An interview with Simranjeet Kaur Mann, trainee solicitor and digital creator
by Meghna Warrier
Meet Simranjeet Kaur Mann, a trainee solicitor at a UK top 20 law firm, who is currently spending 6 months working at a technology company. She is also an influencer and blogger. She runs a Youtube channel under her real name where she talks about personal development and her life as a trainee solicitor. She joins us today to discuss the representation of women in law in the UK and to showcase the power of social media in raising awareness in the legal sector.
Tell us about Sim’s Legal Mentoring and why you began influencing.
I enjoyed subjects like English Literature and History at school. I enjoyed applying factual knowledge to answering a question. These factors led to me wanting to become a solicitor. I started Instagram first before I started Youtube. I thought it was a great way in which I could share information, try to reach an audience and share my experiences with the training contract process. At first, I was intimidated by people. I didn’t think I was good enough and I got so many rejections from law firms. When I graduated from university I didn’t have any legal contacts. I also didn’t go to networking events and it put me at a serious disadvantage. During that process, I learned so much about myself, the application process and how to do well in interviews.
When I was younger, I struggled to find South Asian representation in the legal field. I decided that instead of complaining about it I should try to put myself out there. I didn’t want to be seen as a figurehead necessarily but I wanted to show some representation. I wanted to illustrate that there are steps people can take to put themselves out there in the field. I then created my Instagram profile.
I did an IGTV once on Instagram and two people commented that I looked natural in front of a camera and that I should consider starting a Youtube channel. Their small praises inspired me and pushed me into creating my channel within that week. I never dreamt about joining Youtube or creating and uploading videos. I realized that I had nothing to lose by giving it a go and it ended up being such a great decision for me. I started influencing others with the more content that I created. I combined the content creation with techniques that helped me during the training contract process.
Along the line, I ended up getting brand deals where companies approached me wanting to work with me. I stuck with my initial objective to not get caught up in the brand deals because that is not why I created my page for. I created my page to share as much information as I could in an honest manner and not portray any falsehoods about this career. I read an article the other day that made me question why influencers are criticised so much. I find it interesting that even though influencing is a female-dominated industry it’s seen as a bad thing. People see influencers every day because of social media platforms so it’s actually become such an important part of everyone’s lives.
My content evolved from becoming purely about law to talking about careers/productivity and now even talking about elements of my personal life. I was initially baffled that people were interested in my vlogs and getting an insight into my life outside the law as well. So I vlogged about my trips to India and America. But that’s how my content has developed over time.
What barriers do you think ethnic minority women face in the legal sector? And what setbacks have you faced and how did you deal with them?
One of the biggest barriers that ethnic minority women face is the lack of representation. I find the label BAME quite frustrating because the grouping ignores different issues minorities face. When I was in the process of applying, I wanted to see how many South Asian women exist as per law firm statistics and I did struggle to find the answer. More South Asian women are stepping into careers in law which is great to see, but it’s hard to address our unique difficulties to others. People tend not to acknowledge their privilege. I’ve not had it directed at me but I’ve witnessed microaggressions towards other ethnic minority women in the workplace, and it’s horrible to see. I’ve personally been affected by the lack of representation. I didn’t know many brown girls in the cohort of my year at university compared to my school experience in a predominantly brown area. It was such a massive culture shock to me. I think that led me to feel quite inferior. I’m vehemently opposed to the idea; I don’t think I am inferior but I felt so intimidated – especially at university.
I think it’s so important to stand with people who are facing these issues whether they are your friends or colleagues. There’s nothing wrong with showing your support because it can be quite disheartening to witness. It’s not intentionally malicious but it can be so uncomfortable. There’s a lack of education and sensitivity regarding different cultures and experiences. This can be mitigated through training, education and celebration of cultures. Employers should know what different colleagues are going through.
Are there specific women who inspired you?
My mum, first of all, is the most inspirational figure. She works incredibly hard and has gone through so much adversity in life. She came into the UK not knowing any English whatsoever but she has persevered. Until recently I have not been able to find a female role model in the legal sector. I met one South Asian woman on Linkedin who started her own firm and she inspired me as the first person who I’ve ever looked up to in a legal career. I think a lack of representation is a barrier because I don’t see people like myself in a law firm and it can feel alienating but I think that image is changing.
