Name: Sonali Naik QC Chambers: Garden Court Chambers Location: London University: Lincoln College, University of Oxford Degree: Law
look out for every possible opportunity to get sponsorship, scholarship or financial assistance.” Persistence and proactivity are key. Sonali’s ultimate advice is to remember that it’s not just a job; it’s a profession. “It doesn’t seek you out, you have to seek it.” Stay true to your principles Working life has changed for Sonali since she took silk in 2018. Since then, she does less court work and spends more time preparing strategic cases. She emphasises the solitary nature of the job and the importance of self- motivation. It is only now, later in her career that Sonali often works with a team of juniors, and not just on her own with a solicitor. The flexibility of self-employment was also a pull- factor for her in becoming a barrister, despite the time-consuming nature of some aspects of the job. “You have to be prepared to do your own admin!” she laughs. “That’s very different to working in a law firm where you may have your own secretary.” What did Sonali wish she’d known about being a barrister before embarking on this career? “It is possible to stay true to your principles and not compromise and still succeed… I’ve always done the type of work I wanted to because it was interesting and important to me.”
the reasons why you want to become an immigration lawyer,” says Sonali. “Is it an academic interest in immigration or asylum, or because you want to help vulnerable people – and what role do you want to have?” This kind of self-analysis is crucial to understanding if you would be suited to this type of work, and if you should become a barrister or solicitor. Itcanbehardtoputyourselfin thepositionofamigrantwhohas travelledoverlandfordaysinthe backofalorrytocometothiscountry. Youcanonlyreallygainthoseskills withexperience–themostimportant thingistolisten Looking to the future In terms of issues affecting this sensitive and sometimes unpredictable area of law, Sonali shrugs off Brexit as the least of her legal worries: “Although Brexit will inevitably have consequences in terms of workload, the main problem right now is the much demoralised and depleted legal aid system that has been under attack frommany successive administrations.” The future of a legal aid chambers looks pretty bleak, with it becoming increasingly difficult to take on legal aid work exclusively. “When I started, it was a respected and viable option to do solely legal aid work, but now the challenge is to figure out how to continue undertaking a significant
amount of publicly funded work whilst maintaining a sustainable practice.“
The future for those wishing to pursue a career at the Bar is not so rosy either. “It’s more competitive than ever to become a barrister,” says Sonali. “And it’s certainly not a level playing field. There are those who will be much more advantaged in terms of contacts or background. Students should
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