Social mobility stories: Emma Jones
As part of Social Mobility Day, we’re sharing “social mobility stories” – a series of conversations with colleagues across the firm, exploring the different paths people have taken into the profession.
Each story offers a personal perspective on the challenges, opportunities and moments that have shaped their careers, and highlights that there is no single route into law.
Find out more about our approach to social mobility and inclusion on our culture page.
What’s your story, how did you find your way to where you are now?
I grew up in a rural coastal town in Kent and attended my local state school, where I completed my GCSEs. Alongside school, I started working from the age of 13, beginning with a paper round (if those still exist, I’m aware this may age me slightly!) Over the years, I took on a range of part-time roles, including pub work, cleaning and working on local chicken farms as a vaccinator and farm hand.
Most of my school holidays were organised around work rather than time off, and from a relatively young age I became aware that qualifying as a solicitor would require a significant financial commitment. With no connections to the profession, I was largely navigating the path on my own and working things out as I went. Balancing work alongside education became a constant but I always had a clear goal in mind: to qualify as a solicitor and to build a career in law.
At GCSE level, my school partnered with a grammar school to expand the range of A Level options. In practice, this meant that to study three of the four subjects I wanted, I would be based there anyway. Given that, I chose to move schools entirely despite the 45-minute bus journey each way (on a good day).
The transition wasn’t easy. I felt I had to prove I belonged, particularly as I hadn’t completed my GCSEs there. At one point during my AS levels, I was even told to reconsider applying for a law degree, and that it would be surprising if I succeeded, despite achieving the highest grades in the class.
I had already decided that law was the path I wanted to follow. It combined the things I valued which was problem-solving and working with people. However, without insight into how the profession operated, my family and I were surprised to learn how early training contract applications needed to be made, and that funding for the LPC was often tied to securing one. The GDL never really came into consideration as I couldn’t see how it would be financially viable. By that stage, I had already committed to my route. I made the decision to back myself, continue working, and fund the LPC independently.
Throughout university, part-time work remained essential. I balanced my studies with long working hours, working the summers, and where possible, during term-time. Even then, I needed to take out a loan to help fund the LPC. While studying the LPC in Guildford, that balance continued, studying during the day and working 30–40 hours a week in a pub to cover rent and essentials. It was demanding and often left little downtime, but it reinforced my focus on the longer-term goal.
Gaining work experience required similar trade-offs, balancing unpaid roles with paid work. After a long summer of applications, I accepted a role with a firm in Kent shortly after completing the LPC. At the time, I was interested in agricultural law, reflecting my background and targeted my applications accordingly.
After qualifying, I spent two years at that firm before relocating to London. I then joined a boutique entertainment firm, supporting a partner in the private client team. It was a steep learning curve, but it helped me refine my interests. I realised that estate administration was where I wanted to specialise, which led me to my current role focussing on complex estates, including cross-border matters. I’ve had the opportunity to (and continue to) act for high profile individuals, which feels a long way from where I started.
Looking back, the path to qualification required persistence, resilience, and a strong sense of purpose. Working from a young age alongside full-time study meant financial pressure and limited flexibility, but it also gave me clarity and drive.
For me, that’s why social mobility matters. The route into the profession can feel uncertain, particularly when you’re balancing financial pressures and working things out as you go. Creating clearer, more accessible pathways is essential to ensure that those with the ambition to pursue a career in law feel able to do so.
Looking back, what barriers did you have to face and how has that shaped you?
Upon reflection, the two biggest barriers I faced were financial constraints and a lack of access to the profession.
Financially, I worked from an early age and continued throughout school and university. Growing up in a rural coastal area, I spent my summers working in pubs, cleaning holiday apartments and undertaking farm work, which allowed me to save and ultimately self-fund my LPC (albeit with the help of a loan). At the time, the cost of qualifying felt daunting, and I wasn’t sure how I would manage it. Choosing to invest in myself gave me a strong sense of ownership over my path, as well as the determination and resilience to persevere.
The second barrier was the absence of any personal connections to the legal industry. I did not have a clear roadmap into the profession, and even basic things such as where to begin or what was expected felt unfamiliar at the outset. Starting my training contract was intimidating, and I was often conscious that I was learning things that others already seemed to know.
Nevertheless, those experiences have shaped how I approach my career. They have made me more proactive, resilient and grounded and have reinforced the value of different types of experience. While I did not have extensive legal work experience early on, my part-time jobs helped develop the communication and organisational skills, and commercial awareness that are essential to being an effective solicitor.
Importantly, this background has influenced how I view the profession more broadly. I am conscious of the importance of making law more accessible and transparent, and of reassuring others that there is no single route into the profession and no prescribed timeline, everyone’s path can, and should, look different.
Was there a moment, person, or opportunity that changed what you thought was possible for you?
There have been a number of defining moments, but one really stands out. When I joined my previous firm, I was given the opportunity to work closely with a partner who encouraged me to think beyond what I thought was possible. One of my very first instructions was to act for a member of a band I had long admired. It was a real “pinch me” moment and made me realise just how much opportunity there was to work with incredible clients.
I trained outside London and was very aware of the perception that moving to a London firm can be more challenging than for those who had trained here. That said, the firm I trained at gave me a strong foundation, not only in legal fundamentals, but also in understanding how a law firm operates as a business. I was also exposed to high-quality work early on and given the opportunity to take ownership of it, for which I remain very grateful.
When I later moved to London, the partner who hired me took a genuine interest in my development. He provided exposure to clients and work that I would not previously have thought possible. There were several stand-out moments along the way, but more importantly, it changed how I saw myself. It marked a shift from feeling as though I did not quite belong, to recognising that everyone’s journey into the profession is different. With the right opportunity and support, what once felt out of reach can quickly become part of your reality.
What do you wish you’d known earlier in your career?
Most people experience imposter syndrome, although the reasons behind it often differ. What matters is focusing on building your knowledge and saying yes to opportunities when they arise, those are things that set you up well in the long run.
You do not need to “earn” your seat at the table. By going through the training process and backing yourself, you’re already there, just like everyone else.
It’s important to reframe that mindset. Carrying a chip on your shoulder does not serve you. I did not have the means to spend my summers on vacation schemes or work experience, but I found other ways to develop my skills alongside achieving the grades I needed. I am proud of what I’ve built and of the network I have organically grown by recognising and taking opportunities as they come.
Authenticity also matters. Relationships are built and sustained by people, so it is important to be yourself rather than a version of who you think you should be. The only real change I made was losing the flesh tunnels… the nose ring stayed!
Why do you believe sharing personal stories matters when we talk about social mobility?
People often only see where you have ended up, rather than the journey it took to get there. Without that context, it is easy to overlook both the barriers that exist and the effort required to overcome them.
Sharing personal stories helps bring those realities into view. It shows that, while the system is not always easy to navigate, progress is possible and that there is no single “correct” route into the legal profession. There are many different paths, and each one has value. At the same time, there is still more to be done to break down existing barriers, and that progress depends on greater awareness.
It also allows others to see themselves in those experiences. When people can recognise elements of their own journey, it becomes easier to believe that they can achieve their goals too.
