Emerging legal talent and Future Trainee Solicitor Naomi Owolabi shares her inspiring journey into law shaped by resilience, self-belief, and a determination to thrive as an international student. A must-listen episode of The Lawyer Files. 🎙️
In this episode, I sit down with Naomi Owolabi — Durham Law graduate, international student, and incoming trainee at BCLP. From being inspired by Legally Blonde to overcoming imposter syndrome at university, Naomi’s path shows how persistence and confidence can turn ambition into opportunity.
Her story highlights the realities of navigating law as someone from an underrepresented background, the lessons she learned on the BCLP Vacation Scheme, and why believing in yourself can be more powerful than the most polished application.
We talk about:
✅ How Durham shaped her confidence and helped her overcome imposter syndrome
✅ Why family debates and her dissertation on the Biafra War drew her toward law
✅ What her seats in Core Real Estate and Commercial Construction taught her on the BCLP Vacation Scheme
✅ Why she chose BCLP as the right firm for her training contract
✅ Her advice to aspiring solicitors from underrepresented backgrounds — and the importance of positive self-talk
✅ What she wishes she had known at the start of her law degree and how she handled feeling “behind” after graduation
Whether you are an international student, an aspiring solicitor balancing self-doubt with ambition, or someone looking for reassurance that your timing is your own, Naomi’s story is filled with practical lessons and encouragement to keep going.
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