There’s a model that I follow called Neelam Gill and I really like her Instagram posts. I like that she’s a successful model but she’s not forgotten her roots. I also look up to my friends.
What should be done differently to ensure more success stories of women and girls in law?
It’s important to support fellow women and avoid negativity like cattiness and jealousy. I try to surround myself with people that will compliment each other, be inspirational, give ideas and provide healthy competition. We shouldn’t drag each other down. We need to be more inclusive and understand that being a woman goes beyond being assigned that gender. There are people out there who identify as female and it’s important to be inclusive to those individuals. We need to acknowledge our privilege and not disregard other people’s trauma. We must pave the way to help each other out. I feel as South Asians we are taught to keep things to ourselves. Instead of gatekeeping information why not share that piece of information or knowledge?
What advice would you give to women starting out in the legal profession?
Try and get involved as much as you can. You may find yourself wondering why you did certain things and wanting to go home but try to overcome those thoughts. Your future self will thank you for persevering. I always tell myself: when you are in situations where you are out of your comfort zone then that’s where you should be and that’s space for you to grow. If you are in a room where you are feeling comfortable you aren’t pushing yourself. I used to lack confidence and feel intimidated. That’s what held me back. I guess my main advice is to try not to let your internal feelings affect your actions and the progress you want to make.
Any advice to share with Wempower’s audience on how to keep yourself focused between studies, work and content creation?
My friends would probably describe me as “efficient” and “organized”. I try to keep on top of things. Sometimes I have those days where I need some downtime. It’s okay to not beat yourself up about that. I try to figure out the things that make me feel motivated again. It’s different for everyone but I enjoy going to the gym. This is an example of a situation where I’m pushing myself to reach a personal best and reach a certain goal. This then translates to my organization – outside of the gym as well. I love rearranging events on my calendar and time blocking for content creation. I use Google and Apple calendars. I’m more likely to complete tasks when I check them off my to-do lists. I learned about this in a book I read recently called ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear which has helped my productivity. I don’t think keeping on top of everything is an everyday thing but you must be kind to yourself. Ask yourself: what is it that allows you to become more motivated? And keep pushing yourself.
Congrats on graduating from the LPC and best wishes for your upcoming marriage! Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
In five years time, I’m going to be 30. I would’ve liked to have started my own business. By then I would like to travel more since I’ve always wanted to travel more. I’m still trying to figure out what makes me fulfilled. I want to get into a suitable practice area. I would like to think that by the time I’m 30 I’m doing something with my career that makes me content – whether that’s in the law or not. I’m not definitely sure about the legal field, but it’s most likely going to be in a legal career. I’m quite happy where I am right now though. I like being a trainee.
I hope that I’ll still be working on my YouTube channel at 30, producing and developing new content. I hope that I continue the extracurricular activities that I’m currently doing outside of work. I like developing my network. I would like to see myself knowing a community of people who are also doing the same things that I am or that I can learn from. I want to be in a room with people that I know are smarter than me or surrounded by people who are even more motivated, more inspirational or more positive than I could ever be. I hope that I will have a community like that. I think whoever you surround yourself with influences you. I can’t control what happens next in my personal life in terms of family but I hope to have more control of my career.
Are there any new initiatives or projects you’re working on at the moment?
I want to talk more about what’s happening in my life. I am getting married soon so I want to create more wedding content. I want to link my content to productivity and organization. In terms of new initiatives, I’ve got loads of new ideas but I hope to strategise them in a way that’ll work at the right time especially since in September I’ll be a final seat trainee. I’m not rushing into anything new. I am documenting my journey as I progress.
Any final comments?
When I was younger I used to feel like being a woman was burdensome. Societal pressure compels us to conform and behave in certain ways. As soon as I hit my twenties I started truly enjoying being a woman because I started being myself and I stopped caring about what other people thought. If I want to wear something I’ll wear it, if I want to say something I’ll say it and if I want to do something I’ll do it. I really like that this new generation is so unapologetic.
