plan, treat, and live within our built and natural environments, and the way we interact with our most precious resource: land.
Lastly, I am very interested in constitutional law and socio-legal theory, and I am fascinated by art, cultural property, and heritage law; artistic freedom of expression; international law and relations (with a focus on diplomatic and consular law); and sports law.
What was your first experience and impression of the WS Society?
“I was profoundly fascinated by the treasures the Society holds, and by the way in which this ancient institution, bearing a considerable burden of prestige and solemnity, had managed to reinvent itself in such a fresh, inclusive, and serviceable manner.”
The first time I had come across the Society goes back to 2018, through a mutual acquaintance and seasoned member of the Society, who later became my mentor. It is through this person that I first got familiar with the Society, its history and present activities, as well as the operations of The Signet Library. I was profoundly fascinated by the treasures the Society holds, and by the way in which this ancient institution, bearing a considerable burden of prestige and solemnity, had managed to reinvent itself in such a fresh, inclusive, and serviceable manner. This first impression proved correct, as the Society is now my workplace, where that first feeling gets confirmed daily.
Tell us about your journey through the WS Society, from Summer Scholar to Affiliate member, and being part of the WS Executive team?
I first joined the Society as a WS Summer Scholar in 2020. That was the dreaded year of the first wave of Covid, when the whole world grinded to a halt. The Society managed to run its legal research programme regardless, offering its premises to us scholars on an exclusive basis. It was a truly unique, if not a little eerie, experience, that I remember very fondly. Shortly after that, I applied to become a student member, and had my first admission ceremony, which took place online. Nearly three years after, in November 2023, I received my commission as an Affiliate member from Lady Elish Angiolini, Lord Clerk Register of Scotland and Keeper of the Signet – a remarkable moment. A couple of months after that, a very unexpected opportunity presented itself, which led me to joining the Society’s executive team, where I am currently completing my legal traineeship.
What would you say to anyone considering WS membership?
I would warmly encourage them to get in touch and apply to become a member. Particularly for students and trainees, membership offers access to a wide network of inspiring and competent legal practitioners, who are always happy to have a chat and provide useful insight. In addition, you will have access to an impressive legal and historic book collection, online resources, and excellent spaces where to study, write, and ponder. Then, ever-so-often, you get to bump into some of the regular guests in the Upper West Library, or catch the executive and support teams running up and down the stairs, which might, depending on circumstances, yield some very compelling discussions, or some very terrible puns… either way, all solid reasons to get in touch!